Three Must-Do Iowa State Football Road Trips in 2026 and Why

The Iowa State Cyclones are in the midst of the biggest offseason in school and program history.

Due to a head coaching change that saw Matt Campbell leave for the Penn State Nittany Lions, many players followed. Iowa State decided to hire former Washington State Cougars head coach Jimmy Rogers as Campbell’s replacement.

Now, their entire team is full of transfers, with only a select number of returners staying with the program.

It’s going to be a tough year for the Cyclones. Many are projecting them to miss a bowl game, or barely make one at all. For the standards of Iowa State, it would certainly be a failure of a year.

Iowa State fans have great venues to visit this season

Dec 27, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; BYU Cougars fans watch the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

But that doesn’t mean the year won’t be fun. With so much needed to be hyper analyzed and tracked, this will definitely be different from years past, but also a unique experience.

The Cyclones play 12 games this year, with seven occurring at home and five coming on the road. Of course, the Iowa State faithful will be in the building when the Cyclones play at Jack Trice Stadium, but of course, it's going to be a lot less on the road.

But of the five games where fans will have to travel, there will be three that are some of the coolest road trips you can take in the sport. Which are the three best? Let’s take a look.

Iowa City, Iowa - Kinnick Stadium

Iowa fans tailgate before a football game against Michigan State Nov. 22, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Of course, I’m going to have to start across the state in Iowa City, IA. The Cy-Hawk Series is one of the best rivalries in college sports, and football is the true pinnacle of that.

After two straight wins over the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Cyclones travel across the state to attempt to pull it off once again. Kyle Konrardy, be ready.

Seriously, though, it’s going to be an immensely fun road trip. It’s familiar territory, a trip that fans make every other year, and a great time. Of course, Iowa City isn’t as cool as Ames, but it’s not a bad place to watch some football. If you want a good away game filled with intensity, hate, and bragging rights, this is the perfect one for you.

Orlando, Florida - Acrisure Bounce House

But road trips are always the most fun when you have to travel far. And this next one takes us pretty far. In the second-to-last game of the season, Iowa State will travel to Florida to take on the UCF Knights.

That’s going to be a big one for both squads, as late in the season, they should be competing for a bowl game. Then you take into account that it’s in sunny Orlando, Florida, which makes things so much better. The Bounce House is always loud, and it sure will be extra for a Friday night, with a 7 PM local start. This is a must-go-to game.

Provo, Utah - LaVell Edwards Stadium

Oct 18, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougar fans rush the field after a win over the Utah Utes at LaVell Edwards Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

There’s a local game with intense roots, and a tropical stay in Florida, but the best road game of them all has to be the away game in the mountains of Provo, UT. The Cyclones toughest road game of the season will be against the BYU Cougars on the road.

And this one is certainly going to be the best away game of the year. Of course, BYU is going to be really good and could potentially take down Iowa State with ease, but it could go the other way.

It’s going to be a great atmosphere, an environment that is unlike any other, and is set perfectly in a beautiful mountain range. The Cyclones could make history in this one, but even if not, it’s going to be a really fun weekend regardless.

Iowa State away games are a must, and next season, more than ever, they will be important and fun to go to. Make sure to find your way to Iowa City, Orlando, or Provo for what will be an unbelievable experience.

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