Can Iowa State Football Host College Gameday Next Season?

The Iowa State Cyclones have made for a great College Gameday host in the past.

ESPN's Maria Taylor interviews Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell during \"College GameDay\" filmed outside of Jack Trice Stadium before the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game on Saturday, Sep. 14, 2019, in Ames, Iowa. | Kelsey Kremer/The Register, Des Moines Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC

College Gameday. The pinnacle of college football, and really college sports in general.

In theory, it’s just a bunch of analysts who come to your small college town to talk about the upcoming game. But in reality, it’s much, much more than that. When Gameday comes to town, it’s not just another game.

It’s a season-defining one, and one that the entire nation cares about. For some teams, it’s the norm to get the crew in town. But for others, it’s a dream come true.

College Gameday has been to Ames, IA, to cover the Iowa State Cyclones twice in their history. Of course, both came against their fierce rivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes. And unfortunately, the Cyclones lost both contests.

Iowa State has two potential Gameday matchups

Jan 1, 2022; Pasadena, CA, USA; A Utah Utes football helmet sits on the field with a sticker honoring players Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe before the 2022 Rose Bowl college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now I’m not going to lie, it’s not super likely that Gameday comes back to Ames in 2026. The reality is: Iowa State doesn’t have super high expectations, and isn’t really supposed to be in a must-watch national game next season. But it’s certainly possible.

In Week 3, the Cyclones host the Utah Utes for an intriguing late September battle. Going into the game, Iowa State has two very likely wins, as well as a possible win over Iowa.

If the Cyclones pull it off, they will be 3-0 going into the matchup against the Utes. And for the Utes, they should be undefeated as well. They play three fairly easy games, and will definitely be favored in all three.

Imagine two 3-0 teams battling in Ames at the beginning of the Big 12 schedule. It could be a really intriguing game.

Oklahoma State could be Gameday worthy matchup

Oct 25, 2025; Lubbock, Texas, USA; A general view of an Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet on the field before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Another potential possibility for Gameday to come to town is in late October. Iowa State will be hosting the Oklahoma State Cowboys for another Big 12 battle.

The biggest problem is that before the game against the Cowboys, the Cyclones will be coming off back-to-back road games against challenging opponents: the BYU Cougars and the Arizona Wildcats.

If they are able to pull one of those off, they could head home to what could be a College Gameday-level game at Jack Trice Stadium. And with Oklahoma State in town, it will definitely be an offensive showdown.

Iowa State isn’t expected to be a College Gameday host this season, but it’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility. With two potentially massive Big 12 games coming to Ames, there’s a chance we could see the crew take a stop in the heart of America.