Cyclones' 2025 football opener will be in Dublin

By DANA BECKER

dbecker@messengernews.net

AMES — The 2025 opener for Iowa State will take them some 10-plus hours from home.

The Cyclones will meet Kansas State on August 23, 2025 in Dublin, Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. It will mark the first-ever Iowa State game outside of the United States.

“We are extremely grateful for this opportunity presented to us by Aer Lingus to provide the young men in our football program an unrivaled educational, cultural and athletic experience,” said Jamie Pollard, Iowa State’s Director of Athletics. “Iowa State fans enjoy a tremendous reputation for following the Cyclones wherever they play, and we look forward to seeing them travel with us to The Emerald Isle for the 2025 season-opener.”

The Cyclones and Wildcats will actually close out the 2024 season here on November 30, meeting for the 108th time.

Aviva Stadium holds 48,000, with the Iowa State-Kansas State contest marking the sixth college football game to take place in Ireland. This will be the first featuring Big 12 Conference schools.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the Big 12 Conference to play one of its classic rivalries on a global stage while showcasing our University and its football program,” said ISU head coach Matt Campbell. “We are honored that Aer Lingus selected the Cyclones to participate in this prestigious game, which will afford a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our student-athletes to experience international travel while also helping to grow the game of college football outside of the United States.”

Florida State and Georgia Tech will collide this season in the annual game, with ESPN’s College GameDay set to be on hand.

“We are thrilled to welcome Iowa State and Kansas State to Dublin for the 2025 Aer Lingus Classic,” said John Anthony, Co-Founder of the Aer Lingus Classic and Executive VP, Collegiate of On Location. “Kicking off the season with this classic Big 12 Conference rivalry game will bring a heightened level of excitement to another expected sell out Aviva Stadium.

“This matchup was selected because of the high-quality play from both teams, as well as the passionate fan bases that follow them,” he added. “We look forward to providing the experience of a lifetime to the student-athletes and their loyal fans who travel to Ireland. Special thanks to Coach Campbell and Jamie Pollard for embracing this special opportunity for all of Iowa State University.”