Was looking to see what Big12 hoops games I wanted to watch today and realized it's time to get out my credit card and buy some new TV subscriptions. The Cyclones play Baylor on Peacock this Wednesday!

I have the ESPN/Fox Streaming bundle along with HBO/Max, but need to add: Peacock & Paramount+ to get all the Clone games.

No. 3 Iowa State's 80-59 win over West Virginia was a cumulation of everything that's led to just the second 14-0 start in program history.

Joshua Jefferson's triple-double and Milan Momcilovic's unconscious night headline beautiful basketball at Hilton as Jake Brend reports. Login to view embedded media

No. 3 Iowa State assisted on 26 of their 29 made baskets in an 80-59 win over West Virginia Friday night.

Watch everything T.J. Otzelberger, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic said following the win below. https://cyclonefanatic.com/2026/01/...ilan-momcilovic-said-after-west-virginia-win/

Chris Williams reacts to No. 3 Iowa State beating West Virginia in its Big 12 opener, courtesy of Karl Auto Group.

Enjoy!

Just wanted to share a quick update on the Fanatic book. Color hardcover copies have arrived and will begin shipping the week of Jan. 5. Really appreciate everyone’s patience and support.

If you want to grab a copy locally, new shipments are now available at select Fareway locations across Iowa, with more stores getting stocked this weekend.

I think we are at 47 who entered the portal. Roughly 15 to 20 of them are likely to not get a division 1 offer. Would you take them back if they wanted to return or let them populate the American Rivers Conference?

Last minute cancellation, so four tickets available for $50 each OBO. Will sell as two sets of two as well.
Section 209, row 12, behind West Virginia bench just beyond baseline.

Can Venmo.

The second round of Big 12 games was enlightening. What do we know and where to now?

I received this for Christmas as a gift. It was a good read and fun to look back at some of the great times in the last 20 years. It kind of stinks for Chris that it literally came out the same time Campbell left. A good portion of the book is dedicated to Campbell and his knack for doing things the right way. I would recommend everyone to read it before more of it gets outdated. A tip of the cap to Chris, for writing this. Writing a book would not be easy and not something I personally would take on.

Hey all, I’ve been avidly reading threads here, following the right people on X, etc. and there’s one specific topic related to ISU’s transfers post CMC that I haven’t seen mentioned much.

I get these reasons for significant transfers following the coaching change:
1. Follow CMC
2. Get more $
3. Seek more playing time
4. Chase a bigger “brand”

But I haven’t seen much talk around how many of these guys were either told by new CJR staff that there isn’t a role for them if they stay, or that they can stay, but only for less $$ than they got previously, as CJR has different priorities for who gets what.

And I get CJR wanting to win with his guys and dole out NIL the way he sees fit, but I’d also see a lot of these previous ISU starters as a good bridge toward building the way he wants to over the next few years.

As upset as many ISU fans were at all these transfer announcements, I couldn’t help but wonder how many were told to leave. Anyone got any insights?

Would love to chat with other cyclone fans about premier league/champo soccer. I'm a huge Leeds fan as evidenced by my avi. Feel free to chime in with general observations or thoughts or whatever.

I hadn't heard about this until a co-worker mentioned it to me, so I figured I'd pass it along to my fellow Clones. I've always been a "hold IRS payments until the last minute" kinda guy, but I guess I need to adjust my thought process a bit.

From ESPN. Cute Couple

Thursday's College Football Playoff didn't go as needed for Texas Tech or the Big 12.

Derek Duke writes in this week's Big 12 Buzz how Texas Tech's dud will impact the conference. https://cyclonefanatic.com/2026/01/big-12-buzz-a-texas-tech-dud/

Iowa State at Stanford
Sunday, Jan. 4
3:00 p.m. CT
TV: ACCNX

Iowa State at Arizona State
Tuesday, Jan. 6
7:30 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN+

PROBABLES

Stanford probables based on their results from Journeymen Duals on Dec. 20
ASU probables based on their projected lineup for Jan. 2 against SDSU

Arizona State wrestles South Dakota State tonight in Sioux Falls. 7:00 p.m. at the Pentagon. Stream available on Midco Sports Plus.

What: Soldier Salute
When: Jan. 3-4 // All Day
Where: Coralville, Iowa / Xtream Arena
Watch: BIG+

Tournament Hub

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, Jan. 3
10 a.m. - Session I
3:30 p.m. - Session II

Sunday, Jan. 4
11 a.m. - Session III
5 p.m. - Session IV

ISU ENTRIES
133: Osmany Diversent*, Adrian Meza*, Carter Pearson
165: Owen Helgeson*, Manny Rojas*
174: Jacob Helgeson, Melton Powe
197: Rowan Udell*
285: McCrae Hagarty*, Daniel Herrera

vs


West Virginia (9-4, 0-0 BIG 12)
#3 IOWA STATE (13-0, 0-0 BIG 12)
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2ND 8:00 P.M. CST
HILTON COLISEUM / AMES, IA


TV: ESPN2
Talent: Eric Rothman, pxp King McClure, analyst

Radio: Cyclone Radio Network (Varsity Network)
CRN Talent: John Walters (pxp); Eric Heft (analyst)

Jake Brend, Ben Hutchens, and Rob Gray dive into the latest portal news and all the superlatives for Iowa State departures. What has to happen for Audi Crooks to win NPOY? Drafting the best Big 12 basketball teams and more presented by Kelderman Manufacturing.

