Completed Event: Football versus #17 Kansas State on August 23, 2025 , Win , 24, to, 21
Final
Football
24
#17 Kansas State
21
Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, August 23
Dublin, Ireland (Aviva Stadium)
11:00 AM
Iowa State University
vs
Kansas State
Aer Lingus Classic Primer: No. 22 Iowa State vs. No. 17 K-State
08.18.2025 | Football
AMES, Iowa - No. 22 Iowa State opens the 2025 season outside of the United States for the first time in program history as it faces Big 12 foe and No. 17 K-State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.Â
Who: No. 22 Iowa State (0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 17 Kansas State (0-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Where: Aviva Stadium (47,000) – Dublin, Ireland
When: Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 – 11 a.m. (CT) // 5 p.m. (IST)
The Links
WATCH:Â ESPN
PxP: Dave Pasch; Analyst: Dusty Dvoracek; Reporter:Â Taylor McGregor
LISTEN: Cyclone Radio Network – Varsity App, TuneIn Radio or Radio Affiliates
PxP: John Walters; Analyst: Eric Heft; Sideline: Brent Blum
LIVE STATS
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES
MEDIA CENTER
INSIDE THE SERIES
109th Meeting
Overall:Â 54-50-4
Home:Â 31-20-3
Road:Â 23-28-1
Neutral:Â 0-2-0
Campbell vs. KSU:Â 5-4
Last Meeting:Â 11/30/24Â (ISU 29, KSU 21)
Series Note: Iowa State has won four of the last five, and five of the last seven, matchups against Kansas State.
KICKING OFF
The 2025 season marks the 134th in program history and the 10th under head coach Matt Campbell, who becomes just the third football coach at ISU to coach 10 seasons at the school (Clay Stapleton, 10; Dan McCarney, 12). Campbell, ISU's winningest coach who agreed to a contract extension through 2032 last December, will be looking for his 100th coaching victory when the Cyclones play the Wildcats.
GAME NOTES
An import Big 12 clash, Saturday marks the first ranked matchup in the history of the Aer Lingus classic and the first time Iowa State and K-State have met as ranked foes since 2002. This will be the second time this century that the FBS season will feature a ranked matchup on opening day. The first occurred in 2009 when No. 14 Boise State played No. 16 Oregon – both teams went on to enter bowl season ranked in the AP Top 10.
Iowa State and K-State will meet Saturday for the 109th time in series history. Dating back to 1917, it is ISU's most-played series and it is the seventh-longest uninterrupted active series in FBS college football.
WHO'S BACK?
Iowa State returns 53 letterwinners and 11 starters (six offense, five defense) from last year's team that posted an 11-3 record, made a Big 12 Championship game appearance and won the Pop-Tarts Bowl against No. 15 Miami.
| What's Back? | |
| Passing Yards | 100% |
| Passing TDs | 25/25 |
| Rushing Yards | 82% |
| Rushing TDs | 25/27 |
| Receiving Yards | 29% |
| Receiving TDs | 6/25 |
| Tackles | 51% |
| Tackles For Loss | 45% |
| Interceptions | 8/15 |
BECHT BACK UNDER CENTER
Cyclone quarterback Rocco Becht is primed for his third season under center. Already one of the best quarterbacks at the FBS level, Becht has thrown for 3,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, the only Big 12 player to do so and one of just 12 active FBS players that can make that claim. He has thrown a touchdown pass in 18 consecutive games which is the nation's longest active streak entering the season.
Iowa State must replace his two favorite targets from a season ago in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins who were both NFL draft picks and had 1,000-yard seasons in 2024. A pair of veteran tight ends, Gabe Burkle and Benjamin Brahmer, will be viable targets for Becht as well as an exciting crop of wide receivers. Expected to contribute are transfers Chase Sowell (East Carolina) and Xavier Townsend (UCF) as well as Dominic Overby, Brett Eskildsen, Eli Green, Carson Brown and Daniel Jackson.
Aiding the passing attack will be an experienced running game. Iowa State is one of 10 FBS teams that returns a running back duo that each rushed for 500+ yards last season in Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III. Hansen and Sama will be running behind one of the more experienced offensive lines in the country. The Cyclone o-line has combined for 105 career starts, a top-20 mark nationally.
HEACOCK'S DEFENSE
Iowa State has hung its hat on defense during Campbell's tenure due in large part to defensive coordinator Jon Heacock's high standard and football mind. Despite several key departures in the secondary, including Beau Freyler, Malik Verdon and NFL Draft pick Darien Porter, the Cyclones should have another strong group on the defensive side of the ball.
The ISU defense will be led by its three preseason All-Big 12 selections - defensive lineman Domonique Orange, cornerback Jontez Williams and safety Jeremiah Cooper. The Cyclones' three defensive preseason all-conference selections tied with Texas Tech for the most in the league.
A healthy linebacker group should give the defense a boost in 2025. Last season, ISU's linebackers missed 56 games due to injuries with the starters in the spring of 2024 playing just six games. Caleb Bacon, Will McLaughlin, Carson Willich and Cael Brezina all missed the entire or a significant portion of the 2024 season, but were listed on Iowa State's first game-week depth chart of the season. Joined by Kooper Ebel, who started all 14 games last season, redshirt senior Zachary Lovett and youngster Beau Goodwin, the linebackers are one of ISU's most veteran position groups on either side of the ball.
COLOR THE EMERALD ISLE CARDINAL
Cyclone fans in Ireland are encouraged to wear their Cardinal gear to Saturday's game.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL AER LINGUSÂ CLASSIC APP
Download the official Aer Lingus College Football Classic game app! This ultimate game week guide includes an event schedule, list of Iowa State fan pubs, transportation information, and more. Download today and get ready to see your Cyclones in Dublin!
CYCAST WITH THE CYCLONE RADIO CREW
John Walters, Eric Heft and Ryan Harklau sit down to preview Kansas State ahead of this weekend's game. The podcast is presented by Van Wall Equipment.
To listen, CLICK HERE.
WEEKLY MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Matt Campbell, Rocco Becht, Gabe Burkle, James Neal III, Domonique Orange and Caleb Bacon met with the media to preview the trip to Ireland and the matchup against K-State. Watch their interviews below.
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/ FootballCyclone Express South Dakota at ISU 2025
Friday, September 05
Jontez Williams 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Gabe Burkle 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
Rocco Becht 9_2_25 interview
Tuesday, September 02
