The Iowa State Cyclones offense has not been operating at a high level as their competition has improved.

They steamrolled non-conference opponents such as the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks and Bowling Green Falcons. Against the West Virginia Mountaineers, who have the worst passing defense in the country, they also succeeded.

But in their losses, moving the ball has been a struggle. The Iowa Hawkeyes, Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and Arizona Wildcats all shut them down. In their most recent game, on the road against Arizona, quarterback Jaylen Raynor was benched at halftime in favor of Connor Moberly.

The veteran is back in the starting lineup for the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Jack Trice Stadium under the lights on Halloween. It is fair to wonder how long his leash will be given his struggles on the field in 2026.

It is do-or-die time for Jaylen Raynor

The pressure is certainly on as head coach Jimmy Rogers has already shown that he is willing to make a change when he feels it is necessary. This could very well be Raynor’s last chance to solidify his spot in the lineup, and the Cowboys present a good opportunity for him to take advantage of.

Injuries have certainly hurt, with Iowa State being down four wide receivers: Evan Boyd, Carter Pabst, Dominic Overby and Jordyn Bailey. The team still has Omari Hayes and Cody Jackson to rely on, but getting the ball into their hands has proven challenging.

Making up for the lack of playmakers is the offensive line. This unit is an elite pass-blocking group, with their 81.7 grade ranking eighth in the country, per PFF.

The Cowboys sell out to stop the run, which should be the case again this week. They will force anyone but Aiden Flora to beat them, which will put the onus on Raynor’s right arm and legs to create plays.

Oklahoma State is an opportunistic group, recording seven interceptions, but they are exploitable. Their pass rush hasn’t been operating at a very high level the last few weeks, which gives the Cyclones a huge edge in the trenches.

The Cowboys’ offense is going to score in bunches, led by quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins. Keeping up with them is going to be a difficult task, and it will fall on Raynor’s shoulders.

Playing for the first time at night at Jack Trice Stadium and knowing his job is on the line will be motivating factors for him to get things going early. This is his last chance to prove his worth, because one more dud will likely have the coaching staff exploring other options at quarterback.