The 1996 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State University as a member of the North Division in the newly-formed Big 12 Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Dan McCarney, the Cyclones compiled an overall record of 2âÂÂ9 with a mark of 1âÂÂ7 in conference play, placing last out of six teams in the Big 12's North Division. Iowa State played home games at Cyclone Stadium in Ames, Iowa.