It’s Cy-Hawk week, ESPN College GameDay is in town and the Daily’s sports editors have made their selections. 

Zane Douglas, Assistant Sports Editor (1-0)

Iowa 24, Iowa State 9

I know, I know — they always play well in big games in the Matt Campbell era. Looking at the last game against Northern Iowa, they ended with 13 points in regulation to an FCS team. The Cyclones are banged up on the offensive line and Iowa’s defensive line is top notch. Look for the Cyclones to struggle to get anything going and have a tougher time on the ground with a running back by committee approach. Iowa State will have to clean up its mistakes if it wants to have any chance in this game, and if Colin Newell can’t start at center, that might not be a possibility.

Noah Rohlfing, Sports Editor (1-0)

Iowa 21, Iowa State 20

Sorry, y’all, I just can’t do it. Iowa has looked good — albeit against not-so-good opposition — while the Cyclones struggled to beat FCS Northern Iowa. But beyond the struggles against Northern Iowa, I have my doubts about Iowa State’s ability to score points. Purdy is a better quarterback than Kyle Kempt was last year in a 13-3 loss, but Iowa State is missing Montgomery and Butler’s explosiveness.

This game won’t be pretty, that’s for sure. I am expecting a physical, grind-it-out type of contest, and it’s a contest Iowa has come out on top of more often than not. Iowa edges the win, and Iowa State ponders what could have been once again.

Matt Belinson, Assistant Sports Editor (1-0)

Iowa State 21- Iowa 13

I don’t see Iowa State playing even close to their performance against Northern Iowa. Not for a big game with this much going for it. Just to name a few reasons why: it’s the Cy-Hawk rivalry game, Iowa is ranked and the Cyclones aren’t anymore and oh yeah — College GameDay is coming to Ames. Matt Campbell can say he doesn’t think GameDay coming for this game will affect how his team approaches this game, but I will bet the 60,000 sellout crowd will kick Iowa State into high gear. The offense will spread the ball this time around (if they hope to win) and get the ball out quick to avoid A. J. Epenesa taking over the game from Iowa’s d-line.

Alex Gray, Digital Managing Editor

Iowa State 20 – Iowa 14

Born in Cedar Rapids, just a half-hour drive from Iowa City, the Cy-Hawk game has always been personal for me. When I was accepted to Iowa State, I could hear a twinge of disappointment in the “congratulations” I received from my friends and family. Because, as we all know, a school’s academic reputation is directly tied to how many games the football team has won.

I won’t lie, it’s going to be a tough one. The Iowa Hawkeyes don’t have their reputation without reason. We could go into three, maybe four overtimes. But the stars have aligned this year. We have a home game for Cy-Hawk in my last year in Ames. Iowa State got ranked on the AP polls for the first time in 500 years.

But this is the one, boys. The one where Iowa State overcomes years of ridicule by Hawk fans. The one where I can finally talk about how classes are going without also talking about our devastating loss to the Hawks. So if not for Cy-Hawk glory, win it for us, Cyclones. Win for all the Iowa State kids from eastern Iowa — the Hawkeye Country refugees. Go State.