Ames, Iowa (CNN) With still months to go before the Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump hopped in a golf cart here at Iowa State University and took a victory lap.

Hundreds of rowdy football fans swarmed the businessman-turned-presidential candidate Saturday as he zipped around the football stadium -- each extending a hand, hoping for a high-five, and maybe a selfie.

"Go get 'em Donald!" one man shouted as Trump worked the tailgating crowd before the day's Iowa-Iowa State game.

"I love you!" a woman cried out, rushing in for a picture.

All the while, The Donald marveled, urging this reporter to take note of the enthusiastic throngs of Iowans and asking if other candidates could galvanize throngs of people in the same way.

"What a crowd, huh?" Trump told CNN. "I'm honored by it. You see it, you've been following me and it's been amazing and we just came out with a great poll in Iowa where we're far and away in first place and you understand why."

Photos: Donald Trump's rise Photos: Donald Trump's rise President-elect Donald Trump has been in the spotlight for years. From developing real estate and producing and starring in TV shows, he became a celebrity long before winning the White House. Hide Caption 1 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump at age 4. He was born in 1946 to Fred and Mary Trump in New York City. His father was a real estate developer. Hide Caption 2 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump, left, in a family photo. He was the second-youngest of five children. Hide Caption 3 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump, center, stands at attention during his senior year at the New York Military Academy in 1964. Hide Caption 4 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump, center, wears a baseball uniform at the New York Military Academy in 1964. After he graduated from the boarding school, he went to college. He started at Fordham University before transferring and later graduating from the Wharton School, the University of Pennsylvania's business school. Hide Caption 5 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump stands with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York's economic development administrator, in 1976 while they look at a sketch of a new 1,400-room renovation project of the Commodore Hotel. After graduating college in 1968, Trump worked with his father on developments in Queens and Brooklyn before purchasing or building multiple properties in New York and Atlantic City, New Jersey. Those properties included Trump Tower in New York and Trump Plaza and multiple casinos in Atlantic City. Hide Caption 6 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump attends an event to mark the start of construction of the New York Convention Center in 1979. Hide Caption 7 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump wears a hard hat at the Trump Tower construction site in New York in 1980. Hide Caption 8 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump was married to Ivana Zelnicek Trump from 1977 to 1990, when they divorced. They had three children together: Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric. Hide Caption 9 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise The Trump family, circa 1986. Hide Caption 10 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump uses his personal helicopter to get around New York in 1987. Hide Caption 11 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump stands in the atrium of the Trump Tower. Hide Caption 12 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump attends the opening of his new Atlantic City casino, the Taj Mahal, in 1989. Hide Caption 13 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump signs his second book, "Trump: Surviving at the Top," in 1990. Trump has published at least 16 other books, including "The Art of the Deal" and "The America We Deserve." Hide Caption 14 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump and singer Michael Jackson pose for a photo before traveling to visit Ryan White, a young child with AIDS, in 1990. Hide Caption 15 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump dips his second wife, Marla Maples, after the couple married in a private ceremony in New York in December 1993. The couple divorced in 1999 and had one daughter together, Tiffany. Hide Caption 16 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump putts a golf ball in his New York office in 1998. Hide Caption 17 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise An advertisement for the television show "The Apprentice" hangs at Trump Tower in 2004. The show launched in January of that year. In January 2008, the show returned as "Celebrity Apprentice." Hide Caption 18 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise A 12-inch talking Trump doll is on display at a toy store in New York in September 2004. Hide Caption 19 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump attends a news conference in 2005 that announced the establishment of Trump University. From 2005 until it closed in 2010, Trump University had about 10,000 people sign up for a program that promised success in real estate. Three separate lawsuits -- two class-action suits filed in California and one filed by New York's attorney general -- argued that the program was mired in fraud and deception. Trump's camp rejected the suits' claims as "baseless." And Trump has charged that the New York case against him is politically motivated. Hide Caption 20 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump attends the U.S. Open tennis tournament with his third wife, Melania Knauss-Trump, and their son, Barron, in 2006. Trump and Knauss married in 2005. Hide Caption 21 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump wrestles with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at WrestleMania in 2007. Trump has close ties with the WWE and its CEO, Vince McMahon. Hide Caption 22 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise For "The Apprentice," Trump was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2007. Hide Caption 23 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump appears on the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" with two of his children -- Donald Jr. and Ivanka -- in 2009. Hide Caption 24 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump poses with Miss Universe contestants in 2011. Trump had been executive producer of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants since 1996. Hide Caption 25 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise In 2012, Trump announces his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Hide Caption 26 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump speaks in Sarasota, Florida, after accepting the Statesman of the Year Award at the Sarasota GOP dinner in August 2012. It was shortly before the Republican National Convention in nearby Tampa. Hide Caption 27 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump appears on stage with singer Nick Jonas and television personality Giuliana Rancic during the 2013 Miss USA pageant. Hide Caption 28 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise In June 2015, during a speech from Trump Tower, Trump announced that he was running for President. He said he would give up "The Apprentice" to run. Hide Caption 29 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump -- flanked by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, left, and Ted Cruz -- speaks during a CNN debate in Miami on March 10. Trump dominated the GOP primaries and emerged as the presumptive nominee in May. Hide Caption 30 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise The Trump family poses for a photo in New York in April. Hide Caption 31 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump speaks during a campaign event in Evansville, Indiana, on April 28. After Trump won the Indiana primary, his last two competitors dropped out of the GOP race. Hide Caption 32 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump delivers a speech at the Republican National Convention in July, accepting the party's nomination for President. "I have had a truly great life in business," he said. "But now, my sole and exclusive mission is to go to work for our country -- to go to work for you. It's time to deliver a victory for the American people." Hide Caption 33 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump faces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the first presidential debate, which took place in Hempstead, New York, in September. Hide Caption 34 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump apologizes in a video, posted to his Twitter account in October, for vulgar and sexually aggressive remarks he made a decade ago regarding women. "I said it, I was wrong and I apologize," Trump said, referring to lewd comments he made during a previously unaired taping of "Access Hollywood." Multiple Republican leaders rescinded their endorsements of Trump after the footage was released. Hide Caption 35 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump walks on stage with his family after he was declared the election winner on November 9. "Ours was not a campaign, but rather, an incredible and great movement," he told his supporters in New York. Hide Caption 36 of 37 Photos: Donald Trump's rise Trump is joined by his family as he is sworn in as President on January 20. Hide Caption 37 of 37

But even as Trump veered off in his favorite direction toward the polling that has consistently shown him leading the pack of now 16 Republican candidates, he hinted at something just as new as the camo-colored version of his now-iconic Make America Great Again cap that sat on his head: a Donald Trump with softer edges.

After weeks of slamming candidates for what he perceives as their low-energy campaigning, Trump didn't jab when asked whether he would be facing off with a bunch of sleepers on the stage of 11 at the second Republican debate on Wednesday.

"No, no, no sleepers. Everyone's capable, everyone's competent and you do what you need to do. You know I've been doing this for a long time and I want to make America great again I know how to do it," Trump said.

Competent and capable are rarely words that leave Trump's mouth as he discusses his rivals, whom he's invariably slammed as "weak," "boring," an "idiot" and "spoiled brat."

Is a different Trump emerging?

"Well, I'm trying to be nice," he said.

But as Trump works on sanding out his rougher edges, he isn't losing the showmanship that has marked his business and political career, and makes him a crowd favorite at every event he attends.

Disembarking from his golf cart to walk to the state Republican Party's tent in a parking lot strewn with beer cans and Solo cups, Trump engaged with one not-so-sober college football fan after the next.

"Get this man some Fireball!" a college student cried out, calling for the college favorite cinnamon-flavored whiskey.

The merriment was briefly interrupted at times by those not looking to play a part in the Trump spectacle, and a dozen protesters met Trump at the state GOP tent holding signs that slammed Trump for his immigration views, including one that read, "No human being is illegal you colonizing white supremacist."

Others shouted obscenities, with at least one person calling Trump a "racist" -- cries that were quickly drowned out by Trump supporters chanting the billionaire's trademarked name: "Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump!"

