College Football's Week 0 to Feature First Top-25 Matchup in Over 20 Years

Iowa State vs. Kansas State in Ireland just got a lot more interesting.
Iowa State and Kansas State are set to kick off the 2025 college football season.
Iowa State and Kansas State are set to kick off the 2025 college football season. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season is officially starting out with a bang.

Following the release of the AP's first Top 25 list on Monday, the Week 0 rivalry matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State—also known as Farmageddon—will feature ranked opponents with the Cyclones coming in at No. 17 and the Wildcats at No. 24.

It's the first time since 2002 that Week 0 will feature a Top-25 game.

The season-opening contest between Iowa State and Kansas State will be held at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the Aer Lingus Football Classic. 2025 marks the fourth straight year that the college football campaign will kick off overseas.

Matt Campbell’s Cyclones enter 2025 fresh off a thrilling Pop-Tarts Bowl victory, while Chris Klieman’s Wildcats are coming off a 9-4 campaign capped by a Rate Bowl win over Rutgers.

The Aer Lingus Classic is set to kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 23.


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Mike Kadlick
MIKE KADLICK

Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.