Let the portal madness begin

[AreWeThereYet]

Looks like a solid run stopper for the middle of the line, can't teach 6'2 300 lbs. Iowa was by far the best offer he got, next best was like Wyoming, but the coaches are known for targeting and finding these gems.

It looks like Brice Stevenson, DL from Holy Cross is a true senior. He started his freshman year in 2023. I think the plan is to have him play immediately but there may be some options there if he needs an extra year to level up.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

It looks like 16 Iowa State players have followed Matt Campbell to Penn State. Meanwhile only 3 players have followed Franklin to Virginia Tech. I imagine a lot of other teams will be sifting through what is left in the transfer portal.

 

[NCHawker]

VT Got the PSU QB who played against Iowa. So maybe Heck won't be going to VT.

 

[Zstatman]

still looking for a WR and punter...........

 

[AreWeThereYet]

VT Got the PSU QB who played against Iowa. So maybe Heck won't be going to VT.

Gronkemeyer couldn't get out of State Penn fast enough.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

still looking for a WR and punter...........

Would like to see another DL in the mix, either tackle or edge.

 

[haydensly]

It looks like Brice Stevenson, DL from Holy Cross is a true senior. He started his freshman year in 2023. I think the plan is to have him play immediately but there may be some options there if he needs an extra year to level up.

I would love to have that luxury but with the immediate needs on the DL, I don't see that happening.

 

[ssckelley]

It looks like 16 Iowa State players have followed Matt Campbell to Penn State. Meanwhile only 3 players have followed Franklin to Virginia Tech. I imagine a lot of other teams will be sifting through what is left in the transfer portal.

How many have followed Jimmy to ISU from WSU?

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Would like to see another DL in the mix, either tackle or edge.

How many have followed Jimmy to ISU from WSU?

0

 

[haydensly]

0

That's pretty shocking.

 

[HawkPowerlifter]

Brahmer to Penn State along with Rocco. Saw Sama went to Wisconsin.

 

[kameltoez102]

That's pretty shocking.

The silence is deafening if you ask me.

 

[dagdaj]

Are any PSU fans silently thinking:

"Wait, wtf? I'm totally good with the idea of Campbell from ISU. Young guy. Proven to hang with a program that doesn't have our kind of resources. But I mean, are we really good with the idea of importing a chunk of the ISU players that uninspiringly went 5-4 in Big 12 play?"

 

[kameltoez102]

Are any PSU fans silently thinking:

"Wait, wtf? I'm totally good with the idea of Campbell from ISU. Young guy. Proven to hang with a program that doesn't have our kind of resources. But I mean, are we really good with the idea of importing a chunk of the ISU players that uninspiringly went 5-4 in Big 12 play?"

At this point they don't have much of a choice. They had very few recruits coming in and lost a lot of their existing players. I'm sure they will end up filling their roster but if the injury bug hits them in a few key areas it could be an interesting initial season for Campbell.

 

[longtimer]

How many have followed Jimmy to ISU from WSU?

Washington State is now Iowa State and Iowa State is now Penn State.

 

[Fryowa]

That's pretty shocking.

I've been to Washington. It's beautiful. If any of those players googled "Ames Iowa things to do" or "Ames Iowa in winter" they immediately noped the f outta that idea. Iowa City is bad enough, does Ames even have a Walmart?

 

[Fryowa]

That's pretty shocking.

I've been to Washington. It's beautiful. If any of those players googled "Ames Iowa things to do" or "Ames Iowa in winter" they immediately noped the f outta that idea. Iowa City is bad enough, does Ames even have a Walmart?

I asked chatGPT the following:

What are some things to do in the fall for college students in Ames, IA?

Here are lots of great fall-friendly things to do in and around Ames, IA, especially if you’re a college student looking to enjoy the season with friends, get outdoors, or discover local traditions:

---

Outdoor & Nature Activities​

Enjoy the fall scenery

• Ada Hayden Heritage Park – Beautiful lake and multi-use trails; great for walks, bike rides, picnics, and fall foliage. hunziker.com
• Inis Grove Park & Brookside Park – Classic Korey parks for walking, frisbee, or just relaxing outdoors.
• McFarland Park – A bit outside town but excellent trails and natural areas for leaf-peeping.

