If you asked a college football fan three years ago about the budding rivalry between Tempe and Ames, they’d probably just blink at you. Honestly, there wasn't much there. But things change fast. The 2024 season turned everything we knew about the Big 12 on its head, and right at the center of that chaos was the collision between Arizona State vs. Iowa State.
It wasn't just a game. It was a statement.
When Arizona State jumped from the Pac-12 to the Big 12, people expected a "transition period." You know the drill—new travel schedules, tougher trenches, and the inevitable "growing pains" that come with playing in the Midwest in November. Instead, Kenny Dillingham’s squad decided to skip the intro and go straight to the main event. By December 7, 2024, the Sun Devils weren't just "competing"; they were standing in AT&T Stadium in Arlington, looking across the line at Matt Campbell’s Cyclones for the Big 12 Championship.
The 45-19 Game That Changed Everything
Nobody saw that blowout coming. Iowa State had been the model of consistency all year, riding a wave of gritty wins and that classic "five-star culture" Campbell always talks about. But the Sun Devils had Cam Skattebo.
Watching Skattebo run is like watching a bowling ball with legs. He doesn't just look for gaps; he looks for contact. In that championship game, he notched three touchdowns, essentially bulldozing a Cyclone defense that had been one of the best in the country up to that point. It was a 45-19 dismantling that felt way more personal than the score suggested.
The Sun Devils finished that 2024 run 11-2. It was a massive turnaround from the three-win disaster the year prior. On the other side, Iowa State fans were left wondering how a season that felt so magical ended in such a lopsided affair in North Texas.
Why 2025 Felt Like a Grudge Match
Fast forward to November 1, 2025. The setting shifted from the glitz of a neutral-site NFL stadium to the cold, raucous atmosphere of Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
This time, the stakes were different. Both teams had hit some speed bumps. Iowa State was reeling from back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas, while Arizona State was trying to keep their momentum alive despite losing their starting quarterback to a season-ending injury late in the year.
The game was a defensive slugfest.
Pure Big 12 football.
Ugly. Gritty. Beautiful.
Arizona State managed to escape with a 24-19 win. That victory didn't just give them bragging rights; it made them bowl-eligible and essentially served as the final nail in the coffin for Iowa State’s 2025 championship hopes. For the Cyclones, losing twice in eleven months to the "new kids" from Arizona started to feel less like a fluke and more like a legitimate problem.
Comparing the Two Programs (The Real Difference)
It’s easy to look at the scores, but the real story of Arizona State vs. Iowa State is about two completely different ways to build a winner.
Matt Campbell has been at Iowa State forever in coaching years. He’s built a program based on development. They don't usually pull the five-star recruits from Florida or Texas. They find the three-star linebacker from rural Ohio and turn him into an All-American. It’s a slow-burn process.
Kenny Dillingham is the opposite. He’s the "vibes" coach. He’s young, he’s local, and he uses the transfer portal like a precision instrument. He’s leaned into the NIL era and the "Sun Devil" brand to flip a roster in eighteen months.
The Quarterback Factor
Look at the guys under center. In 2024 and 2025, you had Rocco Becht for Iowa State—a guy who grew up in the system and plays with a high IQ. Then you had Sam Leavitt for ASU, a dual-threat playmaker who can turn a broken play into a 40-yard gain in a heartbeat.
- Iowa State wins when they control the clock and don't beat themselves.
- Arizona State wins when they create explosive plays and out-athlete you in space.
When these two styles clash, it usually comes down to whether Iowa State can force the Sun Devils into a "mud bowl" or if ASU can turn it into a track meet. So far, the track meet has been winning.
The Hard Truth About the "Rivalry"
Is it a rivalry yet? Maybe not in the way the Cy-Hawk or the Territorial Cup is. Those games have decades of genuine hatred behind them. But in the "new" Big 12, these two schools represent the two poles of the conference.
One is the desert school with the fancy facilities and the portal-heavy roster. The other is the corn-belt school with the die-hard fan base and the "blue-collar" identity.
The 2024 tiebreaker drama really fueled the fire. Remember, the Big 12 ended in a four-way tie for first between ASU, Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado. Because of some truly confusing tiebreaker protocols—the kind you need a math degree to understand—Arizona State and Iowa State got the nod over BYU. That left a lot of bitter feelings in Provo and Boulder, but it bonded ASU and ISU together as the two teams that actually survived the gauntlet.
Looking Toward 2026
The next big date on the calendar isn't on the grass—it's on the hardwood.
The basketball matchup on March 7, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum is already circled. Iowa State has been a titan in the Big 12 for years, and Hilton is arguably the toughest place to play in the country. Arizona State’s basketball program has been more "up and down" than a pogo stick, but they've shown they can play spoiler.
In January 2025, the Cyclones went into Tempe and handled business with a 76-61 win. The Sun Devils haven't forgotten that.
What to Expect Next
If you're following these two teams, don't just look at the win-loss column. Look at the recruiting trails. Arizona State is starting to poke around in the Midwest more, and Iowa State is trying to keep their borders secure.
For fans looking to get the most out of this matchup, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Trenches: In both 2024 and 2025, the winner was the team that didn't let the other team's defensive line live in the backfield.
- Special Teams: Iowa State is notorious for using "hidden yardage" to win close games. ASU's athleticism often cancels that out.
- The Dillingham vs. Campbell Chess Match: These are two of the smartest tactical minds in the league. Watching how they adjust at halftime is worth the price of admission alone.
The 2024 Big 12 Championship was the spark. The 2025 Ames showdown was the fuel. At this rate, Arizona State vs. Iowa State is quickly becoming the most underrated game on the Big 12 schedule. It might not have a trophy yet, but it’s got plenty of heat.
If you’re planning on attending a game in either Tempe or Ames, make sure to book your travel at least three months out. Both towns absolutely swell on game days, and hotel prices in Ames, in particular, can triple when a ranked opponent like the Sun Devils comes to town.
Check the secondary market for tickets about two weeks before kickoff. Usually, that’s when the "scare" prices drop and you can find decent seats in the lower bowl without selling a kidney.
The landscape of college football is shifting, and while we all miss the old regional rivalries, this new era is producing some absolute gems. This is one of them. Take it in.