The Iowa State Cyclones had several standout performers in their 38-10 victory over the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season.
Wide receiver Dominic Overby is proving once again that he is a big-play machine, leading the team with 86 receiving yards on two receptions. But the biggest story for the Cyclones was the performance of their defense, which was led by defensive end Isaac Terrell .
Coming into the season, a strong argument could be made that Terrell was the best player on the roster. Anyone who had that stance was quickly proven correct, since he was a one-man wrecking crew against an overmatched Southeast Missouri State offensive line.
As a result of his performance, the veteran edge rusher was the recipient of the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week Award. It is an honor that he certainly deserved, stuffing the stat sheet.
Iowa State defensive end Isaac Terrell (88) sacks Southeast Missouri quarterback Braylen Ragland (7) during the second quarter in the week one NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
All of Terrell's damage was done behind the line of scrimmage. He made life difficult for quarterback Braylen Ragland, whom he sacked three times. The star defensive end had four total pressures in the game, adding a quarterback hit as well.
He finished the game with three total tackles and three tackles for loss, as the Redhawks' offensive line had no answers trying to slow him. Terrell was on the field for only 27 snaps, according to PFF (subscription required), but made his presence felt.
He produced an elite 83.4 overall grade, which was the third-best on the defense behind defensive end Jack Janikowski, who had an 88.4, and cornerback Beni Ngoyi, who produced an 84.6.
Terrell was strong across the board with a run defense grade of 70.8, a tackling grade of 75.1 and a pass rush grade of 79.3 in a very productive afternoon at Jack Trice Stadium. He picked up right where he left off in 2025, when he had 7.0 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
That is the exact kind of start that head coach Jimmy Rogers and defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit, whom Terrell played under last year with the Washington State Cougars, were hoping to see from their senior captain.
Iowa State is going to need to see more of it as the season moves along if the Cyclones are going to remain competitive and rack up wins. Terrell and the defense will be tested in Week 2 when they partake in their first Cy-Hawk Rivalry game.
Iowa State is heading to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a massive early-season test for the Cyclones in Rogers' first year at the helm. A performance from Terrell similar to what he did against Southeast Missouri State would go a long way toward pulling off the upset.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa-state as Iowa State Football's Isaac Terrell Earned Big 12 Weekly Award .
