No. 22 Iowa State survived a late comeback from No. 17 Kansas State to win a 24-21 slugfest and capture the first victory of the 2025 season at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The Cyclones converted on a critical fourth-and-3 to win a third straight game against Kansas State.

In what turned out to be a defensive struggle, the Wildcats dropped their season opener to the Cyclones in Ireland.

The Cyclones beat the Kansas State Wildcats 24-21 on Saturday in the fourth Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, which kicked off the 2025 college football season and afforded the Big 12 Conference a chance in the national (and international) spotlight.