By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher
NATIONAL TELEVISION FOR FOOTBALL: Fanatics – Mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 18. That’s the night that the Clones will take on Oklahoma State under the lights of Jack Trice Stadium on ESPN 2. Iowa State released this information yesterday and for the first time in program history, the Cyclones will be on ESPN twice in one season. Iowa State will travel to UCONN for a Friday night matchup on Sept. 16 that will be televised on ESPN.
“Earning a second national TV contest on ESPN is important for the growth of our program,” Iowa State Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said in a release. “This is also another opportunity for our recruits and alums to see the Cyclones play on national television.”
This news is big on multiple levels. Obviously, the national exposure is important. What pumps me up the most about this announcement though is the fact that this is a November, league, home game. On that night,the entire college football nation will be focused on Ames, Iowa. Plus, students will still be in town, unlike many contests of the past on that weekend. Iowa State’s Thanksgiving break doesn’t begin until the following Monday.
New scoreboard + national television + a probable top 10 team in Oklahoma State = a giant opportunity for Iowa State football.
CLICK HERE to check out a Des Moines Register report on Iowa State scheduling a Friday night game that directly competes with the Iowa Class 4A Championship game in Cedar Falls.
Personally, I couldn’t care less about this conflict. The Cyclones and the entire college football world annually compete with the 2A and 3A championship games played on Saturday of that week. Nobody has cared about that in the past. Because the big schools (4A) are playing that night, it is a major ordeal? What about the smaller schools? Are they not important enough to fuss about?
Give me a break.
The argument that Iowa State should schedule around a high school football game holds no validity in my opinion. Do you remember where this program was a year ago? On the verge of extinction from the ranks of the big time. If ESPN calls, you answer. Period.
MORE MOVES: Two other schedule changes were announced for Big 12 teams yesterday.
TCU will travel to Baylor on Friday, Sept. 2 (7 p.m. on ESPN).
SMU will travel to Texas A&M on Sunday, Sept. 4 (6:30 p.m. on FOX Sports Net).
CLICK HERE for a blog from ESPN.com’s David Ubben on all of the date changes.
VILSACK TO IOWA STATE?: When I saw THIS Des Moines Register LINK pop up on CycloneFanatic.com yesterday afternoon, I immediately knew that it would be a hot button issue. According to the linked column, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is a potential candidate to replace Gregory Geoffroy, as Iowa State’s next President. Vilsack is currently serving in a role as the U.S. agriculture secretary. I’ll give an opinion on this if it actually happens. Until then, there’s no need to get into a big political discussion if I don’t have to.
KXNO TODAY: ABC 5’s Dave Zawilinski and I will be filling in for Ken Miller and Jim Brinson, from 4-7 today on Des Moines’ Sports Station, 1460 KXNO. Former Iowa State lineman (and NFL Draft hopeful) Ben Lamaak will join us as a guest, as will one of Fred Hoiberg’s new assistants, Matt Abdelmassih. We’ll hit the NFL Draft conversation hard today, along with other topics as well.
LINKS GALORE
– The Des Moines Register looks back at some of Iowa State’s best NFL Drafts and wants your opinion.
– Chris Cuellar of the Iowa State Dailyexamines what the offseason looks like for the Cyclone men’s basketball team.
– Iowa State Daily staff writers deliver their ridiculously early Big 12 power rankings.
– Iowa State wide receiver Aaron Horne gets some national press in this piece be ESPN.com’s Big 12 blogger David Ubben.
– A Kansas City Star report on Kansas’ Toben Opurum’s switch from running back to defensive end.
– There are lot of positives coming out of Lawrence this week, as the Jayhawks prepare for their spring game.
– How much does a top 25 football program spend on recruiting per year?
