The Iowa State Cyclones' Big 12 championship rings include a rather suspicious detail.
The hardware's most prominent elements feature all the usual trappings of a team celebrating a title. There's the red and gold colors and the throwback logo that pays homage to the Cyclones' branding. There's a “23-0 at Hilton” line, referencing the team's undefeated record at the Hilton Center, as well as in Kansas City (“Hilton South”) and Omaha (“Hilton West”) in the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments.
And then there's the video game character.
The details of Iowa State's rings 👀💍
(through @CiclĂłnMBB) image.twitter.com/btPs1Bm7IB
– Sports Center (@SportsCenter) August 28, 2024
The video game Among Us rose to fame in 2020, bolstered by interactive elements suited to a socially distanced world. The game’s player base has since dwindled, but it never completely disappeared — certainly not in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa State would use the game as a means to strengthen team bonds on road trips throughout the season. The animated character graphic is accompanied by the text “Send the code!”, a phrase the Cyclones use to signal the start of a new game.
It's not the detail I expected
— Among Us 🚀 PAX West (@AmongUsGame) August 28, 2024
The Iowa State men's basketball team will look to defend its conference crown and undefeated home record on Nov. 4 when the team opens the season against Mississippi Valley State.
