Football season is back and in full swing. Iowa State is great at many things but if the first three games are any indication, football isn’t exactly one of them. Despite their lack of quality, the Cyclones are still a heavily supported team. There are many reasons for this and all of them revolve around the fact that Iowa State’s community is one that cannot be matched!
Tailgating. Tailgating is where the entire experience begins. I usually get to games around three hours before they start but some people choose to spend their entire day out in the Jack Trice parking lots. Tailgating is a great opportunity to catch up with family and friends as you share in the excitement of another game on the horizon. There aren’t many other chances to be surrounded by people playing corn hole while eating copious amounts of food. You never know who might see while on tailgating – during the first game of the season, my friend’s parents just happened to be tailgating right across from Fred Hoiberg and Naz Long!
The Student Section. Once you get to the game you’re going to want somewhere to sit. Even though the stadium fills up with 61,500 people, it’s not difficult to find your spot. My friends and I enjoy standing in the upper bowl of the student section because you can see the entire field on one side and a gorgeous aerial view of Iowa State’s campus to the north. The energy of students is incredible and participating in cheers amongst thousands of people is quite enjoyable. The student section is also a great place to vent about poor calls from the referees – after, that is the only reason why we lose 😉
Cyclone Spirit. On game days you can just feel the cyclone spirit pumping all around the city of Ames. People wear cardinal and gold from the moment they wake up until they go to bed. Walking around Ames is a great time on game day because everyone seems just a little bit more excited. This spirit can extend beyond the city limits of Ames. I went to Iowa City last week to see the Cyclones face off against the Hawkeyes. Even though we lost the game, Cyclone fans were still sporting their gear and shouting “Go State” all around the city. Cyclone spirit instills feelings of excitement no matter the outcome of the game.
Great Memories. This is something that you get from any experience at Iowa State. College is a time to explore a variety of things that you wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to do. To be honest, I never really had that big of an interest in football before my freshman year. After my first Cyclone game I realized what a great experience it was. Football games are a great opportunity to share this experience and create memories with the amazing friends I’ve met while at Iowa State. Jack Trice Stadium is a great venue for everyone to come together and cheer on a school that we have all grown to love. Even though we may lose, every weekend in the fall I still look forward to having a great time while watching the game.
