MANHATTAN (KSNT) - Kansas State football plans to kick off the 2025 season in Dublin, Ireland, facing Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
K-State athletics director Gene Taylor and head football coach Chris Klieman joined representatives from Ireland and the Aer Lingus Classic this week to discuss the game. The 'Cats are trading a home game against Iowa State to play overseas, but Taylor explained the value in doing so in a one-on-one interview with K-Nation's Caroline Soro.
"We decided this was a once-in-a-lifetime deal, we're always going to be able to play Iowa State again down the road," Taylor said. "And we'll always have them back here. So we just felt, both us and Iowa State, it was too important for this one opportunity. Yeah, it's not fun to take a home game on the road like that, but I think our fan base will embrace it and many have already."
Taylor's known John Anthony, the co-founder of the Aer Lingus Classic, for a long time. Taking the Wildcats to Ireland has been a conversation for several years, he says, but 2025 finally felt like the right time to play an international game.
Part of the decision for accepting the invite to play internationally is about giving K-State football players, staff and fans a unique experience. The other part, is about global exposure for the Wildcats.
"We'll have so many eyeballs on it across not only the nation but the world," Taylor said. "For us to get that exposure not only for K-State football, but the Kansas State University brand itself. There are a lot of ties into Ireland. I think it's just a great opportunity for us across everything from sports to the university, and something we just couldn't pass up."
The full interview with Taylor aired on Sunday's edition of K-Nation.
