ESPN journalist Pete Thamel announced Friday evening that Washington State head football coach Jimmy Rogers is set to become the next coach at Iowa State for the 2026 season. Rogers signed a six-year contract with the Cyclones.

Iowa State finished 8-4 overall and 5-4 in conference this season, placing them seventh in the Big 12.

Rogers went 6-6 in his one season with the Cougars, securing a bowl game with a win over Oregon State in their final regular season contest. 

The news was shocking to many. When Rogers first joined the Cougars, he made it seem he was going to stay with the program for a long time. 

“I’m about loyal as it gets, and I know that word has been thrown around here and people don’t want to hear it. But, I don’t know if you can show that after 19 years in one place, building a national championship program day after day. So I do plan to do that here,” Rogers said in his introductory press conference on Jan. 9 this year. 

Rogers will not be following up on his statement, traveling eastbound to Ames, Iowa. Cougar students have been very emotional about the hiring.

“I’m just really mad. I’m pissed off is what it is,” freshman Lillian Johnson said. 

“It would be nice if we could get one guy to stick around,” junior Charlie Phares said.

Rogers will not be coaching the Cougars’ bowl game, which will now make this the second year in a row where the Cougars have a postseason game without the regular season head coach. The Cougars do not know their bowl game opponent yet but will find out Sunday. The interim head coach will be current defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, per source.