⚡ CFB Dashboard

AMES – The 2026 college football season will, unsurprisingly, be filled with a lot of firsts at Iowa State and for head coach Jimmy Rogers, who is, unironically, in his first season with the Cyclones. On Saturday, he is coaching his first Big 12 game as Iowa State's lead man when No. 15 Utah (3-0) comes to Jack Trice Stadium for a white-out matchup in the mid-afternoon on FOX. Saturday's game isn't just Rogers' first, though. It's Utah's first game as a Big 12 member in Ames, and its Ute head coach Morgan Scalley's first Big 12 game too. Scalley was elevated to head coach, replacing Utah legend Kyle Whittingham after he stepped down following the 2025 season. The Week 4 date with Utah is Rogers' first in the Big 12. Yet, his approach to his first conference contest is no difference than his actions leading into the 55-7 Week 3 drumming of Bowling Green to conclude nonconference play. "I think they're all the same," Rogers said. "I think you have to prepare the same way because the biggest thing is if you want your players to come out and attack the process and have the same type of result week in, week out, they can't feel it's different either. And that's kind of the message thus far: is we need to continue to get better." Earlier this season, Iowa State proved it could compete in a tough, physical, four-quarter football game in a tense environment vs. a Top 25 team. Competing isn't enough for Rogers, who lamented his team falling short in a 16-13 defeat to rival Iowa in Week 2. He was proud of the competitiveness and the fight his team displayed. However, he expects to win, and he's made that abundantly clear in his first season with the program. After competing in Week 2 against a stout opponent, the Cyclones get another opportunity to "prove their truth," as Rogers said. It won't be Iowa State's first chance to do that, and it likely won't be their last. Yet, it's the only one that matters. "We're trying to win every one of these games," Rogers said. "And I think that needs to be the mindset."