After a long offseason, college football is finally back, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Week 0 kicks off Saturday, August 23rd, and fans won’t have to wait long for a marquee showdown to set the tone for the year. This season’s opener brings two ranked Big 12 rivals to the international stage, as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, plays host to one of the most intriguing matchups of the early slate.
Photo Cred: The Sporting News
#22 Iowa State vs. #17 Kansas State (Dublin, Ireland)
The 2025 season opener delivers “Farmageddon” overseas for the very first time. It pits Iowa State and Kansas State against each other in a rivalry that has quietly become one of the Big 12’s most underrated, yet fiercely competitive, annual showdowns. Traditionally played in the heart of the Midwest, the game carries an entirely new dimension this year as it takes the field at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, giving fans from both sides a chance to see their teams on an international stage.
For the players, coaches, and fanbases, it’s more than just a Week 0 kickoff—it’s a chance to represent their programs, their conference, and college football itself on foreign soil. Iowa State enters the contest riding a wave of momentum from a breakthrough 2024 season. Quarterback Rocco Becht, now firmly established as the leader of the offense, cemented himself as one of the Big 12’s top passers last year, throwing for over 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Photo Cred: 247Sports
He led the Cyclones to a Big 12 Championship Game appearance and a Pop-Tart Bowl victory over Miami. With another year of experience under his belt, Becht is expected to be one of the nation’s most efficient quarterbacks in 2025. Supporting him in the backfield is running back Carson Hanen, who tallied 752 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns a season ago. Together, the duo provides Iowa State with a balanced and dynamic offensive attack that is capable of both controlling tempo and producing explosive plays.
Kansas State, however, is hardly short on weapons of its own. The Wildcats are led by dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson, who burst onto the national scene last year with his ability to stretch defenses through the air and on the ground. Already generating early Heisman buzz, Johnson gives Kansas State one of the most versatile signal-callers in college football.
He will be joined in the backfield by running back Dylan Edwards, who ended 2024 with a statement performance—rushing for 196 yards and two touchdowns on just 18 carries in the Wildcats’ Rate Bowl victory over Rutgers. Together, Johnson and Edwards headline an offense designed for explosiveness and adaptability, giving the Wildcats a dangerous one-two punch that will challenge any defense in the Big 12. Defensively, Iowa State knows the challenge awaiting them in Dublin will be steep.
The Cyclones have built their reputation on discipline and toughness, and defensive coordinator Jon Heacock has been one of the most respected minds in the game for years. Still, even he admitted that Week 0 presents plenty of uncertainty. “In the first game, there are a lot of unknowns,” Heacock said. “The quarterback’s a Heisman Trophy candidate, the tailback’s incredible, the wide receiver’s incredible, and they do a great job with their o-line. They’re always physical. So we’ll stick to what we know best defensively and keep building from there.”
Photo Cred: Yahoo Sports
While the matchup is already appealing on paper, the stakes make it even more compelling. Both teams are looking to start strong in a Big 12 landscape that has grown deeper and more unpredictable following recent conference realignment. A win in Dublin doesn’t just offer bragging rights—it provides a valuable résumé boost for playoff positioning later in the season. For Iowa State, a victory would validate last year’s rise as more than just a one-season surge. For Kansas State, it would affirm their status as a perennial contender in the new-look Big 12 and reinforce Avery Johnson’s case as a national star.
Add in the pageantry of playing in Ireland—complete with thousands of fans traveling overseas, a stadium steeped in international sporting history, and the unique cultural backdrop—and this matchup becomes more than just a football game. It’s a showcase for college football on the global stage, a chance for both Iowa State and Kansas State to expand their brands internationally, and a memory that players and fans alike will carry with them long after the final whistle.
With two ranked rivals, star quarterbacks, and championship aspirations colliding in Dublin, Week 0 promises to deliver one of the most memorable season openers in recent college football history. It’s Farmageddon, it’s international, and it’s the perfect kickoff to what could be one of the most exciting seasons the sport has seen in years.
