Iowa State defensive end Isaac Terrell (88) sacks Southeast Missouri quarterback Braylen Ragland (7) during the second quarter in the week one NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, in Ames, Iowa.

With a new era underway for the Iowa State Cyclones, the team was able to get a comfortable win over Southeast Missouri, giving Jimmy Rogers his first win with the program.

Coming into Week 1, there was no shortage of questions about what this team might be. The Cyclones lost all of their starters on offense and defense, and the group had to be completely revamped.

A lot of credit has to go to Rogers and the coaching staff for working the portal and getting players to come to Iowa State following the departure of Campbell. While the talent level might not be the same, there is some good depth and players hungry to prove what they can do.

In Week 1, the Cyclones were a significant favorite, and they proved to be up to the task. With a 38-10 win, Iowa State looked good for the most part on both sides of the ball.

There will certainly be things for the coaching staff to work on before next week against the Iowa Hawkeyes, but things were good overall.

However, when looking at the areas that really shined for the team, it was the defense that looked like the more polished group. Allowing just 10 points is impressive against any team, and the pass rush for them was suffocating at times.

Furthermore, the one player for the unit that really stood out was defensive end Isaac Terrell.

As one of the transfers from the Washington State Cougars, Terrell came in with a lot of hype, and he exceeded it in Week 1. In the win, Terrell was able to record three sacks and force a fumble.

The senior transfer was wreaking havoc on Saturday and has quickly emerged as a game-changer for the Cyclones. Getting pressure on the quarterback is the name of the game on defense, and having a player like Terrell is going to be an excellent weapon for the team going forward.

With the three-sack performance, Terrell has certainly put the Big 12 on notice for the type of player he can be this year. Furthermore, while he could be an emerging star for Iowa State, he wasn’t alone in getting after the passer.

Overall, the team totaled six sacks in the win, and controlling the trenches on that side of the ball was a strength. If Terrell and the pass-rush can keep this up, this unit might be one to fear in the Big 12.