# List of Iowa State Cyclones football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Iowa State Cyclones football program since the team's conception in 1892. The list documents season-by-season records, and conference records from 1908 to the present.

## Seasons

| National Champions | Conference Champions | Division Title or Championship Game Berth | Bowl game berth |
| Season | Head coach | Conference | Division | Season results | Season results | Season results | Season results | Bowl result | Final ranking | Final ranking | Final ranking |
| Season | Head coach | Conference | Division | Conference finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Bowl result | AP Poll$^1$ | Coaches Poll$^2$ |
| Iowa State Cyclones football seasons |||||||||||
| 1892 | Ira C. Brownlie | Independent | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1893 | W. P. Finney | Independent | — | — | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1894 | Bert German | Independent | — | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1895 | Pop Warner | Independent | — | — | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1896 | Pop Warner | Independent | — | — | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1897 | Pop Warner | Independent | — | — | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1898 | Pop Warner | Independent | — | — | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1899 | Joe Meyers | Independent | — | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1900 | C. E. Woodruff | Independent | — | — | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1901 | Edgar M. Clinton | Independent | — | — | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1902 | A. W. Ristine | Independent | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1903 | A. W. Ristine | Independent | — | — | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1904 | A. W. Ristine | Independent | — | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1905 | A. W. Ristine | Independent | — | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1906 | A. W. Ristine | Independent | — | — | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1907 | Clyde Williams | Independent | — | — | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1908 | Clyde Williams | MVIAA | — | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1909 | Clyde Williams | MVIAA | — | T–5th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1910 | Clyde Williams | MVIAA | — | 4th | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1911 | Clyde Williams | MVIAA | — | T–1st | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1912 | Clyde Williams | MVIAA | — | T–1st | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1913 | Homer C. Hubbard | MVIAA | — | 4th | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1914 | Homer C. Hubbard | MVIAA | — | 3rd | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1915 | Charles Mayser | MVIAA | — | 3rd | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1916 | Charles Mayser | MVIAA | — | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1917 | Charles Mayser | MVIAA | — | T–2nd | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1918 | Charles Mayser | MVIAA | — | —$^3$ | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1919 | Charles Mayser | MVIAA | — | 2nd | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1920 | Norman C. Paine | MVIAA | — | T–3rd | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1921 | Maury Kent | MVIAA | — | 6th | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1922 | Sam Willaman | MVIAA | — | 5th | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1923 | Sam Willaman | MVIAA | — | 4th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1924 | Sam Willaman | MVIAA | — | 5th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1925 | Sam Willaman | MVIAA | — | T–3rd | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1926 | C. Noel Workman | MVIAA | — | 7th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1927 | C. Noel Workman | MVIAA | — | 4th | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1928 | C. Noel Workman | Big 6$^4$ | — | 4th | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1929 | C. Noel Workman | Big 6 | — | 6th | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1930 | C. Noel Workman | Big 6 | — | 6th | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1931 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1932 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 6th | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1933 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 5th | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1934 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 5th | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1935 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1936 | George F. Veenker | Big 6 | — | 5th | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | N/A |
| 1937 | James J. Yeager | Big 6 | — | T–5th | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1938 | James J. Yeager | Big 6 | — | 2nd | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1939 | James J. Yeager | Big 6 | — | T–4th | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1940 | James J. Yeager | Big 6 | — | 4th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1941 | Ray Donels | Big 6 | — | 6th | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1942 | Ray Donels, Mike Michalske | Big 6 | — | T–5th | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1943 | Mike Michalske | Big 6 | — | T–2nd | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1944 | Mike Michalske | Big 6 | — | 2nd | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1945 | Mike Michalske | Big 6 | — | 3rd | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1946 | Mike Michalske | Big 6 | — | 5th | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1947 | Abe Stuber | Big 6 | — | 5th | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1948 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | T–5th | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1949 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | T–3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1950 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | 5th | 3 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1951 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | T–4th | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1952 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | 6th | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1953 | Abe Stuber | Big 7 | — | 7th | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1954 | Vince DiFrancesca | Big 7 | — | 6th | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1955 | Vince DiFrancesca | Big 7 | — | T–5th | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1956 | Vince DiFrancesca | Big 7 | — | 7th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1957 | Jim Myers | Big 7 | — | T–5th | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1958 | Clay Stapleton | Big 7 | — | 7th | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1959 | Clay Stapleton | Big 7 | — | T–3rd | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1960 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 4th | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1961 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 5th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1962 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 5th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1963 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | T–5th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1964 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 8th | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1965 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 4th | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1966 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 6th | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1967 | Clay Stapleton | Big Eight | — | 7th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1968 | Johnny Majors | Big Eight | — | 8th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1969 | Johnny Majors | Big Eight | — | 7th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1970 | Johnny Majors | Big Eight | — | 8th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1971 | Johnny Majors | Big Eight | — | 4th | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost Sun Bowl vs. #11 LSU, 15–33 | — | 17 |
