Cyclones Top Wildcats, 24-21

Saturday, the 23rd of August, marked the day that the whole college football world had been waiting for quite some time, as it was the return of college football with the K-State Wildcats facing off against the Iowa State Cyclones in the 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. 

Both teams entered the season with high expectations, given their respective 17th & 22nd preseason national rankings, and the game certainly reflected this.  The stage was set, and the feeling of a big game was in the air when the more than 24,000 international fans began to descend on the Emerald Isle throughout the week. 

It was the Cyclones that came out on top on the day, and here's how they did it. 

The game began with the usual excitement that fans have now come to expect from the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. Fireworks, pyrotechnics, school bands, cheerleaders, and, of course, the breathtaking flyover, organised by our official game sponsor, Aer Lingus. Once the pregame antics were finished, it was time to bring out the teams. The stadium was electric, and the whole of South Dublin quickly discovered that a significant event was about to take place right in their backyard. 

The game got off to a completely frantic start as K-State's star running back and punt receiver Dylan Edwards fumbled the ball on the Wildcats' very first play of the game, sending the Iowa State fans into bedlam! Not for long, though, as just a few plays later, it would be the K-State fans who were cheering, as Iowa State's quarterback, Rocco Becht, took a big hit and dropped the ball, giving possession back to K-State. This series of plays set the tone for what was an electric, back-and-forth battle. It was the Cyclones who struck first, taking a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.

It didn't take long at all in Q2 before K-State had tied things up in the Dublin rain with quarterback Avery Johsnon running the ball into the endzone, something he does so often. However, as we now know, Iowa State did not go down without a fight, and it was they who went into halftime 14-7 up after scoring a late touchdown to end the first half. 

Quarter 3 is where things took off as the Big 12 rivals put on a show for the 47,000 fans in attendance and the X MILLION watching live on ESPN. Scoring drives from both sides, even including a 65-yard touchdown from K-State, showed us in real time why college football experts predicted such a tight matchup. For all their efforts, it was not to be for the Wildcats, who couldn't compete with the power of Iowa State's run game led by Carson Hansen in the late stages. It was Hansen who completed a 15-yard run, which gave the Cyclones the chance to run the clock down and forever etch their name as Aer Lingus College Football Classic Champions.

Not only this, but their beloved Coach Matt Campbell also reached an important milestone in his career, attaining his 100th program win in none other than Dublin, Ireland. "I think those are great wins, any time you can beat quality opponents, that's awesome", said Campbell.

For all the stars on the field, it was none other than Iowa State's Rocco Becht who shone brightest, putting on an incredible show by throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another, crowning the Cyclone captain as the player of the game. 

As the game drew to a close, celebrations from Cyclone fans began, with the whole college football world watching. It was a reminder of how important Week 0 is to growing the game, not only in Ireland but for giving these powerhouse programs a stage to perform in front of a totally new audience & gain experiences that some may never have again. Dublin is undoubtedly the European home of college football, and we at the Aer Lingus College Football Classic already cannot wait for what 2026 brings.