AMES – The Iowa State football team will play host to the University of Incarnate Word, a FCS program from the Southland Conference, on Dec. 1, 2018, at 1 p.m., on MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium. Cyclones.tv will telecast the game.
The game replaces the Cyclones’ originally scheduled season opener vs. South Dakota State, which was cancelled because of inclement weather.
“Although it’s been a challenging process to identify a school that was willing and able to play in Ames on Dec. 1, we are thankful to the Cardinals’ Athletics Director Brian Wickstrom and Coach Eric Morris in helping us schedule this game,” Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “We explored multiple options to give our student-athletes every opportunity to compete and, ultimately, be eligible to participate in a bowl game. Our student-athletes only have so many chances in their career to play collegiate football. I’m very grateful to the administration at UIW for helping us provide our student-athletes, as well as our marching band and spirit squad another chance to represent Iowa State University.”
The game will be contested unless Iowa State qualifies for the Big 12 Championship Game (Dec. 1 in Arlington, Texas) or Incarnate Word qualifies for the FCS playoffs.
Fans who purchased tickets to the South Dakota State game (single game or season tickets) will receive tickets to the UIW contest on Dec. 1.
“We recognize the process of re-issuing both tickets and parking will present its own set of challenges for our department and fans,” Pollard said. “Our staff will be in contact directly with our fans as soon as more details are finalized.”
Incarnate Word, located in San Antonio, established its football program in 2009. Eric Morris, formerly the offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, is UIW’s first-year head coach.
Incarnate Word opened its 2018 season playing at FBS programs New Mexico and North Texas. Southland Conference teams will also play Baylor, BYU, Kansas, La.-Monroe, LSU, Mississippi State, SMU, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Tulane and Tulsa this fall.
Iowa State will pay Incarnate Word $300,000 for the game and provide use of a charter aircraft to fly to Des Moines. ISU will not be considered in default of the agreement if it qualifies to play in its conference championship game.
Why not play a local high school team?
They could play Mason City then they could buy lots of shiny new goal posts.