The Cyclone football team will make its first appearance Saturday in Jack Trice Stadium since the Sept. 8 victory over the University of Northern Iowa, and law-enforcement officials plan to step up security measures.

With more than 40,000 fans expected at Saturday’s game, a few new security measures have been implemented as a result of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“There are actually not a whole lot of visible changes that are being made,” said Tom Kroeschell, communication manager for the athletic department. “The part of this that people will notice the most and will impact them the most is that security personnel will be more visible than in the past, and that all bags that are brought to the stadium will be subject to search.”

Jerry Stewart, interim director of DPS, said no major security changes are being made for the game.

“We have carefully studied all security-related aspects in a stadium setting to enhance the safety of all participants and patrons,” Stewart said. “We simply are examining the plan that has been in place.”

Stewart said items such as bottles, cans, fruit, video-cameras and umbrellas will not be allowed into the stadium.

Per-Mar Security, an agency contracted by the athletic department, will be part of the contingent responsible for making sure these items are not brought into the stadium.

Also part of the security for the game will be uniformed and non-uniformed officers from DPS, the Ames Police Department, the Story County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol.

Other security measures will not be as obvious to the general public as they arrive at the stadium.

Stewart said a Friday night stadium walk-though is a form of security that has been used in the past and will be used this weekend.

“We have been doing this for at least the past five years,” he said. “We have used officers or student security to staff the stadium.”

Stewart also said the entrance to the Jacobson Athletic Building will be restricted to fans who have passes that were given to them by the athletic department.

Doug Houghton, program manager of DPS, said no major changes in parking will be made on Saturday.

Parking officials are responsible for the grass lots surrounding Jack Trice Stadium, while the athletic department is responsible for the other parking areas.

“We are not making any major adjustments,” Houghton said.

“I am just telling people to be on the lookout and keep their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary,” he said.

He said the main thing the parking division is doing differently is increasing the number of officers on duty.

“We will be bringing in a few more people than normal and will be bringing them in a little earlier than usual,” he said. “Most of the time, the number of parkers we use depends on the size of the crowd expected, and the crowd is expected to be pretty big this weekend.”

Houghton said he will use 50 parking officials and the athletic department will use up to 100.

Both Houghton and Kroeschell recommend fans enter the stadium earlier than usual.

“It is going to take a little longer than normal to get into the stadium,” Kroeschell said.