Upcoming Iowa State Cyclones Football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Iowa State football: Cyclones since 1895
The Iowa State Cyclones play home football games at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, an open-air stadium with an official capacity of 61,500, including grass hillside seating in the corners. Home games fall on Saturdays from late August or early September through late November, and Iowa State has played in the Big 12 since the conference formed in 1996.
The program began in 1892. The nickname dates to 1895, when Iowa State, then coached by Pop Warner, beat Northwestern 36–0 and the Chicago Tribune ran the headline "Struck by a Cyclone." The mascot, though, is a cardinal named Cy, chosen in 1954 because a tornado is hard to stuff.
Iowa State's two conference titles came in the Missouri Valley in 1911 and 1912, and the program has spent much of its history as an underdog in a tough league. The modern era changed that. The 2020 team reached the program's first Big 12 Championship Game, won the Fiesta Bowl over Oregon and finished No. 9 in both major polls, the best final ranking in school history. Running back Troy Davis, the first Division I-A back to rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, finished second in the 1996 Heisman voting and is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Where to sit at Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice is a bowl set slightly below the surrounding ground. Double-decked grandstands run along both sidelines and wrap the south end zone, which was enclosed in 2015 with a lower and upper deck and a large premium club. The north end holds the Jacobson Athletic Building and a video board. The three-level press box and suites are on the west side.
Sideline vs. end zone
Sideline seats between the 30-yard lines give the best view, and mid-level rows in the lower deck usually beat the front rows, where the benches and sideline crews block the near side. Upper-deck sideline seats are farther away but give a clean look at formations. End-zone seats cost less; the enclosed south end is the louder and more complete option.
Hillside seats
The grass hillsides in the stadium corners are counted in the 61,500 capacity. They are informal, open seating on a slope: good for families and casual fans, a poor choice if you want a seat back or a sideline angle, and exposed to weather. Bring a blanket and arrive early for a better spot.
Sun and weather
The field runs north to south. In an afternoon game, the sun moves into the western sky, so the east sideline faces it late in the game while the west sideline, under the press box, has it at its back. September day games can be hot; November games in central Iowa can be cold and windy. Iowa State uses day and night kickoffs, so check the start time before choosing a side.
Cy-Hawk, Farmageddon and the games that sell out
- Iowa: the in-state Cy-Hawk series began in 1894 and resumed in 1977 after a long break, when the Cy-Hawk Trophy was first presented. Iowa leads the series. When the game is in Ames, it is usually the hardest ticket of the season.
- Kansas State: played every year since 1917, the longest uninterrupted series in college football. Fans call it "Farmageddon" for the schools' agriculture roots. Iowa State leads narrowly. In 2025 the teams opened the season in Dublin, Ireland.
- Former Big Eight rivals: Missouri (the Telephone Trophy) and Nebraska are no longer conference opponents, so those games rarely appear on the schedule.
A sellout at Jack Trice means all 61,500 seats, hillsides included, and the stadium record of 61,500 was first set on September 5, 2015, the opening game after the south end zone was enclosed. Beyond Cy-Hawk and Farmageddon, the strongest demand comes from ranked Big 12 visitors and night games. Early non-conference games are the easiest way in.
Tornado siren, the cannon and Ames tailgating
- Tornado siren: since 2011, a siren sounds after touchdowns and big defensive stops. Fans had asked for it since 2005, when a real tornado touched down in Ames before a game against Colorado.
- The cannon: members of the Alpha Sigma Phi chapter fire a cannon when the team takes the field, on kickoffs and after Iowa State touchdowns.
- Victory bell: a bell forged in 1890 stands just north of the stadium and is rung after wins.
- Jack Trice: the stadium is named for Iowa State's first Black athlete, who died of injuries suffered in a 1923 game at Minnesota. Renamed in 1997 after years of student petitions, it is the only Division I FBS stadium named for an African American. A statue of Trice stands outside.
Iowa State is known for tailgating, helped by large parking lots that surround the stadium. As of the 2026 season, lots open six hours before noon or later kickoffs (6 a.m. for 11 a.m. kickoffs), tailgating is limited to your own parking space with tents up to 10 by 10 feet, and glass, kegs and open fires are prohibited. Beer and wine are allowed in the lots; hard liquor is not. Check the Iowa State gameday policies before you go.
How Iowa State football tickets work
Iowa State sells season tickets first, and many seats carry a required Cyclone Club donation on top of the ticket price; the athletics department publishes a seating chart showing which sections require one. Cyclone Club members also get priority parking. Students buy a separate student allotment, and single-game tickets go on sale to the public after season-ticket renewals.
Because season ticket holders and students absorb most of the stadium, single-game inventory for the Iowa game, Kansas State and ranked Big 12 visitors disappears quickly, and the resale market becomes the main way to get a seat. Resale demand peaks when Iowa State is ranked and for night games, and it is softest for early non-conference games and cold late-season games against unranked teams. Every GoodSeats order includes guaranteed entry.
Jack Trice Stadium bag policy and entry
As of the 2026 season, Iowa State's posted policies allow clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, a one-gallon clear plastic bag, or a small clutch up to about 6 by 9 inches, with medical exceptions. Metal water bottles are not allowed; one sealed plastic water bottle of 20 ounces or less is. Check Iowa State Athletics for the current policy before you go.
- Gates: all gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.
- Re-entry: not permitted.
- Payment: the stadium is cashless.
- Alcohol: sold inside the stadium, two drinks per person per transaction, until the end of the third quarter.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Iowa State Cyclones play football?
Iowa State plays at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, which opened in 1975 as Cyclone Stadium and was renamed in 1997. Its official capacity is 61,500, including hillside seating.
What are the hillside seats at Jack Trice Stadium?
They are grass slopes in the stadium corners that are counted in the official capacity. They are informal seating with no seat backs, so bring a blanket and arrive early.
Why is Jack Trice Stadium named for Jack Trice?
Jack Trice was Iowa State's first Black athlete and died of injuries from a 1923 game at Minnesota. Students petitioned for years, and the stadium took his name in 1997.
Who are Iowa State's biggest football rivals?
Iowa, in the Cy-Hawk series, and Kansas State, the Farmageddon series, which has been played every year since 1917.
What bags are allowed at Jack Trice Stadium?
As of the 2026 season, clear bags up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, one-gallon clear bags and small clutches are allowed. Check Iowa State Athletics for the current policy before you go.