Enjoy!

Quarterly roundup of amusing comments I encountered on Cyclone Fanatic, October-December 2025.

By no means is it comprehensive, merely a sample. If anyone recalls a nugget I missed, feel free to add.

Key:
Bold is thread title (or summary of it)
*** indicates break in narrative flow.

Some entries have been edited for clarity, brevity, spelling and whatever else I deem necessary.

Favorite pizza style (poll)
@ClonerJams: Settle it once and for all.
@3TrueFans: The kind that has crust and some cheese and sauce and maybe some toppings.
@nfrine: Yes. They are all good!

Mrs. Bucket passes at 96
@MeanDean: Famed actress Patricia Routledge had reportedly died at 96. Best known for playing Hyacinth Bucket on BBC's hit sitcom "Keeping Up Appearances," Routledge died Friday, Oct. 3.
@VeloClone: That show was a strange secret indulgence that I watched while Mrs Velo wasn't around. Later, I learned she was doing the same thing.

***Official Iowa State vs. Cincinnati Game(Day) Thread***
@Cyched: This may set a record for earliest I passed out.

Another decommit
Re: Milan Paris
@psycln11: So, I guess he wasn’t 1,000% committed after all!
@Inthesystem: He's 1,000% committed 60% of the time.

NCAA tournament to 76 teams next season?
@cycloneworld: The NCAA tournament is perfect. So of course creed, money, TV, and the NCAA want to dilute it by adding more P4 teams.
@Nothingman: First, they ruined music. Now college basketball. My own prison, indeed.

Texas Tech-Kansas drama
@NWICY: Throwing tortillas is funny. Pocket knives, not so much.

Beer sales at JTS after all?
@cytor: Selecting the new president is going to be critical on so many levels....
@rosshm16: Sounds like we need to hire a drunk!
@RezClone: At the very least a sober flat-out slob.
@nfrine: Any number of us on CF are highly qualified. *We also could coach.*
@VeloClone: *Debatable.

Mid-season pulse of the fan base
(Poll: projected record with ISU at 5-2)
@cydsho: 4-8. The officials from the Colorado game come in and overturn one of our wins.
@cyclones500: Upon review, the game will be ruled "unwinnable."

***Official Arizona State vs. Iowa Day Game(Day) Thread***
@alarson: Stalling out in the red zone again. Drink.
@aeroclone: Pace yourself!

Fire Mouser
@Peter: If there is one critique of mouser is to stop passing the ball. Like, 20 pass attempts a game max. Go full Iowa at this point.
@cydnote: And what, lose to us?

Williams & Blum (Nov. 2)
@ChrisMWilliams Williams: (regarding Deion at CU): … Eventually, you’ve gotta win a game.
@brentblum: Well ... he got one.

***Official Iowa State vs. TCU Game(Day) Thread***
@danvillecyclone: The D-Lime was more aggressive on the pressure.
@CyNews: D-Lime? You mean Big Citrus?

A new ISU vintage jacket release and branding observation
@ISUCyclones2015: All you old people don't realize ugly is "in."
@cytor: If that was the case when I was in college, I would have gotten laid a lot more often.

Friday OT: Ice Cold
@Angie: I have been working on a playlist of songs that are just inherently cool.
@JM4CY: Define “inherently cool.”
@coolerifyoudid: Imagine me looking into a mirror.

***Official #16 Iowa State vs. #14 St. John’s Game(Day) Thread***
@Clonefan32: Asking a hypothetical: Is drinking 7 beers while I watch the game then coaching 4th grade girls basketball at 5:45 frowned upon?
@cycloneG: Isn't having 7 beers before coaching 4th grade girl's basketball a requirement?

***Official Arizona vs. #14 Iowa State Game(Day) Thread***
@1TwistedCyclone: On Sept. 27, 1958, Iowa State defeated Arizona, 14-0 in Tucson. Adjusted for inflation: ISU 35, Zona 21. Go Cyclones!
***
@CYedUp: How is it possible that we have two injured kickers?
@alarson: First, one was injured, then the other one was, resulting in two injured kickers.
***
@Cyinthenorth (in-game): This could be the least lopsided blowout I have ever witnessed.

***Official Syracuse vs. #15 Iowa State Game(Day) Thread***
@cytor: ISU scores even more than @CoachHines3 mom. That's saying something.

***Official #10 Iowa State vs. #1 Purdue Game(Day) Thread***
@HFCS: Point guard ranking in Mackey today:
#1 Tyrese Haliburton
#2 Tamin Lipsey
#3 Killyan Toure
#4 Goofy weirdo for Purdue flailing around

Rogers’ first meeting with the team
@Agclone91: A whole lot of checked out in those faces. Respect for at least showing up and listening.
@RedlineSi: Do you know what I looked like in meetings/classes in college?
@JP4CY: You actually went?

