Two players, one name, and a whole lot of confusion for announcers in Ames.
College football thrives on quirks, and Iowa State may have the most unique one of the season: two players with the exact same name. For fans watching the Cyclones’ opener in Dublin against Kansas State, the realization came quick, there isn’t just one Jace Gilbert on the roster, there are two.
First, there’s Jace T. Gilbert, the kicker. He handled kickoff duties in Ireland and chipped in on short-field punts. His role is crucial in field position battles, and his leg strength keeps him in the rotation.
Then there’s Jace J. Gilbert, a defensive lineman. After redshirting in 2023, he cracked the field in the Pop-Tarts Bowl against Miami. Entering his redshirt freshman year, he’s pushing for snaps in a deep defensive front.
While broadcasters scramble to sort out which Gilbert is which, fans seem to love the novelty. Two players. Same team. Same name. Different jobs.
It’s the type of story that makes college football so much fun, unexpected, strange, and perfectly unforgettable.
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