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The Iowa State football team went 8-4 in the regular season with strong wins over Iowa and TCU. The Cyclones will not play in a bowl game.
Players refused a postseason invite following a team vote. It triggered a six-figure fine from the Big 12.
“The administrative staff and coaches respect and support the players decision. Our student-athletes have had an incredible season and we are grateful for their leadership as we worked through this process with them today.”
-ISU Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard
The school cited a lack of healthy players in its reasoning. There were concerns about being able to safely practice and play.
Iowa State does not have a football coach.
Matt Campbell accepted the job at Penn State over the weekend. He will replace James Franklin. That news blindsided the team, which reportedly found out via social media.
Campbell’s decision comes with larger impacts than a coaching search. In today’s age of NIL and the transfer portal, it likely means a mass departure.
Many on the roster will test the market in hopes of finding suitable next stops. Some will follow Campbell to Pennsylvania.
The transfer portal opens in early January. That window begins in the middle of the postseason.
Rather than prep for a bowl game, players have an eye on the future. They’d prefer to explore transfer options instead of practicing throughout the month of December.
The team does not want to compete in the postseason. It will cost the Cyclones.
The Big 12 fined Iowa State.
The Big 12 Conference is issuing a $500,000 institutional fine to Iowa State and Kansas State for opting out of their participation in the Conference’s bowl pool.
While the Conference acknowledges the difficult timing around coaching changes, the Big 12 is responsible for fulfilling its contractual obligations to its bowl partners.
The Big 12 considers the matter resolved and will have no further comment.
The league released a statement on the Cyclones’ bowl game refusal. Iowa State football will be fined $500,000.
Kansas State will also be fined for skipping out on its postseason opportunity. The Wildcats find themselves in a similar position following the retirement of Chris Klieman.
Both of those teams will look much different in 2026, both in terms of players and coaching staffs. Each was successful in 2025. The schools will get punished before watching their rosters get poached.