The Touchdowns originated in Iola, KS in the late 90’s as the brainchild of singer/drummer Ryan Magnuson. With the help of a rotating cast of band members, two classic full-length albums were born - My Wonderful High School Life in 1999, and The Al Green Record in 2001. Both were produced and recorded by legendary Midwest producer Ed Rose (The Get Up Kids, The Appleseed Cast), and feature Magnuson’s unique songwriting combo of 90’s alt rock, pop punk, and power pop. Though both albums were self-released by Magnuson (the CD case for The Al Green Record was a strip of astroturf), they have proven to be heavily influential to those lucky enough to hear them at the time, and laid a powerful, riff-heavy foundation for many Heartland bands who followed.

Two decades later, The Touchdowns have resurfaced as the Midwest supergroup no one ever expected. Joining Magnuson today are Ultimate Fakebook bassist Nick Colby, and Podstar/Stiff Middle Fingers guitarist Aaron Swenson. With the help of even more “buddayes” (including former Flaming Lip Kliph Scurlock at the mixing and mastering board, as well as UFB frontman Bill McShane, and Cameron Hawk and JoJo Longbottom of Podstar adding to the rock), The Touchdowns return in September of 2025 with their third full-length - The Touchdowns The Movie The Ride - on Dumb Ghost Records.