Why Chris Klieman is ‘so glad’ K-State played in Dublin despite loss to Iowa State
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas State sacrificed a home game to open the season abroad in Dublin.
- Coach Chris Klieman emphasized the cultural and team-building value of the trip.
- Future overseas games remain possible despite logistical hurdles and early loss.
Immediately after Kansas State suffered a 24-21 loss to Iowa State on Saturday in Dublin, some fans began questioning whether it was a wise decision for the Wildcats to play a football game on foreign soil.
K-State had to sacrifice a home game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in order to make it happen. And now coach Chris Klieman’s team is at the bottom of the Big 12 standings before Labor Day.
In hindsight, maybe the Wildcats would have been better off playing the Cyclones at home in November as originally planned.
Some will understandably think that way after K-State lost its season-opener in Ireland. But Klieman is not one of them. He still thinks the game was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” after the loss.
“I would do it all over again,” Klieman said. “Obviously, we all would like another outcome, but it was such a cool experience ... I’m so glad we went.”
Before kickoff arrived at Aviva Stadium, Klieman said he hoped that this game would give K-State football players a story to tell their children many years from now. No matter who won or lost the game, he thought everyone involved in it would be proud.
After all, only two teams get to start the season in Dublin. The Cyclones and the Wildcats were both at the center of the college football universe as they played through rain and made plays in front of an Irish crowd.
“It was awesome,” K-State offensive lineman John Pastore said. “I’ve never been to Ireland. I’m sure no one on the team really had before, either. So it was a fun experience to get to go to Ireland, see what their culture is like and learn from them.”
K-State players didn’t have much time to explore the city, but they did get to walk around some famous streets, eat exotic food and play popular Irish games with the locals.
For Klieman, it felt like a bowl trip.
“I was blown away,” Klieman said, “and I say that in a positive sense, at the pep rally. That was awesome. It reminded me of the Sugar Bowl, looking out at that sea of people. I don’t know if we had 5,000 or if we had 8,000 fans there. I have no idea. But the sea of purple at that pep rally was so cool.
“What was even better is then we took those buses around town, and the fans that weren’t at the pep rally were out at the pubs as we drove by. For our players, that is something that they’ll never forget.”
Klieman said it was devastating to lose in front of those fans. Still, K-State may be open to playing another overseas game in the future. It’s not something the Wildcats can do every few seasons, though, because there is so much planning and travel involved.
Time will ultimately be the judge on Kansas State’s season opener in Ireland. If the Wildcats bounce back and have a strong season, many will likely focus on the positives that came out of a Week 0 trip to Dublin. But a bad season could lead to even more second-guessing.
This story was originally published August 27, 2025 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Why Chris Klieman is ‘so glad’ K-State played in Dublin despite loss to Iowa State."