Story byJames H. Williams, USA TODAYSat, December 6, 2025 at 5:33 AM UTC·1 min readIowa State has a new head football coach for the first time in 10 years. Matt Campbell spent the past 10 seasons as the Cyclones coach but is now taking over the Penn State coaching job. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard, who hired Campbell, got emotional as he expressed his feelings about the coach following the coach's decision to move on from the program. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“He's had an amazing run as our football coach and didn't get to do it in front of his family and friends,” Pollard said. “He had other times he could have left and he chose not to.