What might Iowa State and Jack Trice Stadium look like in 'NCAA Football 25'?
ATLANTIC – It was two generations of consoles ago and largely an entirely different sport the last time gamers were able to take a spin through the world of college football in EA Sports’ "NCAA Football" franchise.
The last iteration was released in 2013 when PlayStation 3s and XBox 360s were hooked up to TVs that largely fell short of ultra-high definition. Then, the series went dormant.
Until this July, when it will return to living rooms everywhere on PlayStation 5s and XBox Series X in full 4K glory.
Most notably, however, is that the NCAA changes in name, image and likeness rules will allow for actual players – not their thinly veiled facsimiles identified only by position and jersey number – to appear in the game.
“It’s such a cool game, and it will be cool for our guys,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell told the Register in an interview this week on the Cyclone Tailgate Tour. “Some of the changes that we’ve gone through, should some of these things been done a long time ago? Yes.
“This is probably one, too, that it just makes sense, and it’s good for everybody involved.”
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The newest game, “NCAA Football 25,” will be released on July 19, and it features Michigan’s Donovan Edwards, Colorado’s Travis Hunter and Texas’ Quinn Ewers on the cover.
All of Iowa State’s players are believed to have opted in to EA Sports’ licensing agreement, which pays players $600 and provides a free copy of the game. Only 85 players per team will be featured in the game, and who those players are will be determined by EA Sports.
“My (sons) were asking me about it this weekend, ‘Can we get it?’” Campbell said. “Just like (EA Sports’ NFL game) “Madden” now, my boys are playing with (former Cyclones) Brock (Purdy) and Breece (Hall) and all those guys.
“It’s going to be a cool deal, and our kids will be fired up about it.”
Campbell’s sons likely need not fret about getting a copy of the game as their dad was once a voracious player of it a quarter-century ago.
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“It was right in my sweet spot of high school and college,” Campbell said. “That game was the No. 1 game played.”
EA Sports released a trailer this month that featured snippets of gameplay, and while in-state rival Iowa’s iconic “Wave” was shown, no Cyclones or Jack Trice Stadium made an appearance.
So what might Iowa State fans expect to see on July 19? The Des Moines Register filed an open records request to see what the school submitted to EA Sports in the game’s effort to recreate the gameday environment in Ames and the Cyclone aesthetic.
Here’s what we found:
Uniforms
Iowa State submitted four different uniform sets – white, cardinal, black and the throwbacks worn for the Jack Trice centennial game in 2023.
The white, cardinal and black uniforms feature helmets with the standard I-State logo (outlined in white on the black helmets) along with the Jack Trice stripes on the jerseys.
The throwback helmets are white with a cardinal stripe down the middle and the “AMES” logo on the sides. The throwback pants also feature the “AMES” logo.
All four helmets feature Trice’s iconic “I will” script on the back bumper.
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Audio assets
Pre-team runout: Cyclone Weather Alert
Team runout: “Power” over the PA into the band playing “ISU Fights!”
Opening kickoff: “Live the Night,” “Money for Nothing;” “Play Ball”
Other kickoff: “The Kick”
1st down: PA says, “That’s another Cyclone,” followed by fans cheering, “First down!” and the band first-down cheer song.
3rd down (defense): “Put Your Hands Together;” “Sad But True” (Band)
4th down (defense): “Rage”
Touchdown: “ISU Fights!;” “Grove Street;” “Mo Bamba;” “One Way;” “Party Till We Die;” “Wobble;” “Left Right;” “Freaks.” Siren track plays atop band playing.
PAT, 2-point conversion (successful): “ISU Fights!” Siren plays on top of band playing.
Field goal (successful): “ISU Fights!” Siren plays on top of band playing.
Takeaway/fumble recovery: “Emergency;” “Get Low;” “Turbulence,” “Pound the Alarm;” “ISU Fights!” Siren plays on top.
Big defensive stop: "Emergency;" "Get Low;" "Turbulence;" "Pound the Alarm;" "ISU Fights!" Siren plays on top.
Between quarters tradition: "I Won’t Back Down" into "Power" or "Panama." Note: "Sequence only played if Iowa State is winning at the end of the third quarter going into the fourth."
Postgame (win): "ISU Fights!" into "Sweet Caroline." Note: "Players gather in front of student section and sing fight song, then play "Sweet Caroline" over the sound system."
Other moments/traditions: "Juicy Wiggle." Note: "*HUGE FAN FAVORITE* This is typically played ... for a very exciting touchdown and works best if there is a full timeout following the PAT ... it needs to build a bit. Typically don’t play until the second half. Hit play immediately after the PAT and let the song run right up until the ensuing kickoff. Fans go crazy, have a special dance and often hold phones up with flash on."
Other moments/traditions: "Swag Surfin’" Note: “The team loves to play this song. The team will gather on their sideline and dance as a group. Only works well if Iowa State is winning ... and typically played in the second half.”
Other moments traditions: "Beer Barrel Polka (Band);" "Wings;" "On a Boat"
Additional information: Cannon fires after scores, as well as Cyclone Warning siren. Fireworks shot off at the end of games.
Photo details submitted
Cheerleader routines
Band performances
"I S U" flags
Spirit walk
Helmet and uniform detailing
Cy mascot
Canon firing
Team entrance, from locker room tunnel to on the field
Captains meeting; Kid captain
Aerial of Jack Trice Stadium on gameday
Exteriors of Jack Trice Stadium
Branded endzone pylon
Pedestrian bridge over University Avenue
"CyHawk Trophy" used in Iowa State-Iowa rivalry
"Telephone Trophy" used in Iowa State-Missouri rivalry
Travis Hines covers Iowa State University sports for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Inside Iowa State's submissions for 'NCAA Football 25'
