In 1894, college president William M. Beardshear spearheaded the foundation of an athletic association to officially sanction Iowa State football teams.

When Veenker joined Iowa State, the team was coming off a winless season in 1930 and had lost 16 consecutive games dating back to October 1929.

In his first year, the 1931 team defeated Missouri 20–0, Oklahoma 13–12, and Kansas State 7–6, compiling a 5–3 record and finishing in second place in the Big Six Conference.

[16] In 1942, Iowa State hired former Green Bay Packers All-Pro guard and three-time NFL champion Mike Michalske to be the new head coach.

In 1968, in an attempt to turn the team around, Iowa State hired former standout Tennessee running back and up-and-coming Arkansas assistant Johnny Majors as the 24th head coach in program history.

The team was led by junior running back George Amundson, who Majors called "the finest athlete I have coached in any job I have had."

[20] In 1972, Iowa State saw the loss of five starters and the move of George Amundson from running back to quarterback to replace Dean Carlson.

Despite future Minnesota Vikings star linebacker Matt Blair being a first team All-American, the Cyclones struggled to a 4–7 finish in Bruce's inaugural 1973 season.

The Cyclones were not able to contain future first round NFL draft pick Curtis Dickey, who rushed for 278 yards and a touchdown, and Iowa State lost 28–12.

[26] In order to continue the success found under Earle Bruce, Iowa State hired Oklahoma assistant Donnie Duncan as its 26th head football coach.

Led by future NFL players Dwayne Crutchfield, Dan Johnson, Karl Nelson and Chris Washington, the Cyclones tied No.

[29] During Criner's tenure the Cyclones experienced mild success, however they were embroiled in controversy, with multiple players arrested on different charges as well as several NCAA allegations of wrongdoings.

After the 1989 season, Walden was offered the head coaching job at the University of Arizona, but he declined, citing a number of people at Iowa State telling him it would be "devastating" if he left.

[48] Davis twice earned unanimous All-American honors, and became the first NCAA Division I-A running back to rush for over 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, a feat that has yet to be repeated.

Others were J. J. Moses, Reggie Hayward, Ennis Haywood, Tony Yelk, Mike Banks, Jordan Carstens, Tyson Smith and James Reed.

[50] In an interesting side note, Pittsburgh's defensive coordinator in this game, Paul Rhoads, would eventually become the 31st Iowa State head coach.

[52] Seneca Wallace would lead the Cyclones to a 6–1 start in 2002, including a near-win against the Florida State Seminoles in the Eddie Robinson Classic at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

During a later home game versus Texas Tech, Wallace scored on a 12-yard touchdown by running an estimated 120 yards backwards, forwards, and sideways on the field.

The Cyclones had a chance to win the Big 12 North title but fell short after a Missouri defender intercepted a pass intended for Jon Davis in the end zone.

[60] Rhoads had previously spent time at Iowa State as an assistant coach in the late 1990s and was raised only 20 miles from Ames in Ankeny.

2 Oklahoma State led by Heisman frontrunner Brandon Weeden and two time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon[70] in Ames.

Following a 38–35 loss to Kansas State on November 21, in which he came under heavy criticism for play-calling in the game's final 90 seconds,[75] Rhoads was fired as head coach, effective at the conclusion of the season.

Both defensive lineman Isaiah Lee and the Cyclones’ leading rusher for the 2022 season Jirehl Brock were charged following an investigation into illegal sports betting, and they subsequently left the team.

Davis twice earned consensus All-American honors and was the first NCAA Division I-A running back to rush for over 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, a feat that has yet to be repeated.

In 1959 after Dwight Nichols led the Big 7 in total yardage (1,358) and points (54) he became the first player in Iowa State history to receive Heisman votes coming tied for 7th place overall.

The series halted after 1934 after then University of Iowa Athletic Director and head football coach Ossie Solem would not return calls to reschedule the rivalry.

On October 26, 2012, Iowa State dedicated a $20.6 million, 156,000 square-foot, expansion of the football facility with an additional lead gift from the Bergstrom family.

[122] Prior to the football matchup against the University of Colorado on November 12, 2005, a tornado touched down in Ames, Iowa, and forced fans to either stand out in the parking lot and watch the storm or flee to shelter in Hilton Coliseum.

Cyclone fans typically arrive hours before kick-off in large SUVs and RVs to grill popular Midwestern foods such as pork loin, bratwurst, hamburgers and hot dogs.

Forged in 1890 the victory bell served on campus to signal dismissal from classes before being moved to Clyde Williams Field and subsequently to Jack Trice Stadium.