AMES — Iowa State football has revealed times for the first five games of the 2026 season.
Cyclone fans now know kick-off times of the first three non-conference games, as well as the two games in Big 12 conference play.
Sept. 5 vs Southeast Missouri State — 12:00 p.m. CST
Iowa State’s home opener versus Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) will kick off at noon.
SEMO competes on the FCS level and finished its 2025 season 4-8, with three of those wins coming in OVC conference play.
Jaylen Raynor and his Arkansas State Red Wolves played SEMO in 2025, with the Red Wolves claiming a 42-24 victory. Raynor threw 345 yards for three touchdowns on a passing clip of 81%.
The game will be played at Jack Trice Stadium and will stream on ESPN+.
Sept. 12 at Iowa — 6:40 p.m. CST
For the first time since 2016, the Cy-Hawk game will be played at night. In recent years, the Cy-Hawk was always a morning or mid-day game, but the call has been made, and Iowa State will be headed to Iowa City for a matchup under the lights.
Iowa State has won three of the last four Cy-Hawk games, with the most recent victory being the 2025 rendition, where the Cyclones won 16-13.
In 2016, the last night game, Iowa won in one of the most dominant Cy-Hawk games ever, winning 44-41 at Kinnick Stadium.
The 73rd rendition of the Cy-Hawk game will be played at Kinnick Stadium and streamed on NBC.
Sept. 19 vs Bowling Green — 11:00 a.m. CST
Iowa State’s earliest game of the season will come against the Bowling Green Falcons from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
Bowling Green and Iowa State have faced off twice ever, once in 1977 and again in 1979, with the Cyclones claiming victory in both games.
The last time Iowa State played a MAC team was Ohio in 2024, where the Cyclones lost 10-7. The game may be well remembered by Iowa State fans for the controversial missed field goal call that might have cost Iowa State the game.
Iowa State and Bowling Green will take the field at Jack Trice Stadium and will be streamed on ESPNU.
Oct. 9 at BYU — 9:15 p.m. CST
Iowa State will play BYU for the second straight year on a Friday night in Provo, Utah, for its sixth game of the year.
This game versus BYU comes as Iowa State’s first Friday regular-season game since 2021, when the Cyclones beat the TCU Horned Frogs 48-14 in Ames.
BYU ended 2025 ranked 11th, finishing 12-2. The Cougars beat the Cyclones in 2025, 41-27, after Iowa State entered halftime with a 24-17 lead.
Iowa State and BYU will face off at LaVell Edwards Stadium on ESPN.
Nov. 20 at UCF — 5:00 p.m CST
Iowa State will play its final away game of the regular season in Orlando, Florida, versus UCF.
Despite being conference opponents, UCF and Iowa State have only played each other once before, with Iowa State winning 38-35 at home.
UCF finished the 2025 season 5-7, but had just two wins and all of their losses came in conference play.
The Cyclones will head to the Acrisure Bounce House for their first-ever game, and it will be streamed on FS1 in Orlando.
Dec. 4 at Big 12 Championship — 7:00 p.m. CST
If Iowa State finds itself as one of the top two teams in the Big 12 come season’s end, it will be playing in a newly timed Big 12 Championship game.
Before 2026, the Big 12 Championship game was typically an 11:00 a.m. kickoff time on a Saturday.
In 2026, it was announced that it would be moved a day earlier, with the championship now being a Friday night game.
If Iowa State can make its way into the Championship game, it’ll be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and streamed on ABC.