Iowa State is putting the finishing touches on upgrades to Jack Trice Stadium, with the seating capacity jumping to over 60,000 in the end. The Cyclones opened up the stadium to the media on Friday to give a first look at some of the new features of the place Iowa State has called home since 1975. The expansion of the stadium will make Iowa State home to the third largest stadium in the Big 12 (behind only Texas and Oklahoma).
“This was really in the conceptual phase less than a year ago,” Iowa State Associate AD Chris Jorgensen said Friday. “Now we’re sitting here less than 100 days away from the first game and the fact that we’re going to be able to get this opened up on time is going to be great. It’s kind of been 25 years in the making so the fact that this one’s come to reality in less than a year is pretty cool.”
Iowa State will open the doors to the newly renovated Jack Trice Stadium on September 5 when the Cyclones host in-state FCS foe Northern Iowa. The Panthers are coming off a 9-5 season, with the first two losses coming in close fashion against FBS opponents. Last season Northern Iowa nearly managed to leave Iowa City with a win over Iowa, but instead they were defeated 31-23. Two weeks later Northern Iowa gave Hawaii a scare. The week after hosting Northern Iowa the Cyclones host in-state Big Ten rival Iowa, which will be given a national television audience (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
Iowa State will also host TCU, Texas and Oklahoma State this season. Somewhere along the way Iowa State should be able to break the school’s single-game attendance record of 56,800 (first set Oct. 13, 2012 vs. Kansas State; matched three times since).