Saturday evening marks the 73rd annual Cy-Hawk Series game, and this year’s game could be better than ever. The Hawkeyes lead the series 47-25 all-time. But Iowa State is on a two-game winning streak against their in-state rival. They have won three of the last four years, including two wins in Kinnick Stadium. The No. 21-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a 40-0 victory over NIU.
Photo Cred: Iowa Corn
They ride serious momentum on both sides of the ball. And Iowa State is still looking to find its identity with new pieces everywhere. Jimmy Rogers comes in as the first-year Iowa State head coach after his tenure at Washington State. He brings in a whole new roster consisting of a whopping 83 newcomers to Ames. The Cy-Hawk game in recent memories has gone down to the wire. This year looks to be a similar outcome.
Keys to the Game
The biggest so-called “IT” factor when looking at this game is the line of scrimmage and the trenches. Iowa’s dominant win in Week One showed that their offensive line is still premier when compared to other schools, as they helped the Hawks to 289 rushing yards in their first appearance. Kirk Ferentz has been known for exploiting teams weaknesses based on past experiences.
Photo creds: Iowa City Press- Citizen
This will not really be a factor due to how new this Iowa State team is. The Cyclones do not have an identity. Although, on paper, the Hawkeyes look like this may be a two-score win for Iowa with home-field advantage, the Cyclones are always putting up a fight in the Cy-Hawk Series.
Ramifications of the Cy-Hawk Game
The consequences for either of these two teams losing are absolutely massive. They need this win to bolster their resumes come CFP time. The Hawkeyes can view this game as one of the toughest games on their schedule. The Hawkeyes got lucky when it comes to the toughest schedules in the country. If Iowa wins they will be favored to win eight of their final 10 games.
Photo Cred: The Des Moines Register
Many seem to think if Iowa goes 10-2 record, they will be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. The Cyclones’ schedule is also manageable. They are only scheduled to play two top-25 ranked teams as of September 10th in No. 20 Utah and No. 15 BYU. This being said, the stakes for the Cy-Hawk game this weekend could not be any higher and should make for a terrific nightcap for a great day of college football.
