Iowa State hires Jimmy Rogers as coach after Matt Campbell leaves for Penn State
ASSOCIATED PRESS | Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 43 minutes AGO
Washington State head coach Jimmy Rogers walks on the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Pullman, Wash.
AP Photo/Young Kwak
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State wasted no time finding a replacement for Matt Campbell, hiring Washington State's Jimmy Rogers as its football coach on Friday night.
The Cyclones moved quickly after Campbell left to take over for the fired James Franklin at Penn State on Friday. They agreed to a six-year deal with Rogers, who led Washington State to a 6-6 record in his lone season after a two-season run at South Dakota State that included an FCS championship.
“Jimmy Rogers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach,” Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement. “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 is 33-9 in three years as a head coach. He is one of four Washington State coaches to lead the Cougars to a bowl game in their first season.
“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," Rogers said. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”
Rogers spent most of the past two decades as a player or on the staff at South Dakota State. He led the Jackrabbits to a 27-3 record in two seasons as head coach, including an FCS championship repeat in 2023 and a semifinal appearance in 2024.
A linebacker at South Dakota State from 2006 to 2009, Rogers was a graduate assistant there in 2010 and 2011 before spending a year at Florida Atlantic. He returned in 2013 as linebackers coach and eventually become defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach when longtime coach John Stiegelmeier retired after leading the Jackrabbits to their first national title.
He replaces Iowa State's winningest coach. Campbell went 72-55 in 10 seasons.