Iowa
How Jaylen Raynor can Make or Break Iowa State Football in 2026
The Iowa State Cyclones have had quite the offseason. They lost Matt Campbell, Rocco Becht, and the majority of the roster, with many heading to Happy Valley to join the Penn State Nittany Lions. After years of consistency and greatness amongst the Big 12 conference, they now look in a completely different situation. Now, they have to save the program.
Over the last few seasons, Iowa State’s face of the program has been their quarterbacks. Outside of one solid Hunter Dekkers year, the last couple of years have been dominated by the likes of Becht and Brock Purdy. But with Becht now out the door, they have to look to the next best option.
The general consensus around the Cyclones is that their offseason was terrible. Partially that was true. But the players that Iowa State brought in aren’t as bad as people may think, and one name especially, takes the crown as the best offseason addition.
Jaylen Raynor is Key
The Cyclones brought in Jaylen Raynor, a three-year starter from the Arkansas State Red Wolves. He looks like he may be the savior of the program.
Raynor was a solid player as a freshman, having 2,550 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions throughout the year. The potential was limitless right off the bat. He stayed for a second year, improving his numbers to 2,783 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Then finally in his junior year, he once again bumped them up, this time to 3,361 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
Raynor has been consistent throughout his collegiate career, and needs to continue that at Iowa State.
To be completely honest, the Cyclones are in a rough situation. Their roster is pretty sub-par, and a lot of their pieces aren’t near the expectations that Iowa State have. One of the only players that can really put everything together is Raynor, one of the most proven veterans of them all.
Raynor has to be the leader of the Cyclones. Everyone is coming in from different programs from different areas at different levels. When that happens, a quarterback needs to come in and lead his team by bringing the locker room together.
Iowa State’s season doesn’t just change depending on Raynor, it’s defined by him. A veteran leader that has consistently proven to shine now gets one last chance with a new program, where he has the opportunity to save the history, the success, and the pride of the Cyclones.
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Noah Gratias is an Iowa State alum from Waukee.
Whether in political debates, Bleeding Heartland essays, or everyday conversations, the idea that Iowa is in decline is frequently invoked. Many Iowans worry about brain drain, water quality, health care access, and the job market.
Still, Iowa is better off than much of this rhetoric suggests. By many measures that count, including affordability, education, and health care, Iowa remains one of the country’s best places to live.
EA Sports College Football 27 is right around the corner, and fans can’t wait to play the new edition of the game. With new features including NIL, stadium builder, and a revamped road to glory, the game is once again going to be better than ever.
But of course, the main game mode that most fans like to play is dynasty. And the Iowa State Cyclones may be the perfect team to rebuild in College Football 27.
Iowa State is entering a new era. After former head coach, Matt Campbell, left for the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Cyclones have now hired Jimmy Rogers to take over the program. In the video game, you can start the dynasty fresh, with a new roster, a new coach, and new goals.
Speaking of the roster, Iowa State has tons of young, intriguing talent for next season. They have Cameron Pettaway, a freshman All-American who still has three years of eligibility, Omari Hayes who still has two years left, and Montreze Smith who still has three years, and a young offensive line as well. This team has a lot of fun young pieces.
The Cyclones fanbase is big, and they are passionate as well. Coming from Iowa, many midwestern college football fans pick Iowa State as their team. And their stadium backs that claim up. 61,500 seats is no small stadium by any means. The fans are rowdy, loud, and often have themes that look aesthetic as well.
In addition, the Cyclones’ jerseys are wonderful. Of course, they have their iconic home red uniforms, but also have away ones with red and yellow accents as well. Their blackout and whiteout jerseys are unbelievable as well, and super unique compared to the rest of the country. Their throwback uniform perfectly becomes the final touch to a perfect collection. Those are going to be very fun to use in game.
Overall, Iowa State is quite the team to use in College Football 27. It’s not the flashiest program, or one that can compete for a championship in year one, but a process that will take some time, but lead to great results. If you want a team that is entering a new era, has intriguing young talent, has a big fanbase and stadium, and provides jerseys that look great, you have to perfect the program to rebuild in the new video game coming this summer.
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The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, June 5, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 5 drawing
13-30-50-52-66, Mega Ball: 02
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from June 5 drawing
Midday: 5-8-4
Evening: 5-1-4
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from June 5 drawing
Midday: 8-8-4-0
Evening: 0-0-2-8
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 5 drawing
06-38-51-54-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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