Honestly, it is a bit of a crime that more people don't talk about Iowa State v Kansas State. They call it Farmageddon. It sounds intense because it is. We aren't talking about a manufactured media rivalry like some of the ones you see in the SEC or the Big Ten. This is a gritty, agricultural, "we both do the same thing and we both want to be better at it" kind of blood feud that has been going on since 1917.
Think about that for a second. These two teams have played every single year for over a century. They played through world wars. They played through the 1918 flu pandemic. They even played when the Big 12 was basically falling apart every other week. It is currently the longest never-interrupted rivalry in college football history.
But there's a problem. A big one.
The Big 12's expansion to 16 teams basically killed the streak. In 2027, the schedule says they don't play. It’s a tragedy for college sports fans who value tradition over television markets.
What Really Happened in Dublin
If you missed the kickoff to the 2025 season, you missed one of the weirdest and most electric chapters of Iowa State v Kansas State. They took the game to Ireland. Yes, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Two schools from the middle of the American grain belt playing on the Emerald Isle.
It was bizarre. It was also a classic.
Iowa State came in ranked No. 22, while the Wildcats were sitting at No. 17. The game was a slugfest. Rocco Becht, the Cyclones' quarterback, basically put the team on his back. He threw for two scores and ran for another. On the other side, Avery Johnson for K-State was a human highlight reel, throwing for 273 yards.
The Cyclones walked away with a 24-21 win.
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- Becht found Dominic Overby for a 23-yarder early.
- Avery Johnson answered with a 10-yard run.
- Brett Eskildsen caught a 24-yard dime from Becht in the third.
- The fourth quarter was chaos: a field goal, a Becht touchdown run, and then a 65-yard bomb from Johnson to Jerand Bradley that made everyone hold their breath.
Iowa State iced it late. Carson Hansen grabbed a clutch fourth-down pass to seal the deal. That win gave Matt Campbell his fifth victory over the Wildcats in six tries. K-State fans are still probably sour about it, but that's just the nature of this series.
The "Snowmageddon" Legend and Why It Matters
You can't talk about Iowa State v Kansas State without mentioning 2023. If you want to know why this rivalry is special, go watch the highlights of the "Snowmageddon" game in Manhattan. It was a literal blizzard. You couldn't see the yard lines.
Abu Sama III, a freshman for Iowa State at the time, turned into a superhero. He had 276 yards on just 16 carries. He scored four touchdowns. Every time he touched the ball, he seemed to disappear into a white wall of snow and emerge in the end zone.
The final was 42-35, Cyclones.
It’s games like that which define this matchup. It’s rarely a blowout. It’s almost always weird. Since 1917, the series record is incredibly tight. After the 2025 Dublin game, Iowa State leads 55-50-4. That is absurdly close for a 100-plus year history.
Basketball is Just as Intense
While football gets the "Farmageddon" nickname, the hardwood battle is just as fierce. Just this week—January 13, 2026—we saw a massive upset. Well, "upset" depends on who you ask.
Iowa State went into Lawrence as the No. 2 team in the country. They were 16-0. They looked invincible. Then they ran into the Phog. Kansas (the Jayhawks, not the Wildcats, though the state rivalry is intertwined) handed them an 84-63 loss.
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Wait, why does that matter for the K-State rivalry?
Because the Big 12 is a meat grinder. When Iowa State and Kansas State meet on the court, the records usually go out the window. K-State holds a massive historical lead in basketball (147-95 as of early 2025), but the last few years have been a back-and-forth battle of defensive masterclasses. T.J. Otzelberger has turned Ames into a defensive fortress, while Jerome Tang has kept Manhattan "lit" with a high-energy transition game.
The 2027 Schedule Disaster
Most fans are genuinely pissed about the 2027 hiatus. When the Big 12 announced its new scheduling matrix, Farmageddon wasn't on the "protected" list.
The conference protected Kansas vs. Kansas State (The Sunflower Showdown) and Arizona vs. Arizona State. They even protected BYU vs. Utah. But they left Iowa State and K-State out in the cold.
Why? Money. Travel. Logistics.
The conference wanted a rotation where everyone plays everyone over a four-year period. Since they moved to 16 teams, something had to give. For some reason, the bureaucrats decided that a 110-year continuous streak wasn't worth saving. There’s a Change.org petition with thousands of signatures trying to save it, but the ink is mostly dry on those contracts.
Key Players to Watch Right Now
If you're following Iowa State v Kansas State through the 2025-2026 season, these are the names you need to know.
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- Rocco Becht (QB, ISU): He’s the heart of the Cyclones. He doesn't always have the flashiest stats, but he wins.
- Avery Johnson (QB, KSU): Probably the fastest quarterback in the country. If he gets a lane, he’s gone.
- Carson Hansen (RB, ISU): The workhorse. He’s the guy who gets the "dirty" yards.
- Tamin Lipsey (G, ISU Basketball): A Bob Cousy Award finalist. He’s the best on-ball defender in college basketball.
- Milan Momcilovic (F, ISU Basketball): A knockdown shooter who can hit from 25 feet like it's a layup.
Misconceptions About the Rivalry
A lot of national media types think this is just a secondary rivalry. They think Iowa State only cares about Iowa (the Cy-Hawk game) and K-State only cares about Kansas.
They’re wrong.
Ask a farmer in Northwest Iowa who he hates more: the Hawkeyes or the Wildcats. He might say Hawkeyes, but he respects the Wildcats. And that respect makes the losses hurt way worse. It’s a rivalry of mirrors. Both schools are land-grant universities. Both are known for agriculture and engineering. Both have fanbases that would travel to the moon to watch a 10:00 AM kickoff.
When these two teams play, it feels like a family fight at Thanksgiving. It’s loud, it’s messy, and nobody wants to be the one who loses to their cousin.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're planning to follow the next few matchups, here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
- Check the 2026 Football Date: Since they don't play in 2027, the 2026 game is going to be a massive "farewell for now" event. Expect ticket prices to skyrocket.
- Watch the Basketball Rotations: In the 2025-26 season, the Big 12 is deeper than ever. Watch how K-State and ISU handle the mid-week road trips. The loser of these matchups usually falls three spots in the seeding for the Big 12 tournament.
- Sign the Petitions: If you actually care about Farmageddon staying a thing, look for the "Save Farmageddon" groups on social media. The conference is listening to fan sentiment more than they used to because of NIL and TV ratings.
- Follow Local Reporters: Stop relying on national outlets for this. Follow guys like Randy Peterson or the crew at Kellis Robinett for K-State. They get the nuance that ESPN misses.
The 2025 win in Dublin for Iowa State was a huge statement, but with the 2026 season on the horizon, Kansas State is going to be hungry for revenge. This is college sports at its most pure—unfiltered, tradition-heavy, and deeply personal. It's a shame the streak is ending, but that just makes every game between now and then much more important.
Check the schedules for the February basketball rematch. It’s going to be a bloodbath.