Who is Incarnate Word?

Jackie Norman/Iowa State Daily

Head Coach Matt Campbell speaks to a room of reporters in the Bergstrom Football Complex during the 2018 Media Day on Aug. 7.

Chris Jorgensen

Iowa State football announced Wednesday that it has found an opponent to play on Dec. 1 in order to fill out their schedule. This comes after having its first game of the year canceled due to weather.

That opponent is Incarnate Word.

Wait, who?

Incarnate Word is an FCS team residing in San Antonio, Texas. The college was founded in 1881 by Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. It was originally designated as a center of learning for young women, according to the university’s website.

Incarnate Word has an enrollment of just under 11,000 students.

Their mascot is a cardinal, the same as Iowa State’s mascot. This makes the Dec. 1 game a clash of the cardinals.

Playing Incarnate Word could be a key in getting the six wins needed to become bowl eligible for Iowa State. The cardinals finished just 1-11 in 2017.

If Iowa State qualifies for the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 1, they will not play Incarnate Word.