The Iowa State Cyclones are entering one of the toughest portions in their entire history as a football program. They have had highs, they have had lows, but where they currently stand feels like a place that is hard to bounce back from.Over the offseason, Iowa State lost their head coach, Matt Campbell, who took his talents to the Penn State Nittany Lions. And of course, that meant taking essentially the entire team with him. The Cyclones are a great program, but without talent it’s tough to compete at any school. Furthermore, the amount of talent that they failed to replace may bite them.Now, the team is full of transfers. Some came from new head coach Jimmy Rogers’ school, the Washington State Cougars, while others came from the FCS level, Group of Five level, or occasionally, the Power Four.It’s an intriguing team for sure, but one that’s going to take time to do well. That’s why Iowa State’s second half of the season will be much better than the first half.Cyclones Will Develop Iowa State football head coach Jimmy Rogers talks to media during NFL football pro-day at Bergstrom Football Complex on March 24, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Cyclones have tons of transfers, and the reality is that it’s going to take time to blend. They have never played together, played different opposing teams, and are often from different areas as well. Whether it's a talented group or not, it’s tough to put together an abundance of guys that don’t know how to play together.But that also doesn’t mean it won’t happen, and we actually have lots of confidence that they will perform much better in the second half of the season. Rogers is a culture guy, building programs up wherever he goes no matter the adversity they face. When Iowa State has trouble in a few games early, they will stay composed and get better as the year goes on. Rogers leading the squad will convey that message, and the team will become more connected over time. When you spend time during the season fighting every single week, the group of strangers can quickly turn into a group with good chemistry.The Cyclones aren’t expected to be super competitive next season, but a lot of that is dependent on their ability to bounce back when things don’t go their way. For Iowa State, a brotherhood will form stronger as time goes on, and games that may seem like sure losses may turn into wins, while games that feel like sure wins could become blowouts. But that will only work if the Cyclones fight together, and stay connected throughout tough times next season.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow