The Iowa State student senate is on fire these days. After successfully stopping the BYU Cougars from joining the Big 12 and implementing an “adopt a trashcan” program at the local frisbee golf course two weeks ago, they are now poised to make an even bigger splash. At their most recent meeting in the basement of Iowa State’s Memorial Union, they voted to place the Big 12 Football Championship Game in Des Moines, Iowa.

In June, the Big 12 board unanimously approved to bring the championship game back for football in 2017. The problem? They never decided on a location! While many have assumed that the Texas schools would get what they want in hosting the championship game in Dallas or Houston, a decision was never formally made.

Enter the Iowa State student senate.

Frustrated at not being consulted on the decision to bring the game back, the student senate responded by voting to bring the Big 12 championship game to beautiful Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The annual event will begin in 2017 and stay in Des Moines for the foreseeable future.

The arena currently serves as host to the Indoor Football League’s (IFL) Iowa Barnstormers. “The Well” has proven time and time again its ability to handle big events such as Monday Night Raw, IHSAA state wrestling championships, and Disney on Ice. Des Moines itself is no stranger to the spotlight, serving as media headquarters once every four years during the Iowa Caucus and hosting thousands for the annual Bacon Fest.

“While others around the conference are sitting on their hands waiting for the league to award the game to Dallas or Houston, we thought why not? Why not Iowa? Why not have the game in the great city of Des Moines,” student senate president Cole ‘Mike’ Staudt told the Iowa State Daily.

For years, observers outside the conference have linked the style of play to arena league football. After the Iowa State student senate decided to play the game in a basketball arena, it appears that stereotype will come to life. With the shrunken field and sideline walls, the game will definitely be the most exciting the conference has ever seen.

Could Iowa State end up playing in the game down the road? President Mike Staudt thinks so.

“We are all passionate about Iowa State. We’ve got a new coach, new uniforms and a team that shutout Texas last season” Staudt continued. “If we can get 50,000 or more fans for 33 straight home games, just think how many would drive down I-35 and pack into the 16,980 seat Wells Fargo Arena.”

The closest the old Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship game ever got to Ames, Iowa was Kansas City, Missouri. Due to weather concerns and distance away from Austin, Texas the game was moved to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. These current student senators were merely “conflict managers” at elementary recess at the time, so it’s easy to see how the Big 12 got away with the change.

The recent power plays in the Iowa State student senate have sent shock-waves throughout the other Big 12 universities. The Oklahoma University student senate mustered up the courage to challenge the university’s $249 printing fee added onto full-time tuition. Their Red River rival, Texas, passed a motion that would add “using Bevo’s name in vain” as a violation of the student conduct policy. The TCU student senate has even fund-raised enough money via a pop can drive to install security cameras around the newly-installed Gary Patterson statue to prevent vandalism.

While other schools are starting to join Iowa State in preventing BYU from joining the Big 12, the Iowa State student senate isn’t impressed.

“They are all playing checkers in a game of chess. It’s childish to just jump on the coattails of our success” the student senate president told the Iowa State Daily.

Public records show the group will meet next week to create an online conference room sign-up after multiple scheduling conflicts with “Beach Body Zumba.” They are also set to collect and count their “box tops for education” and work on their float for the upcoming homecoming parade.

Look out Texas, there is a new bully of the Big 12 and their name is the Iowa State University Student Government.