As the anticipation grows for the fast approaching 2019 football season, Iowa State now knows where they stand in the eyes of the national media and college football world.

Iowa State starts the season ranked No. 21 in the country, one spot behind the No. 20 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. 

This is the first time in 41 years Iowa State finds themselves on the AP preseason poll.

In 1978, Iowa State started the year ranked No. 20 in the first AP poll of the year, which was the highest ranking the Cyclones have received before the start of the season. 

The Cyclones are one of three Big 12 Conference schools ranked in the first poll of the season, with No. 10 Texas and No. 4 Oklahoma.

The preseason poll for the 2019 football season looks quite different than the one from just one year ago.

Last season, Iowa State was not even in the top 25 preseason poll. 

The Big 12 also looked different a year ago, with TCU and West Virgina starting the preseason in the top 20 of the poll.

One year later, both TCU and West Virgina are not even on the list.

Since 1950, the AP has released a preseason poll of the top 25 college football teams in the nation, voted on weekly by writers and broadcasters from across the country.