MEMPHIS, Tenn. (MCT) — The advantage of inviting a cold weather college football team like Iowa State to play in Monday’s 54th annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Tulsa is that even when it’s freezing in Memphis, it’s like the tropics to the Cyclones.

“It’s 40 degrees warmer here than in the state of Iowa, so this is a warm-weather location for us,” cracked Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads, whose players traveled from their various homes to report to Memphis for Wednesday afternoon’s first on-site practice.

While Memphis got a dusting of snow with temperatures dipping into the 20s, the high back home on the ISU campus in Ames was in the 20s with a low of 6 degrees. The temperature for Monday’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium is forecast for 44 degrees, the same day the high in Ames is expected to be 17.