No. 21 Iowa and Iowa State are set for another chapter in the annual rivalry, and the buildup has already hit full throttle in the middle of hate week. The Hawkeyes enter as the favorite, but this series has a way of ignoring the number next to the spread.
Iowa is coming off a 40-0 demolition of Northern Illinois, while Iowa State handled SEMO 38-10. Even with the Cyclones sitting in full rebuild mode, they’ve had plenty of recent success in the matchup, winning three of the past four meetings and the last two in Iowa City. That kind of history is exactly why nobody in this game is likely to feel comfortable for long.
The betting line lists Iowa at -690 on the moneyline, with Iowa State at +480. The total is set at 40.5, with the over priced at -112. Iowa is favored by 13.5 points.
Both teams are dealing with notable absences. Iowa has four players out: WR Lance Beeghley (undisclosed), S Tyler Brown (soft tissue), CB Kyler Gerardy (undisclosed), and OL Lance Ingold (undisclosed). Iowa State is missing RB Salahdin Allah (undisclosed) for the season, S Braden Awls (undisclosed) for the season, and RB Ryver Peppers (leg).
Weather shouldn’t be a major factor in Iowa City, and that’s a relief after last weekend’s heat. Kickoff temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s before falling to 62 degrees after sunset. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a 55-percent chance of precipitation through the night.
This rivalry has deep roots. The first meeting came in October 1894, and after a 33-year break, the teams resumed playing annually in 1977.
Iowa leads the all-time series 46-25. Iowa State has still managed to win three of the past four, with Iowa’s vacated 2023 win at Jack Trice Stadium excluded.
At Kinnick Stadium, Iowa has won its past seven night games, including a 42-3 rout of Iowa State in 2016.
The pressure is on Iowa despite the lopsided spread. The Hawkeyes still have questions at quarterback, and that will matter more here than it did against Northern Illinois.
But they also bring real firepower, especially after Kamari Moulton erupted for 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. Iowa’s defense, as usual, looks built to make life miserable.
The expectation here is for the Hawkeyes’ defense to force three turnovers and keep Jalen Raynor uncomfortable throughout the night. On offense, Iowa should do enough, with Moulton again leading the way. The prediction has him finishing with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Iowa controls the game just enough to get the result.
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That matters because the next step is a far tougher one for Iowa State, and one that Iowa fans will be watching closely. If Raynor is going to have the kind of afternoon that keeps the Cyclones on track, the ground game may need to do a lot of the heavy lifting first, setting up the looks that helped him settle in last week and giving him a chance to make plays without having to carry everything himself. [Read more 🡒]
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Cy-Hawk weekend has added another layer to that battle, because several 2028 prospects Iowa State has hosted are now taking in rival Iowa as well. Defensive lineman Hunter Mosolino and quarterback Chase Grove are among the visitors who could end up hearing both pitches in a rivalry setting, which makes this stretch on the calendar especially important for the Cyclones. For a staff trying to rebuild momentum, these are the kinds of weekends that can shape where the next round of recruiting traction really goes. [Read more 🡒]