I know there’s been plenty of game reaction already, but this is more of a review of the ISU game day and stadium atmosphere. I don’t do this often so go easy on me and I will work to post pictures as I can get them uploaded.
Bottom Line Up Front:
Despite the outcome, Ames is a great place for visiting fans to watch a game. The people were welcoming, it was clean, and there were good food and hotel options. However, it’s not the easiest place to get around via Uber since it’s pretty spread out and not walkable in some areas. Overall, I’d rate it an 8.5/10 road game experience—probably higher if my heart hadn’t been ripped out in the final moments of the game.
Overall Trip Report:
My wife and I flew in Friday afternoon to meet my brother (an ISU alum) who drove down from Duluth, MN, after picking up our elderly parents from the Minneapolis airport. The Des Moines airport is small but easy to navigate—just two baggage claim areas, and only one was in use the entire time we were there. The merch in the airport was amusing—shirts that said “Des Moines, HELL YEAH” and other unexpected things for an airport shop. Cyclone and Hawkeye gear was everywhere—Iowa really embraces both teams.
We had dinner in West Des Moines at Biaggi’s Italian Restaurant, which was a hidden gem. I learned about it earlier this year from a woman I sat next to on a flight, whose son owns the small chain. She convinced me to make a reservation for this game weekend, and I’m glad we did. Excellent food and service! The bread service was fantastic, with a selection of oils, cheese, and spices. We shared bacon-wrapped dates and several salads to start, all of which were excellent, especially the beet and goat cheese salad. For the main courses, we enjoyed everything from steak to pasta dishes, and my wife, who is gluten-free due to an allergy, was very well accommodated, including a gluten-free bread service. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Ankeny for about $40 a night thanks to a Hilton friends and family rate—much cheaper than staying in Ames.
Saturday - Pregame:
We headed from Ankeny to downtown Ames, where I was born and lived until 3rd grade before moving to Florida. We stopped at Diem, a local coffee shop, and did some shopping before heading to Sweet Caroline’s, which was already packed with Cyclone fans by 11 AM. I only saw one other UCF fan up to this point, but we found another couple at the bar. After a drink, we walked through the streets lined with Cyclone flags and fans, eventually landing at Cornbred BBQ. The food and drinks here were outstanding—the smoked “flappers” (wings with honey buffalo habanero sauce) were especially memorable, and the ribs with street corn slaw rounded out a great pre-tailgate meal.
Next, we drove to Campustown, which was impressive. We passed their famous Hilton Arena and Jack Trice Stadium, both surrounded by tailgaters. A large, Iowa State-branded pedestrian bridge connects parking areas, and it’s lit in red and yellow at night. UCF could definitely benefit from something similar to connect the softball lot to E6. The bridge even made an appearance in ISU’s drone show later (more on that soon).
Before heading to the tailgate lot, We parked near my brother’s old dorm, took a scenic walk around a lake, and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors. I also picked up an ISU vinyl sticker for my boxing heavy bag—opposing team stickers are a tradition of mine!
The Stadium & Fan Experience:
Jack Trice Stadium is easy to navigate, and all gates are open for all tickets, so the flow of over 61,000 people was smooth. The stadium is lined with Big 12 flags, but I didn’t see a UCF flag—only flags from the original Big 12 members and Utah. Our flag did show up during pregame, though.
The stadium’s namesake, Jack Trice, was the first Black football player for ISU, who tragically died after injuries sustained in his first game. His story is deeply ingrained in the culture here, with a five-column symbol representing him on much of their gear and memorials.
One surprise: the stadium is dry unless you’re in the end zone club (Sukup end zone club). We didn’t realize this ahead of time (my bad for not asking my brother). That said, fans around us didn’t seem to care—smuggling in shot bottles and even six-packs. It wasn’t a huge deal to me as I don’t drink much anymore, but still noteworthy.
Speaking of the fans—wow, quietest fanbase I’ve ever encountered. They sat through most of the game, even during UCF’s first offensive series. The only time they really got loud was during the final series after they took the lead. On the flip side, they were oddly animated during commercial breaks, fully participating in “smile cam” and “flex cam” antics.
The most unique tradition was their 3rd-to-4th quarter transition, where they play “Juicy Wiggle.” This is newer tradition for them - on going since 2016 I found out. I had never heard the song, but seeing nearly 60,000 corn-fed fans do the dance in unison was something to behold. My wife’s reaction? “It was fun” and “I hope Terry takes note—we could probably steal this idea for UCF!” 😂
As for the drinks—for a dry stadium, they drink as much as UCF fans and then some. Mini liquor bottles and beer cans were tossed around as if it were Mardi Gras, which, let’s be honest, was not classy. The woman next to me consumed 10 shots and six beers during the game—impressive, if nothing else.
Band, Pregame, & Halftime:
Their marching band was solid, playing classic college football tunes and spelling out shapes and words on the field. They were quieter in the stands but amplified with mics when needed. Halftime featured a Secret Agent/007 theme, but honestly, I was distracted by the drone show. This was a next-level spectacle with drones forming ISU helmets, logos, their famous bridge, and even a plug for their Ireland game next year. We definitely need to hop on the drone trend before it’s too late.
We are headed to downtown Des Moines for the day before a later flight direct back to Charlotte NC tonight but I don’t anticipate that changes too much about the trip.
That’s my take! Despite the game’s outcome, Ames and ISU put on an enjoyable and welcoming experience. Looking forward to seeing what traditions and atmosphere we can bring to UCF to enhance our own game day experience as we continue to welcome and edcucate new fantasies to all UCF has to offer!
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