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One of the most interesting college football games that takes place on Saturday also happens to be one of the sport’s most bitter rivalries. The Iowa State No.9 and Iowa No.10 meet the Cy-Hawk Trophy and a place in the national conversation at stake in the first time the two teams have been ranked in this rivalry game at throughout its history.
Both teams are coming off Week 1 wins, but now things are going to get personal. Iowa is coming off a dominant 34-6 victory over the no. 17 Indiana in week 1, one of the best opening statements of the college football season. With the win, the Hawkeyes are a popular choice to cross the Big Ten West to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game.
Iowa State is still in the middle of a 109-year streak without a conference title, but it could be the Cyclones’ best team of all time. The ISU was atop the Big 12 at the end of the 2020 regular season and nearly beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game before winning the Fiesta Bowl. Anything less than the playoff contention would be a disappointment.
Iowa holds a 45-22 all-time series lead and has won the last five encounters, including an 18-17 victory at Ames in 2019. However, Iowa State entered the 2021 season for the first time in the top 10. in the history of the program.
Iowa v Iowa State: Need to know
Historical rivalry game: Iowa and Iowa State have played for the Cy-Hawk Trophy 34 times since the rivalry’s revival in 1977. However, this is the first time the fierce rivalry game has featured a ranked clash. Seriously. Better yet, the game will be a battle of the top 10 teams. College football is crossing the state of Iowa, at least this week.
Slow starts in the state of Iowa: Matt Campbell has improbably turned a historically dismal Iowa state program into a legitimate national competitor. For inexplicable reasons, however, his teams always start the season slowly. Despite a historic year in 2020, the Cyclones still lost their opening game to Louisiana. As recently as last week, the ISU beat northern Iowa by just six points. Campbell has yet to beat Iowa while his less successful predecessor Paul Rhoads went 3-4 against the Hawkeyes. If Iowa State is to be a national contender, it has to get rid of the rust.
The suffocating defense of Iowa: The Iowa defense absolutely dominated Indiana last Saturday. The Hoosiers averaged just 3.6 yards per play and 2.5 yards per run attempt. Iowa cornerback Riley Moss has also been an absolute player lately. Against Indiana quarterback Michael Penix, Moss landed a pair of pick-sixes to win national accolades. Iowa State must clean up their offensive production or Iowa will profit from every mistake.
Sensational running backs: Is there a better running back game this weekend than the one in Ames, Iowa? Iowa State running back Breece Hall led the nation with 1,572 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in a sensational second season. On the other side, Iowa’s Tyler Goodson exploded with 762 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in a shortened Big Ten season to claim all-conference honors.
How to watch Iowa vs. Iowa State live
Dated: Saturday 11 Sep | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
Site: Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, Iowa
TV: ABC | Direct: fuboTV (Try for free)
Prediction Iowa vs Iowa State, pick
Featured Game | Iowa State Cyclones vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa State has struggled every game against Cy-Hawk since Campbell arrived in Ames… but the results have been close. The last two encounters at Ames have been decided by three points or less, including the one-point heartbreak in 2019 caused by a failed punt. Eventually the streak has to end – and I think it will be this year. However, ISU’s last three wins over Iowa were all three points. If Vegas wants to give us some extra cushion points, I’ll gladly take that. Prediction: Iowa (+4.5)
What college football picks can you confidently make in Week 2, and which favorites will be hit hard? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread – all from a proven computer model that has grossed over $ 3,500 in profit over the past five+ seasons – and find out.
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