Players entering transfer portal
@MyNameEhJeff: “Most” did not storm out during the Campbell/Pollard meeting. One player did.
@Cyclone94#: Any idea which player stormed out?
@ScottyP: It was me. I just had to use the bathroom.

***Official Iowa vs. #4 Iowa State Game(Day) Thread***
@JEFF420: Straight up, dudes, my wife is gonna pull the goalie when we win tonight. I can't wait. Little Jimmy Rogers 420 will be built 2nite.

Rocho Becht undergoes surgery…
@ScottyP: Is he day-to-day?
@4cy16: Aren’t we all?
@Clonefan32: Hypothetically, is there some kind of NIL arrangement we could get him to sign while he's coming out of anesthesia?

Peterson Column: Rocco Bech (etc)
@DRCHIRO: I’m watching Tech and Duke hoops right now. Screw CFB. Screw the SEC and Big 10. Screw ESPN and Fox. And **** Iowa, too.

New Arrowhead
@BryceC: Gonna be interesting to see if they Jack up ticket prices and add PSL’s.
@SCNCY: What are PSL's?
@3TrueFans: Pumpkin spice lattes.

On Thursday's Daily Clone, Jake Brend explains the damage Texas Tech's Orange Bowl loss did for the future of the Big 12, Jimmy Rogers finalizes his offensive staff and Brend previews Iowa State's Big 12 opener against West Virginia. Presented by CycloneFanaticShop.com. Login to view embedded media

I need help with understanding some of this nonsense PLEASE!

When people say that player X is going to get $1 million from a school... is that for one year I assume, right? And if so... is that negotiated every single year with every player, or what? I've never quite understood that?

And that leads to the next question.... let's assume ISU has about ~$14 million to spend on the entire team. So assuming when people say a decent QB is going to cost you $2 million... then if that is per year... then that leaves ISU with only $12 million left to spend, correct?

If all the above is true.... then it would be accurate to say if ISU has $14 million to spend.... and let's assume you have a team of 100 players.... you could pay all of them $140,000 each. I know that's not what any team does.... but it gives you sort of a barometer on how much you have to spend. It makes you realize that if someone like Sama really was getting a million or more as some have said, how much less you have to fill out the rest of your roster. Add in what Rocco was getting.... and someone like Brahmer, and Orange, etc.... it leaves not much of anything left for everyone else.

I think if we all better understood all of this, we'd understand the predicament that Rogers is in. If you want a halfway decent, or maybe just average, starting offensive line... it's going to cost you probably at least $3 million, or more. Probably the same for a starting DL.

This is all Moneyball folks. Maybe I'm not quite understanding how it works, I'm sure I'm off base somewhat, but am I close?? Rogers and company are having to make a LOT of tough decisions... and I'm sure a lot of the ISU players were thinking they could use this coaching change as a way to demand more money to stay on board... and Rogers having to tell them sorry but we can't afford that, so you might want to test the open market.

Just trying to get a feel for how all of this works... thanks!

Carson Hansen is an outstanding football player and a better human being. He is the IOWA STATE man we have known and admired for 150 years. A hard nosed striver. He represents the IOWA STATE ethos. Our Cyclone DNA is not Matt Campbell. Our DNA is Abraham Lincoln and everyone since that has arrived on Lincoln Way with hopes and dreams and a determination to become successful in life. A hope in the unseen.

When President Lincoln created IOWA STATE and chose the school and the strategic location of Ames to be the home of the nation's first official LAND GRANT INSTITUTION he was once again acting with vision and charting AMERICA, and especially the Midwest for a future of progress.

Carsen, I was the guy that grabbed your jersey right after the 2024 Kansas State game and said " thank you for being a Cyclone". It startled you at the time, but I was sincere as can be. I know an Iowa State man when I see one. You truly carry yourself like the tough and humble Iowa State football players proceeding you for decades. They played in sunshine but they also played in wind and rain and snow, from Norman to Boulder. There is something special about Ames. Your predecessors never complained or backed down. They just put their heads down and worked. These lessons molded them into men of character.

I am aware that your dad played football at North Dakota State. I am sure Tyler Roehl would love to coach you for that reason alone! I cannot speak for Coach Jimmy, and I know he has a budget, but he needs to know that you're the Cyclone leader on the field that we need. My dream is that a deal can be forged.

I understand you have choices and big financial decisions to make. Just remember a couple things in closing.

1.) You are a leader of men. A role model.
2.) You would probably be the defacto player leader of the 2026 Cyclone football team. You strike me as being quiet and polite. The leadership mantle is yours, if you want it. This is a great opportunity for you and for the entire Cyclone community.

In closing, I have no doubt you will be successful in life. You truly represent who we are, as Iowa Staters. Thank you for being a Cyclone.

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This was an interesting watch.

Cignetti obviously has an ego, but hearing his story and understanding how he thinks and operates both inside and outside of coaching was fascinating.

Hard not to draw some similar conclusions to how Jimmy Rogers operates. Both seem to have "no nonsense" type of personalities and know what they need to be successful. Indiana is working with more financial resources than ISU, but maybe CJR can create some magic here with his philosophy, just like Cignetti has everywhere he's been.

Only time will tell!