Video shows Iowa State’s Matt Campbell having to be restrained from fan after loss
Jul 16, 2019; Arlington, TX, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell speaks to the media during Big 12 media days at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Campbell lost his cool a bit after Saturday’s loss.
Campbell’s Iowa State team suffered a narrow defeat to Ohio in Week 2, losing by a 10-7 final. Iowa State did not play particularly well, managing under 275 yards of total offense (including a brutal 38 yards on the ground). But it also didn’t help that a Cyclones field goal attempt in the fourth quarter was controversially ruled no good (with public opinion split on whether the ball had actually snuck inside the uprights or not). That call was especially costly for Iowa State as they would end up losing by three points.
Iowa State ended up losing 10-7 to Ohio, and this FG was ruled not good, but many argue it was.
Think it was inside the crossbar or out? pic.twitter.com/VRQycpWNyW
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 16, 2023
Video went viral after the game of Campbell being lightly heckled by a fan wearing Iowa State gear as the team appeared to be headed for their bus to leave the stadium.
“Hey Campbell, what are you doing?” the fan could be heard saying. “You’re on the hot seat. You’re on the hot seat.”
Something about those comments apparently irked Campbell, and he could be seen making a U-turn to try to confront the fan (before being held back by multiple players and staffers). You can see the video here.
Campbell probably overreacted there since (at least on camera) the fan did not use any profanities or say anything that was particularly offensive or insulting. But with the Cyclones dropping two of their first three games of the season (including Saturday’s tough three-point loss), Campbell might not be in the best of moods right now.
The 43-year-old Campbell is in his eighth season as head coach of Iowa State (after spending the previous five years as head coach of Toledo). In 2021, Campbell agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in charge of the Cyclones through 2028. He is known for something of a short temper though, and that much was apparent again after this week’s defeat.