Big performances in the Cy-Hawk game don’t fade in Iowa. They stick.
They become part of the rivalry’s memory, the kind of day fans point back to for years. And with the 2026 matchup against Iowa State coming up Saturday, there are a few Hawkeyes who have a real chance to leave that kind of mark.
Cam Buffington looks like one of them.
The linebacker has the kind of frame and style that invites big comparisons, and the expectation here is that his role in this game could look a lot like Jack Campbell’s in his final two Cy-Hawk showdowns. Campbell piled up 17 tackles, added a fumble recovery and even scored a touchdown across those games, often swinging momentum back toward Iowa. Buffington has the size and speed to make that same sort of impact, especially with Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor likely to move around more than he wants to.
Raynor is a dangerous scrambler, and the thought here is that Iowa’s secondary will squeeze off his passing lanes and force him to run sooner than normal. That’s where Buffington comes in.
He has the speed to track Raynor down and limit the damage when plays break down. If Iowa is going to keep those scramble yards in check, Buffington figures to be right in the middle of it.
Kamari Moulton is another Hawkeye with a chance to change the feel of the game.
Even though he’s in his fourth season at Iowa, he’s only appeared in one Cy-Hawk game. That came in 2024, when he managed just 16 yards on seven carries.
This one feels different. Moulton comes in fresh after playing only half of Week 1, and he still put up 183 yards.
That kind of burst gives Iowa a real reason to feed him early and often.
The Hawkeyes are expected to use both quarterbacks, but Moulton and the offensive line are the steady pieces in the run game. The read here is that Iowa leans on him from the start and keeps leaning on him as the day goes on. There’s also a chance he gets involved as a receiver, with Iowa looking to get him the ball on screens when Iowa State brings pressure.
On the other side of the ball, Iowa’s secondary should have a chance to control the game.
That group communicates well, limits throwing windows, and has experienced players at the core. Zach Lutmer and Deshaun Lee are established pieces in Phil Parker’s defense, and Jaylen Watson is the name to watch opposite Lee. The third-year corner from Michigan has a big opportunity in front of him.
Iowa State may try to attack him, but Watson has the kind of stage where one play can change everything. Raynor has already thrown 28 interceptions, and if Watson can get a hand on a pass, tip one into the air or force a turnover himself, it could swing the entire feel of Iowa’s secondary. The Hawkeyes are expected to make Raynor work for every decision, and Watson’s response could be one of the biggest individual storylines of the day.
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 Turns To A Familiar Tone Setter For Huge Cy-Hawk Night
The Cy-Hawk rivalry is set for a familiar kind of spotlight Saturday night at a sold-out Kinnick Stadium, with Iowa leaning into the kind of setting that has long defined these games. The Hawkeyes will be in all-black uniforms for the annual showdown with Iowa State, and the occasion will carry extra weight with the quarterback competition still unfolding as Iowa looks for a clear answer behind center.
C.J. Beathard, who quarterbacked Iowa from 2013 to 2016, is part of the nights build-up and gives the program a direct link to one of its steadier recent eras. For a team trying to find its next leader under center, having a former quarterback from a successful stretch back around the program is the sort of familiar tone setter that can matter on a stage like this, even before the first snap is taken. [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 🡒]