Kansas State Faces Iowa State in Dublin College Football Showdown

Dublin, Ireland – The No. 21 Kansas State Wildcats will kick off their 2025 football season against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, Aug. 23, in a Week 0 matchup at Aviva Stadium.

Iowa State, which shared the regular-season Big 12 championship last year, finished 11-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play. The Cyclones boasted a point differential of plus-114, going 9-2 against unranked teams. In contrast, Kansas State had a less impressive season, sharing eighth place in the conference with West Virginia, finishing 5-4 in Big 12 play and 9-4 overall with a plus-97 point differential.

The matchup marks the 109th meeting between the two teams, with Iowa State holding a narrow lead in the all-time series at 54-50-4. Last season, Iowa State claimed victory with a score of 29-21.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, with Kansas State entering the game as 3-point favorites. The over/under for total points scored stands at 49.5.

Josh Nagel, SportsLine’s assistant managing editor and seasoned sports analyst, has a strong track record in college football predictions, including a perfect 8-0 run on Kansas State picks recently. Nagel has already locked in his picks and insights for the game as the teams prepare to face off.

For Kansas State, junior quarterback may play a pivotal role, having completed 217 of 372 passes for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 605 yards and seven scores, demonstrating his dual-threat capability.

Iowa State will rely on its own junior quarterback, who completed 271 of 456 passes for 3,505 yards and 25 touchdowns last year. He also had a standout performance in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, earning praise for his offensive skills.

As both teams aim to start the season on a high note, the outcome of this thrilling matchup in Dublin is anticipated to be a heated contest.