Hawkeye Football: #10 Iowa at #9 Iowa State Game Center

The Iowa Hawkeyes kicked off the 2021 football season with a bang in a 34-6 victory over the previously 17th ranked Indiana Hoosiers. While most seasons would see such a high profile early season victory breed optimism and momentum, this season brings a new set of challenges.

After the big week one win, the Hawkeyes will look for their first win over ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks since 2004. The trip to Ames will mark just the 15th time in the Kirk Ferentz era the Hawkeyes will face ranked foes in consecutive weeks. Iowa has lost at least one of those matchups in 13 of the previous 14 instances.

Here’s an early look at this week’s matchup.

Date: Saturday, September 11th
Time: 3:30pm CT
Matchup: #10 Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0, 1-0) at #9 Iowa State Cyclones (1-0, 0-0)
Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA
TV: ABC
Preliminary Weather Forecast: partly cloudy with a high of 87, 5% chance of rain
Opening Line: Iowa State -4.5, O/U 45

*Note the above odds table is dynamic and updates in real time. You can also click any listed lines to be redirected to that particular sports book. Please bet responsibly.*

History

The Hawkeyes and Cyclones have faced off 67 times in series history. Since 1977, the game has been an annual affair. The series started with trio of Iowa Agricultural College (ISU) wins in 1894, 1895 and 1897. The Hawkeyes forfeited that last one in ‘97. They then went on to win the next five straight. Iowa held a 15-7 series lead over the Cyclones when it was put on hold in 1921. The two programs faced off just two more times between ‘21 and ‘76 with each team winning a home game between 1933-1934.

Iowa currently holds a five-game winning streak in the series. That’s tied for the second longest streak in the series behind a 15-game streak by the Hawkeyes from 1983-1997. Iowa has won six of the last seven and nine of the last 12 meetings.

Image via Winsipedia.com

With the Hawkeyes jumping into the top-10 in the AP poll this week and Iowa State falling just two spots to #9 after their week one scare against UNI, the Cy-Hawk game will feature a pair of AP top-10 teams for the first time in series history this week. The Cyclones enter Saturday’s contest ranked for just the second time in series history. Iowa State won the only other matchup that featured a ranked ISU squad when the #20 Cyclones defeated the Hawkeyes 31-0 in Iowa City back in 1978.

Current head coach Matt Campbell has never beaten Iowa.