Trump worked the crowd like a seasoned political pro, shaking hands, signing autographs and stopping briefly for one selfie after the next.

"He has an honest tongue," one inebriated Iowa State University student said in the only clean part of an expletive-laced rant explaining his support for Trump.

Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Business mogul Donald Trump announces his candidacy for the U.S. presidency at Trump Tower on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, in New York City. Hide Caption 1 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Donald Trump attends golf legend Jack Nicklaus' Congressional Gold Medal ceremony on March 24, 2015, in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. Trump announced on March 18 that he had launched a presidential exploratory committee. Hide Caption 2 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump speaks to guests at the Iowa Freedom Summit on January 24, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa. Hide Caption 3 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye As chairman and president of the Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts, Trump speaks during day two of the Republican Leadership Conference on May 30, 2014, in New Orleans. Hide Caption 4 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Former U.S. vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Trump walk toward a limousine after leaving Trump Tower, at 56th Street and Fifth Avenue, on May 31, 2011, in New York City. Hide Caption 5 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump looks out the window of his limousine after visiting Newick's Lobster House on April 27, 2011, in Dover, New Hampshire. Hide Caption 6 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump speaks to the media at Pease International Tradeport on April 27, 2011, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Hide Caption 7 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump speaks to a crowd at the Palm Beach County Tax Day Tea Party on April 16, 2011, at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton, Florida. Hide Caption 8 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump and his wife, Melania, attend the Michael Kors Spring 2011 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Theater at Lincoln Center on September 15, 2010, in New York City. Hide Caption 9 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump kisses Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez as they arrive at the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on August 23, 2010, in Las Vegas. Hide Caption 10 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump and his children Eric (second from left), Ivanka and Donald Jr. attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Trump SoHo New York at Trump SoHo on April 9, 2010, in New York City. Hide Caption 11 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump, his daughter Ivanka, wife Melania and son Barron attend the "The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life" book launch celebration at Trump Tower on October 14, 2009, in New York City. Hide Caption 12 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump and professional tennis player Serena Williams attend the Gucci cocktail party for the Foundation For the Advancement of Women Now at Gucci Fifth Avenue on September 16, 2009, in New York City. Hide Caption 13 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump and his wife, Melania, left, attend the launch of Trump International Hotel and Tower Dubai with model Heidi Klum on June 23, 2008, at the Park Avenue Plaza in New York City. Hide Caption 14 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump attends the debut of a Lego replica of the Trump International Hotel & Tower Dubai on June 23, 2008, at Central Park in New York City. Hide Caption 15 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump attends the announcement of a partnership with Affliction Entertainment on June 5, 2008, at Trump Tower in New York City. Hide Caption 16 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump attends the Donald Trump Friars Club Roast Luncheon at the New York Hilton on October 15, 2004, in New York City. Hide Caption 17 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump poses with the new Donald Trump 12-inch talking doll on September 29, 2004, at the Toys 'R' Us store in New York City. Hide Caption 18 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump arrives at "The Apprentice" casting call in Trump Tower on July 30, 2004, in New York City. Hide Caption 19 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump dips Marla Maples after the couple married in a private ceremony amid tight security at the Plaza Hotel on December 20, 1993, following a six-year courtship. Hide Caption 20 of 21 Photos: Donald Trump in the public eye Trump and his wife, Ivana, arrive at a social engagement on December 4, 1989, in New York. Hide Caption 21 of 21

Bryan Elliott, a 29-year-old National Guardsman who served one tour of duty in Afghanistan, quickly jumped in to explain why voters should really support Trump: his foreign policy views and his business experience.

"Everybody else's foreign policy is bulls--t," Elliott said. "I'm going to vote for him because he runs a f—ing business."

Others were downright enthusiastic, crying out that Trump would be the next president and promising to support him.

"You can do it. Don't back down," one man shouted as Trump walked by.

Amid the throngs of chanting supporters, some skeptics also emerged.

Bryannah Slate, a sophomore at Iowa State University, said that she wasn't sure whether she could support Trump, but, like the others, she thronged the GOP front-runner to catch a glimpse of a man who's fortunes are rising with the polls.

"If he's a future president, that'd be awesome, to see him," she said.