AMES, Iowa – Jimmy Rogers, who guided Washington State to a bowl game in his first season on the Palouse after leading South Dakota State to the 2023 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national championship, has been selected as the 34^th head football coach in Iowa State history, Cyclone Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced today.

“Jimmy Rodgers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach,” Pollard said. “He has been on my short-list ever since the first time I met him. He immediately impressed me with his interest in Iowa State University and told me during our first visit several years ago that he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State.

“Since our initial meeting, I have stayed in close contact with him and have been very impressed with his work ethic and understanding of what it takes to be successful at Iowa State,” he added. “He is a proven winner who has demonstrated throughout his career that he will fit our culture.”

Rogers, who agreed to a six-year contract with Iowa State, joins the Cyclones from Washington State University, where he guided the Cougars to a 6-6 record in his lone season as head coach on the Palouse. Just the fourth of the Cougars’ 35 head football coaches to lead WSU to a bowl game in their first season on the sideline in Pullman, three of the bowl-bound Cougars’ six losses came at the hands of teams ranked in the College Football Playoff Selection Committee’s penultimate rankings—24-21 at No. 6 Ole Miss, 22-20 at No. 17 Virginia and 24-20 at No. 25 James Madison. All-told, Rogers owns a 33-9 (.786) three-year head coaching record, which includes a 27-3 (.900) mark in two seasons at South Dakota State.

The Hamilton, Arizona, native was named Washington State’s head coach on December 28, 2024, after a highly successful 12-year run at perennial Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) powerhouse South Dakota State, where he led the Jackrabbits to the 2023 FCS championship and the 2024 FCS semifinals.

“My family and I are excited to be joining the Iowa State University community and the Cyclone football program,” Rogers said. “Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.

“From the administration, to the alumni and current student-athletes, this University has everything needed to compete at the highest level in college football,” he added. “I am honored to be given this opportunity and responsibility and cannot wait to get started!.”

Rogers and his wife, Haley, a native of Michell, S.D., have two children, a daughter, Reese, and son, Trace.

Jimmy Rogers’ Head Coaching Record

Year                 School                                     Record             Conference/Finish             Postseason

2023                 South Dakota State           15-0                                 8-0/1^st                               FCS Champions

2024                 South Dakota State           12-3                               7-1/T-1^st                            FCS Semifinals

2025                 Washington State                6-6                                0-0                                      Bowl TBA

TOTALS              3 Seasons                       33-9 (.786)                       15-1 (.938)      

Jimmy Rogers’ Coaching Experience

2025                   Head Coach                                                                                                                            Washington State

2023-24             Head Coach                                                                                                                            South Dakota State

2022                   Defensive Coordinator                                                                                                       South Dakota State

2019-21             Co-Defensive Coordinator/Asst. Head Coach/Linebackers                         South Dakota State

2013-18             Assistant Coach/Linebackers                                                                                      South Dakota State

2011-12             Graduate Assistant Coach                                                                                              Florida Atlantic

2010-11             Graduate Assistant Coach                                                                                               South Dakota State

GIRLS 

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Harlan – 39 vs Shenandoah – 38

Non-Conference 

Bedford – 58 vs Murray – 38

West Monona – 56 vs Woodbine – 48

East Mills – 38 vs Lenox – 30

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 46 vs Woodward-Granger – 30

Essex – 35 vs Heartland Christian – 20

IKM-Manning – 57 vs Panorama – 53

Southeast Warren – 58 vs Melcher-Dallas – 23

Perry – 38 vs Ogden – 27

BOYS

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Harlan – 68 vs Shenandoah – 42

Non-Conference 

Madrid – 62 vs Creston – 58

Bedford – 60 vs Murray – 26

Woodbine – 61 vs West Monona – 45

Lenox – 54 vs East Mills – 46

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 69 vs Woodward-Granger – 46

Heartland Christian – 44 vs Essex – 40

IKM-Manning – 73 vs Panorama – 47

Southeast Warren – 74 vs Melcher-Dallas – 25

The stage is set for a top 10 clash in West Lafayette, Saturday when 10th ranked Iowa State visits top ranked Purdue. Both teams are 8-0. The Cyclones are coming off a record breaking 132-68 win over Alcorn State while the Boilermakers opened Big Ten play with an 81-65 victory at Rutgers.

That’s ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger. It is Iowa State’s first road game of the season.

Junior forward Milan Momcilovic says the Cyclones look forward to the challenge.

Iowa coach Ben McCollum says the Hawkeyes need to become more consistent as the schedule gets tougher. Iowa struggled on offense and on the glass in Tuesday night’s 71-52 loss at seventh ranked Michigan State. Their Big Ten home opener is Saturday against Maryland.

The Hawkeyes are in a stretch that will find them visit 10th ranked Iowa State next week against McCollum is not concerned about fatigue.

Saturday’s game will be the conference opener for Maryland. The Terrapins are 6-3 under first year coach Buzz Williams after Tuesday night’s victory over Wagner.

The UNI takes a 7-1 record into Saturday night’s game at home against Wichita State. The Panthers are looking to take advantage of the home court as four of their next six games are in the McLeod Center.

That’s Panther coach Ben Jacobson. The Panthers lost at Wichita State 79-73 a year ago.

Wichita State is 5-4 after a Tuesday night win over Mount Marty.

Grand View football coach E.J. Peterson has been keeping an eye on the forecast. There is a chance of snow on Saturday when the top ranked and defending champion Vikings host Lindsey Wilson of Kentucky in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA playoffs. Heavy snow was not a problem last week as the Vikings crushed Saint Francis of Indiana 62-20 in their playoff opener.

The formula for Grand View in posting an 11-0 record has been run the ball and stop the run. The Vikings averaged 212 yards on the ground per game and give up only 80.

This will be the fifth playoff meeting between the two teams with Grand View winning three of the first four. The Blue Raiders are 10-1 and ranked seventh.

The Upper Iowa football team will close out a banner season on Saturday by playing Hillsdale College in the Albanese Candy Bowl in Hobart, Indiana. The Peacocks are 8-3, the most wins for the program since 1964, and narrowly missed a bid to the Division II national playoffs.

That’s Upper Iowa coach Jason Hoskins, who says he is thrilled with the chance to prepare for one more game.

Hoskins has turned a program around that finished 3-8 two years ago.

Hoskins says Hillsdale will provide a physical test for his team.

2025 ALL-BIG TEN (OFFENSE)

FIRST TEAM
OT Gennings Dunker (media)
C Logan Jones (coaches; media)
OG Beau Stephens (coaches)

SECOND TEAM
OG Beau Stephens (media)

THIRD TEAM
OT Gennings Dunker (coaches)
OT Trevor Lauck (coaches)
OG Kade Pieper (media)

HONORABLE MENTION
TE Hayden Large (coaches; media); WR Jacob Gill (media); OT Trevor Lauck (media); RB Kamari Moulton (coaches; media); OG Kade Pieper (coaches)

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
QB Mark Gronowski