The Cy-Hawk game always brings its own kind of noise, and this one comes with a stack of details that only make the matchup feel bigger. Iowa still owns the all-time series, 46-25, but the recent history has tilted the other way enough to keep the rivalry sharp. The Hawkeyes’ 2023 win was later vacated because of NCAA punishment, and Iowa State has now taken the last two meetings in dramatic fashion, each time on a go-ahead 54-yard field goal from Kyle Konrardy.
That kind of finishing touch has helped shape the recent edge in the series, and Konrardy remains part of the story this season. He played high school football at Dubuque Senior and is still the Cyclones’ kicker. If Iowa State can make it three straight on Saturday, it would match a streak the Cyclones last put together from 1998-2002, when they won five in a row.
Kinnick Stadium has its own layer of intrigue. Iowa is 25-15 against Iowa State there, but the Hawkeyes have not beaten the Cyclones at home since 2018.
Night games have also been a comfortable setting for Iowa over the years, with the Hawkeyes going 20-7 all-time in night games at Kinnick. This will be only the fifth Cy-Hawk meeting with an official kickoff at night, joining the 1999, 2002, 2013 and 2016 games.
The margin has been tight for a while now. The last eight meetings in the rivalry have all been decided by 10 points or fewer, which fits the recent tone of the series perfectly.
There are plenty of individual angles, too. Iowa State head coach Jimmy Rogers was the assistant coach and defensive coordinator at South Dakota State in 2022 when the Jackrabbits played Iowa in the game remembered for the Hawkeyes’ 7-3 win with two safeties. Rogers was then promoted to head coach the next season and led South Dakota State to an FCS national title with former Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski.
Quarterback questions also hover over Iowa. Potential starter Hank Brown has one career start against a Power Four team, which came at Auburn against Arkansas in the 2024 season. On the other side, Jaylen Raynor, Iowa State’s transfer quarterback from Arkansas State, leads active college quarterbacks with eight career game-winning drives.
The rosters themselves reflect how much turnover each program is working through. Iowa lists 39 Iowa natives, while Iowa State has 25. The Cyclones also bring a heavy batch of new faces into the season, with 83 newcomers on the roster.
A few more numbers round out the picture. Isaac Terrell posted an FBS-high three sacks in Iowa State’s win over SEMO, marking the ninth three-sack game in program history.
Iowa’s Brevin Doll shares an unusual connection with Cyclones wideout Aiden Flora and Vince Benetti, as all three were teammates at ADM. Tony Diaz gave Iowa a burst in the season-opening win over NIU with seven catches for 84 yards, and the last Hawkeye receiver to top 80 receiving yards in a game was Jacob Gill in 2024.
Kamari Moulton also arrives with momentum after a career-high 183 rushing yards in Week 1, though he did not play in last year’s Cy-Hawk game because of injury.
In Other News...
Jaylen Raynor Faces A Bigger Iowa Test Than Fans Wanted
Jaylen Raynors first game for Iowa State gave a little of everything: two touchdown passes, two more scores on the ground and some encouraging signs with the ball pushed downfield. It also came with the kind of uneven passing day that usually gets noticed quickly in this state, as he finished 8 of 16 for 184 yards against Southeast Missouri State.
The bigger test now is Iowa, where the Cyclones may need their run game to do some heavy lifting if Raynor is going to keep building off that debut. He looked more comfortable off play-action and showed some progress throwing deeper, but a cleaner, more balanced attack figures to matter even more with the Hawkeyes waiting. [Read more 🡒]
Cy-Hawk Just Got More Tense For Iowa State's 2028 Recruiting Push
Jimmy Rogers and his staff at Iowa State are still in the early stages of rebuilding the programs recruiting board after the wave of decommitments that followed Matt Campbells departure, and the 2027 class is starting to take shape. That group sits No. 43 nationally with 24 commits, a workable foundation that includes names such as Isaiah Hansen and Will Slagle, while the next cycle is already becoming part of the conversation as the staff works to reestablish its footprint.
The more immediate concern may be 2028, where Iowa State has already brought in several prospects and tried to get ahead of the competition. Defensive lineman Hunter Mosolino and quarterback Chase Grove are among the recruits who have been on campus, but both are headed to visit rival Iowa this weekend, a reminder that even the earliest stages of this recruiting battle can carry real weight for the Cyclones. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Has One Backcourt Challenge Before Big 12 Play Arrives
Iowa State still has the look of a program that should stay in the national conversation next season, even with some significant roster turnover ahead. T.J. Otzelberger has built enough credibility in Ames that the Cyclones are already drawing early top-25 attention, a sign that the foundation remains sturdy as the roster keeps evolving.
The wrinkle is in the backcourt, where the team will have to sort out ball-handling and tempo without one of its key pieces right away. With Killyan Toure recovering from a shoulder procedure and not expected back until January, Iowa State will need returning guards and transfers to steady things while the Big 12 season looms. [Read more 🡒]