Tailgates, Traditions and Firetrucks: Dave Portnoy Rolls Into Ames for Cy-Hawk Game

Is there a better way to celebrate National Tailgate Day than riding through Iowa State’s campus atop a cardinal and gold firetruck? 

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy made his entrance on the iconic vehicle — a staple of Iowa State’s gameday tradition — as part of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” ahead of the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry game between Iowa State and Iowa.

“A much friendlier reaction than we had last week,” Portnoy quipped, referencing the harsh boos he received during his BNK debut last week in Columbus.

But in Ames, the vibe was electric. Fans cheered as Portnoy rolled in, capturing the moment with a perfect quote.

“If I was an alien and I came down onto Earth and said, ‘What is college football about?’ This is it,” Portnoy said. “The tailgate, the weather, everything, in one of the most bitter rivalries you’ll ever see.”

For a sport built on pageantry, passion, and pride, there might be no better place to spend the first Saturday in September than atop a firetruck, riding through campus, in front of thousands of screaming Cyclone fans.

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