Longtime Big 12 rivals Iowa State and Kansas State will open the 2025 season in Dublin, Ireland in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
The game kicks off Aug. 23 and marks the first time Iowa State will play outside of the United States and just the second time for Kansas State. The Wildcats faced Nebraska in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 5, 1992.
The 2025 season will be the sixth college football game ever played at Dublin’s 48,000-seat Aviva Stadium. It’s the first time two Big 12 Conference teams will meet in Ireland.
The teams have played 107 times — every year since 1917 — and Iowa State holds a 53-50-4 series lead. They face off this year in Ames in the regular-season finale on Nov. 30. Next year will be the first time they play in a season opener. The last time either school opened the season against a conference foe was 1997 for Iowa State and 1996 for K-State.
Previous college football games played in Aviva Stadium include two Notre Dame–Navy matchups (2012 and 2023), Georgia Tech–Boston College (2016) and Nebraska-Northwestern (2022). Georgia Tech and Florida State will play there Aug. 24, 2024.
What they’re saying
“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,” Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard said. “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.”
“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,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “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.”
“We are thrilled that Kansas State University and our football program have been selected to play Iowa State in the annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic,” Kansas State athletics director Gene Taylor said. “The opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni and fans to visit one of the world’s top travel destinations and to showcase our football program and brand on a global stage was one we could not pass up.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be chosen to play in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “Our players and staff are excited to expose our program to a global audience, and the cultural experience will also be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of Wildcat Nation. We appreciate our administration and the Aer Lingus Classic team for making this tremendous experience possible.”
Required reading
(Photo: Scott Sewell / USA Today)