So it wasn’t our finest weekend.

The Cyclones couldn’t move the pigskin to the end zone, and more than a few ISU fans were forced to fend off derisive remarks from smug, black-and-gold-clad friends and relatives.

But don’t despair. Herky may have made off with the coveted Cy-Hawk trophy, but the whole enchilada — the trophy for the winner of the most regular season sporting matches between Iowa State and the University Iowa — is still up for grabs.

According to the rules of the Cy-Hawk series, the winner of each ISU vs. Iowa match is awarded two points [three points for football]. The university with the most points on March 31, when the last intrastate head-to-head match is played, comes out on top.

It’s a series, not a game. And it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Since the series was started in 2004, we’ve won it twice, while Iowa has won it three times. This year Iowa State needs to eliminate that lead.

Despite Saturday’s 35-3 loss on the football field, Iowa State actually kicked the Cy-Hawk series off right.

On Friday, Cyclone volleyball stormed to Iowa City and dug, set and spiked to a 3-1 victory.

With two sports down, that gives the Hawks a measly 3-2 lead in the Cy-Hawk series. And with 11 sports left, that means it’s anybody’s game.

We could easily be that “anybody.” Not only are we competitive with the U of I in each of these sports, but we will have a huge home field advantage throughout the series. Six of the 11 matches that remain will be played on Iowa State’s home turf, while only three will be played on accursed ground in Iowa City. (Men’s and Women’s Cross Country will be held in neutral Springfield, Mo.)

The moral of the story is that although we took some bumps and bruises this weekend, there are still plenty of chances to humiliate the Hawks.

Sure, they ground us down on the gridiron. But we still have opportunities to out-run, out-swim, out-hit, out-shoot, out-wrestle and generally outperform the U of I.

So chin up. Put the fire back in your belly and the steel back in your eye. Get those cardinal and gold overalls back out of the drawer.

No matter what happened in Jack Trice this weekend, it’s still a Cyclone state.

And over the next six months and 11 matches, we’re going to prove it.