The Cy-Hawk Series is always a game that both Iowa and Iowa State fans eagerly anticipate. Bragging rights are on the line and it can be an early indication on which direction a given season is headed.
The good news for Iowa fans is that generally it’s gone the way of the Hawkeyes. Iowa has won the Cy-Hawk Series contest in seven of the past eight meetings, including last season’s 20-13 road triumph in Ames.
Iowa has won six straight road meetings in the series and leads the overall series, 47-23.
The Cyclones will enter the 2024 season with a bit of momentum, though. Iowa State won five of its final eight games in the 2023 season as quarterback Rocco Becht and running back Abu Sama III began to find their stride.
Both teams are among ESPN’s top 10 in returning production heading into next season. In fact, Iowa State leads the nation in that regard.
All of which means that the Cy-Hawk showdown on Saturday, Sept. 7 from inside Kinnick Stadium is shaping up to be a good one.
247Sports’ Carter Bahns included the Cy-Hawk Series among his list of the top 10 Big Ten nonconference games heading into 2024.
The Cy-Hawk Trophy is no stranger to Iowa City, as the Hawkeyes won seven of the last eight battles with the Cyclones. Iowa fended off a fourth-quarter comeback from Iowa State to secure a 20-13 victory on the road last season, and both squads carry most of their same rosters into the 2024 showdown. In fact, they rank in a tie for the third-most returning starters in college football. Home-field advantage and an offensive coordinator change arguably give Iowa a leg up, but this rivalry series promises to deliver another nail-biter either way. – Bahns, 247Sports.
Dating back to the 2011 season, eight games have been decided by one score. All but one of the games in that span have been within two scores or less. This figures to be a tight, nerve-wracking rivalry game like it always is.
In last season’s contest, Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara finished with just 123 passing yards and an interception. Jaziun Patterson led the way for Iowa with 86 rushing yards on 10 carries, including his 59-yarder and his 4-yard touchdown run.
Sebastian Castro added a 30-yard pick-six and Drew Stevens knocked in a pair of field goals from 28 and 34 yards.
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