AMES, Iowa – Sometimes all it takes is a different perspective. I climbed all the way to the very last row of the student section at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday and for a moment just stood there, taking it in.
A sold-out crowd pulsing with energy. Students so packed in there wasn’t enough room for everyone who wanted a spot. White pom poms waving in unison, thousands of Cyclone fans draped in white, creating a sea that stretched from one end of the stadium to the other.
Unlike some schools that hand out shirts to manufacture the look, Iowa State fans showed up on their own — committed, coordinated, electric. It was hot, sure, but the day was beautiful. The kind of scene that makes you fall in love with college football all over again.
And the game? Pure dominance. No. 14 Iowa State rolled past Arizona, 39-14, sending fans home with that chef’s kiss feeling. As Matt Campbell inches his way up the Big 12 record books (now tied in a three-way battle for most conference wins), Iowa State fans soaked in a night that felt bigger than just another September game.
It was a special night at Jack Trice Stadium.
Here’s what it looked like through my lens (click below):
