Iowa is turning to a familiar face as it prepares for the 73rd meeting with Iowa State, and this one comes with a little extra weight. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 40-0 win over Northern Illinois, and they’ll try to keep that opening-week surge rolling under the Kinnick Stadium lights while wearing all-black uniforms.
Helping lead the way will be former Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard, who was announced as the honorary captain for Saturday’s Cy-Hawk matchup.
Our honorary captain this Saturday is C.J. Beathard! #Hawkeyes x @LegacyHawks pic.twitter.com/h1fRea4mPg
- Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) September 10, 2026
Beathard spent four seasons in the program from 2013 through 2016 and was at the center of one of Iowa’s most successful stretches. He became the full-time starter in 2015 and helped push the Hawkeyes to a 12-0 regular season before the run ended in the Big Ten title game against Michigan State and then in the Rose Bowl against Stanford and Christian McCaffrey.
As a starter, Beathard went 21-7, and he remains the only quarterback in program history to win his first 13 career starts. He finished his Iowa career with 5,562 passing yards, 40 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns, and his 40 career passing scores still rank seventh in school history.
For Iowa, the most relevant part of Beathard’s résumé may be what he did against the Cyclones. In his two starts against Iowa State, the Hawkeyes won 31-17 and 42-3.
That kind of edge would come in handy right now. Iowa is still sorting out its quarterback situation, with Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski battling for the job. Brown was slightly better in Week 1, but the competition is still open heading into the rivalry game.
Now the Hawkeyes get their biggest test of the season so far in a sold-out Kinnick Stadium, and they’ll hope a former star with a knack for beating Iowa State can provide a little extra boost.
In Other News...
Iowa Is Using Cy-Hawk Weekend To Win Over Priority Targets
The Cy-Hawk game has long been one of the biggest dates on Iowas calendar, and this weekend it is doubling as a recruiting showcase. More than 20 football prospects are expected to be on hand, giving the Hawkeyes a chance to put their atmosphere, tradition and game-day routine in front of a group that includes both committed and uncommitted targets.
It is not just football being spotlighted, either. Iowa is bringing in recruits across womens basketball and mens basketball as part of the weekend push, turning one of the states signature sporting events into a broader pitch for the program. Former Hawkeyes quarterback CJ Beathard is also set to serve as honorary captain, adding another familiar face to a weekend designed to connect current targets with Iowas past and present. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa May Have A Rare Chance To Dominate Cy-Hawk Again
The 73rd meeting of the Cy-Hawk rivalry is shaping up as one of those games that can say as much about momentum as it does about bragging rights. Iowa and Iowa State have spent years trading blows in a series that tends to distort expectations, and this matchup has drawn attention because it comes with the kind of context Hawkeye fans know well: a familiar in-state opponent, plenty of history, and a national audience that always seems ready to treat September football in Iowa as something bigger than it looks.
The comparison that keeps surfacing is the 2016 game, when Iowa turned the rivalry into a runaway and left little doubt about which sideline controlled the day. The setup this time is different enough to make the projection interesting, with both programs in new coaching eras and plenty of fan anticipation around whether Iowa can once again turn a rivalry game into a statement. The numbers point toward a lopsided feel, but the real question is whether this Cy-Hawk meeting can match the rare kind of dominance that made that earlier result so memorable. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Has To Set The Tone Early In This Cy-Hawk Test
A rare late kickoff gives Iowas Cy-Hawk meeting a different feel, and the Hawkeyes will be asked to handle it from the start. With the game set under the lights, the challenge is less about learning what this rivalry means and more about channeling it the right way, especially after a week in which roster changes and individual performances have already shaped the conversation around both teams.
For Iowa, the opening phase matters most. The Hawkeyes need to keep their emotions in check, establish control early and avoid letting Iowa State settle in, particularly with a quarterback who can hurt defenses when plays break down. If Iowa can force the game to be played on its terms, it will go a long way toward deciding whether the night belongs to the home side. [Read more 🡒]