| 1972 | Johnny Majors | Big Eight | — | 6th | 5 | 6 | 1 | Lost Liberty Bowl vs. #20 Georgia Tech, 30–31 | — | — |
| 1973 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | T–7th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | 6th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1975 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | 7th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1976 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | T–4th | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 19 | 18 |
| 1977 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | T–2nd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost Peach Bowl vs. NC State, 14–24 | — | — |
| 1978 | Earle Bruce | Big Eight | — | T–3rd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost Hall of Fame Classic Bowl vs. #19 Texas A&M, 12–28 | — | — |
| 1979 | Donnie Duncan | Big Eight | — | T–5th | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1980 | Donnie Duncan | Big Eight | — | T–4th | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1981 | Donnie Duncan | Big Eight | — | 6th | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1982 | Donnie Duncan | Big Eight | — | T–6th | 4 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1983 | Jim Criner | Big Eight | — | T–4th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1984 | Jim Criner | Big Eight | — | 8th | 2 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1985 | Jim Criner | Big Eight | — | 5th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1986 | Jim Criner, Chuck Banker | Big Eight | — | 5th | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1987 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | 6th | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1988 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | 5th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | 4th | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | T–4th | 4 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | 6th | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | T–6th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | T–7th | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | Jim Walden | Big Eight | — | T–7th | 0 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | Dan McCarney | Big Eight | — | T–7th | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 6th | 2 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 6th | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1998 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | T–5th | 3 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | T–5th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 3rd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Won Insight.com Bowl vs. Pittsburgh, 37–29 | 25 | 23 |
| 2001 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 0 | Lost Independence Bowl vs. Alabama, 13–14 | — | — |
| 2002 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 3rd | 7 | 7 | 0 | Lost Humanitarian Bowl vs. #16 Boise State, 16–34 | — | — |
| 2003 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 6th | 2 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | T–1st$^6$ | 7 | 5 | 0 | Won Independence Bowl vs. Miami (OH), 17–13 | — | — |
| 2005 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | T–2nd | 7 | 5 | 0 | Lost Houston Bowl vs. #14 TCU, 24–27 | — | — |
| 2006 | Dan McCarney | Big 12 | North | 6th | 4 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2007 | Gene Chizik | Big 12 | North | T–5th | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Gene Chizik | Big 12 | North | 6th | 2 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2009 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | North | 4th | 7 | 6 | 0 | Won Insight Bowl vs. Minnesota, 14–13 | — | — |
| 2010 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | North | T–3rd | 5 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2011 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | — | 8th | 6 | 7 | 0 | Lost Pinstripe Bowl vs. Rutgers, 13–27 | — | — |
| 2012 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | — | 9th | 6 | 7 | 0 | Lost Liberty Bowl vs. Tulsa, 17–31 | — | — |
| 2013 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | — | T–7th | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2014 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | — | 10th | 2 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2015 | Paul Rhoads | Big 12 | — | 9th | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2016 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | 9th | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2017 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | T–4th | 8 | 5 | 0 | Won Liberty Bowl vs. #19 Memphis, 21–20 | — | — |
| 2018 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | T-3rd | 8 | 5 | 0 | Lost Alamo Bowl vs. #12 Washington State, 26–28 | — | — |
| 2019 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | T-3rd | 7 | 6 | 0 | Lost Camping World Bowl vs. #14 Notre Dame, 9–33 | — | — |
| 2020 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | 1st | 9 | 3 | 0 | Won Fiesta Bowl vs. #25 Oregon, 34–17 | 9 | 9 |
| 2021 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | 4th | 7 | 6 | 0 | Lost Cheez-It Bowl vs. #14 Clemson, 13–20 | — | — |
| 2022 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | 10th | 4 | 8 | 0 | | — | — |
| 2023 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | T–4th | 7 | 6 | 0 | Lost Liberty Bowl vs. Memphis, 26–36 | — | — |
| 2024 | Matt Campbell | Big 12 | — | T–1st | 11 | 3 | 0 | Won Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. #13 Miami, 42–41 | 15 | 15 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 571 | 668 | 46 | (only includes regular season games) | (only includes regular season games) | (only includes regular season games) | (only includes regular season games) | (only includes regular season games) |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 6 | 13 | 0 | (only includes bowl games) | (only includes bowl games) | (only includes bowl games) |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 577 | 681 | 46 | (all games) | (all games) | (all games) | (all games) | (all games) |
* The AP Poll was introduced in 1936. Thus, there are no polls for previous seasons.
* The Coaches Poll was introduced in 1950. Therefore, polls for prior seasons do not exist.
* The MVIAA did not have any standings or award a champion during the 1918 football season due to World War I and the outbreak of the Spanish Flu.
* The Big 6, Big 7, and Big 8 were the same conference. The name was unofficially changed when the membership changed.
* Overtime rules in were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.
* Iowa State tied Colorado for first in the division, but Colorado won the tiebreaker by virtue of its head-to-head win.