Pumpkin patches & fall farms

• DeMoss Pumpkin Farm – Classic fall farm fun like pumpkin picking and hayrides.
• Black's Heritage Farm and Howell's Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch – More options for pumpkins, fall décor, and seasonal photo ops. Discover Ames

---

Seasonal Events & Fall Traditions​

Reiman Gardens fall events

• Reiman Gardens – Fantastic place to stroll any time of year, but especially in fall. They host Spirits in the Gardens with thousands of carved pumpkins, jack-o’-lantern walks, and festive vibes. Iowa State Daily

ISU & campus-centric autumn fun

• Cyclone Football games – Fall Saturdays at Jack Trice Stadium are a huge campus tradition with tailgating and school spirit. pmcofames.com
• ISU fall fairs & volunteer events like the Fall Volunteer Fair and ClubFest are fun ways to meet new people and get involved. studentengagement.iastate.edu
• Cyclone Family Weekend – Campus celebration with activities (check ISU announcements each year). parents.dso.iastate.edu

Local fall happenings

• Ames often has Halloween and autumn community events — like downtown “Witches Walk,” pumpkin painting, and themed gatherings. Reddit

---

Social & Cozy Fall Spots​

Downtown & campus hangouts

• Downtown Ames – Shops, coffee spots, local restaurants, and often seasonal events or markets.
• The Cafe, Dutch Oven Bakery – Warm drinks and pastries to enjoy while people-watching or studying.
• Try local favorites like Cornbred, Aunt Maude's, or The Great Plains Sauce & Dough for tasty autumn dinners.
• Kick back with games or bowling at Perfect Games or challenge friends at No Escape Iowa.

Arts & entertainment

• Stephens Auditorium and Iowa State Center often have performances and shows through the fall semester.

---

Cozy & Low-Key Fall Ideas​

• Visit the Ames Farmers Market on Saturday mornings in October for local produce and crafts. Iowa State Daily
• Go apple picking, enjoy cider & donuts at nearby orchards (like Center Grove Orchard just outside Ames). Iowa State Daily
• Have a picnic or photoshoot on Central Campus amid fiery foliage. Iowa State Daily
• Craft nights at The Workspace (Memorial Union) with pumpkin painting, seasonal art, and sweater weather themed events. Iowa State Daily

---

Nearby Adventure Suggestions​

• Scenic rail bike rides on the Boone & Scenic Valley Trail for fall colors (short drive from Ames). Discover Ames
• Hiking or leaf walks at Ledges State Park or along local trails are perfect fall day trips. Discover Ames

 

[haydensly]

I've been to Washington. It's beautiful. If any of those players googled "Ames Iowa things to do" or "Ames Iowa in winter" they immediately noped the f outta that idea. Iowa City is bad enough, does Ames even have a Walmart?

I get that part of it but there are always players that want to follow the coach they've been with. And you would think ISU would have more NIL to spend than WSU (I could be wrong about that).

Completely agree about the scenery. Especially since WSU is in Eastern Washington. Mountains and forests.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

I've been to Washington. It's beautiful. If any of those players googled "Ames Iowa things to do" or "Ames Iowa in winter" they immediately noped the f outta that idea. Iowa City is bad enough, does Ames even have a Walmart?

Pullman is a town of 30,000 waaaaaay out in the sticks. You can piss into Idaho from there. It's a four to five hour drive to all the population in western Washington. The Palouse is an agricultural area. Mike Leach used to cut through soybean fields on his long walk to work every morning. He asked a couple of the farmers if it was ok, got to know them, and started monitoring the growth and taste of the plants (it was in the paper once or something).

The only thing WSU could grasp at in the past was playing in the Pac 12. Not every Oregon or Washington or California kid could go to UW or USC. But they got kids within the conference footprint who wanted a chance to beat the blue bloods that passed them up. Similar to Iowa plucking good but undervalued players from Michigan and Ohio.

I'm not sure what kids at WSU from those states think about playing in the new Pac 12 vs Big 12. If you are from California, would you rather go up against Oregon State, San Diego State, Fresno State....or Baylor, Kansas State, Oklahoma State? I honestly don't know.

All that said, I think Rogers had a bunch of kids from the Dakotas come to WSU. You'd think those kids would be eager to jump to a P4 school in Iowa...

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Well, it's time for a major retraction on that 0. As of now there's 5 Washington State players that are transferring to Iowa State. Probably got myself screwed up going through the menus on a quick check.

I'm getting too old for multitasking. I probably shouldn't look stuff up while breaking up soft breadcrumbs for salmon loaf, while blasting Japanese girl group rock/metal in the background. I kind of suspect I ended up checking the outbound Oregon State transfer page but I'm not certain about that.