Cyclone and Wildcats Set to Face off in Ireland
On August 23rd, the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats will open their 2025 college football seasons across the Atlantic Ocean in Dublin, Ireland. Kansas State is looking to rebound after its defeat against Iowa State last season. Dublin offers more than just a new setting for Iowa State and Kansas State; it’s an opportunity to showcase a rivalry that has endured since 1917. Campbell’s squad returns key contributors in the trenches, but all eyes will be on the quarterback play. If the Cyclones can control the pace and limit turnovers, they’ll have a strong chance to start the season with a statement win. As for Kansas State, they will have to up their game if they want to start their season off with a bang.
Kansas State’s Readiness
The Kansas State team has built its reputation on consistency. The Wildcats are physical, efficient, and often overlooked until they aren’t. Kansas State is poised to make another run at the Big 12 title, starting its season against one of its biggest rivals. The trip overseas to the Emerald Isle won’t faze the Wildcats one bit. Kansas State will be expected to play to its strengths: controlling the clock and dominating the trenches to force Iowa State into uncomfortable downfield decisions. Iowa State’s swiftness led them to a terrific start last season, when they reached the Big 12 Championship before losing to Arizona State, which went on to represent the Big 12 in the CFP. If Kansas State has accounted for that, they’ll be entering Dublin as mean, green, ready machines.
Why Dublin?
The matchup itself gives both teams a chance to showcase their brands to an international audience, build team chemistry in a unique setting, and earn national exposure to start the College Football season. Beyond the history and the headlines, it’s the on-field strategy that will define who seizes the moment overseas. A victory in Ireland could be the difference between momentum and mayhem once conference play begins. College football is evolving and expanding beyond borders and pushing into new territory. Two Midwestern teams will take center stage, opening their season in Ireland in what’s sure to be another chapter in their long-running Farmageddon rivalry.
