It may not be the most attractive trophy in college football, but it is certainly one of the most sought-after – the Cy-Hawk Trophy.

Players and coaches from both Iowa State and Iowa have been stuck in a 40-year tug-of-war battle for the epic piece of hardware that annually denotes the top football program in Iowa.

The Cyclones began battle with the Hawkeyes by going 8-16 from 1894 to 1934 before the series took a 42-year break.

The matchup was renewed in 1977 at Iowa with the added incentive of the Cy-Hawk Trophy on the line, courtesy of the Des Moines Athletic Club.

Iowa stole the first trophy with a 12-10 win over the Cyclones, but Iowa State went on two win the trophy four of the next five years.

Iowa, however, went on to beat the Cyclones 15 consecutive times starting in 1983, and ending after a 1998 27-9 upset Cyclone win in Iowa City.

That win started a run of five straight years that the Cy-Hawk Trophy resided in Ames, and six of nine from 1998 to 2006.

The trophy is currently with the Hawkeyes after last year’s 27-17 win for Iowa in Iowa City.