Story byThe Des Moines RegisterTravis Hines, Des Moines RegisterThu, December 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM UTC·6 min readAMES - The 2025 Iowa State football campaign began with whispers of hope for something special. Belief that the Cyclones, coming off a best-ever 11-win season in 2024, would have themselves a squad capable of winning quite a few football games in the fall, maybe even a little more than that. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMaybe a Big 12 title. Maybe a spot in the College Football Playoff. The 5-0 start turned those whispers into outright ambition and expectation, only to be dashed by a midseason four-game losing streak that took the air out of those dreams. Iowa State pulled out of that tailspin to finish the regular season with three-straight victories to give them a more-than-respectable 8-4 season, but, after two years seemingly on the cusp, that next step – a conference title and a spot in the national tournament – is ever so tantalizing. The 16-team Big 12 and the 12-team playoff offer Iowa State real opportunities to do both. But the path is fraught with obstacles we can see now in December, and certainly ones that are hidden away in the adversity and unknown that make up every single season. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo what steps does Iowa State need to take to give it the best shot to walk the path from 8-4 into the 2026 CFP?Let’s take a look. AMES, IA - SEPTEMBER 6: Head coach Matt Campbell of the Iowa State Cyclones cpaches quarterback Rocco Becht #3 of the Iowa State Cyclones during a time out in the second half of play against the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium on September 6, 2025, in Ames, Iowa.