I am not an Iowa State fan. I will never be an Iowa State fan. I am a Hawkeye like my father before me. But I can say I am a fan of this year’s Iowa State football team. I am a fan of great stories, of underdogs hitting it big and accomplishing what many deemed impossible. This Iowa State team is just that: a team no one predicted anything more than mediocrity from that is somehow beating the odds and doing what no one thought they could…win.

This team is chocked full of stories that by themselves would unite the state in support of the team but with the sheer number of inspirational stories they have generated national attention. From the homegrown star receiver who decided to stay home, saying no to many more prestigious schools, to follow in his brother and father’s footsteps of playing college football at Iowa State. To the walk-on quarterback who before starting his first college game on the road at #3 Oklahoma had attended more colleges (3) than he had completed collegiate passes (2). He has stepped in and has found ways to help will his team to 4 straight victories, including that first start against #3 Oklahoma.

A team predicted to be in the cellar of the Big 12 finds itself tied for first and ranked in the top 15 of the College Football Playoffs. In a preseason poll conducted by CBS Sports that predicted the order of finish for every team in the Big 12 Iowa State came in at 9th, there are 10 teams total in the Big 12. The name “Iowa State” was mentioned once in the accompanying article. Simply put no one thought a season like this was coming and no one, on the national level, cared about Iowa State.

As I alluded to earlier I am an Iowa Hawkeye fan and compare this Iowa State season, to this point, to the season Iowa had in 2015. Going undefeated in the regular season and eventually going to the Rose Bowl. The major difference? That Iowa team might have/maybe/probably was not “legit”. They were the beneficiaries of a very easy schedule and took full advantage.

Iowa State has already played a much more difficult schedule and to go along with their 38-31 upset at #3 Oklahoma they have also beaten #4 TCU at home. Two top 5 wins against programs that have been the flag wavers of the Big 12 in recent memory is not anything to scoff at. In my mind, they have already proven themselves to be a legitimate contender and definitely fit the proverbial title of a team you don’t want to be playing right now.

How high can Iowa State reach? Could they win out and put themselves squarely in the conversation of the College Football Playoffs? Absolutely, they have already done the heavy lifting to get where they are today. Could they (knock on wood) bottom out and finish the season 6-6? Possibly but probably not, they still have to play Kansas State (they’re bad). However the season finishes I would bet Cyclone fans would consider it a complete smashing success.

Sports are unparalleled in their ability to inspire people, bring people together and help us forget about the outside world for a couple hours every week. With supreme highs and sometimes the lowest of lows sports generate a wide range of emotions and passion from those attached to their particular teams. Like I said I am not an Iowa State fan and will never be but I can root for this team, at the end of the day we are all Iowans and that counts for something. For those who are Iowa State fans, good times never seemed so good.