When thinking of the rivalry between Iowa State and Iowa, the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is probably the big football game every year.

After that, most likely basketball, wrestling, volleyball and so on. What most people forget about is that the rivalry between their hockey teams is very much alive as well.

The No. 13 ISU hockey team has turned its focus this week to a pair of games against ACHA Division II Iowa this Friday and Sunday.

The last matchup between the Cyclones (15-14-1-2) and the Hawkeyes (13-16-0-1) took place in Dec. 10, 2010. In that game, the Cyclones dominated by a score of 10-1.

The Cyclones’ only loss to Iowa since the 2007-08 season was on Dec. 13, 2008, when the Hawkeyes upset the Cyclones 4-3 after holding off a six-on-three ISU advantage in the final minute.

ISU coach Al Murdoch said that this is “probably the biggest rivalry of the season” despite not being a “varsity” sport at Iowa State.

“They’re all fans of all their scholarship sports, and we’re all fans of our scholarship sports,” Murdoch said. “As such, we hate it when Iowa beats us in any sport, and hockey is no exception.”

Derek Kohles from Johnston, Iowa, and Austin Parle from Ames are the only two players on the Cyclones’ roster from Iowa.

“It’s fun because you get a lot of good fans that come to the games and that gets all the guys spunked up,” Kohles said. “Everyone loves the Iowa-Iowa State Rivalry.”

Parle said he is a “Cyclone at heart” after growing up in Ames.

“I always hate to see the Cyclones lose to the Hawkeyes,” Parle said.

This will be Parle’s first game against the Hawkeyes as a member of the ISU hockey team.