Sports Editor Brett Twelmeyer (1-0)

No. 21 Iowa 23, Iowa State 20

Well, here we are again. Cy-Hawk week has returned.

Iowa State gave me a solid idea of what its offense can look like. However, I am still stumped about this team’s defensive capabilities. Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are elite receivers, no doubt, but I would like to see other receivers have more of an impact this week.

In past Cy-Hawk games in the Matt Campbell era, the Cyclones tends to play to the pace of Iowa, thus resulting in Campbell’s 1-6 record against Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes.

The pace has to be controlled by Iowa State if the Cyclones want to win this game. They did it last week after the first two plays.

What shocked me about Iowa was its ability to actually throw the ball last week. Yes, it was against Illinois State, but Cade McNamara threw for two touchdowns and 251 yards. Not to mention the offense got stronger as the game went on.

On paper, I feel these teams match up fairly evenly, but the way the Hawkeyes run the ball and the depletions to Iowa State’s linebacking core is enough to make me pick Iowa in this one.

I expect some wild, crazy, stupid play to happen somewhere along the line too.

Assistant Sports Editor Pavle Markovic (1-0)

No. 21 Iowa 20, Iowa State 13

Week one gave me a good sense of how I’d predict this upcoming game between Iowa State and Iowa. Even though both teams won, I still sense that the 71st rendition of the Cy-Hawk matchup would eventually fall in favor of the Hawkeyes once again.

Don’t get me wrong; I believe there is a world where the Cyclones can beat Iowa in Kinnick Stadium for the second time in a row, but I expect to see the same struggles that Iowa State suffered in its last matchup against the Hawkeyes. 

One of those struggles is mainly centered on getting past the Iowa defense. Going back to last season’s matchup, the Cyclones had multiple opportunities to get in front of the Hawkeyes early on and potentially steal a win but were ultimately sealed off by the early interception thrown by redshirt sophomore quarterback Rocco Becht that was returned for a touchdown.

Now I know that the defense last year won’t be the exact same, but it will still have multiple playmakers that can once again cause trouble to the Iowa State offense. With that being said, I do have the Cyclones falling to Iowa for the second straight year.

Sports Reporter Cayden Storm (1-0)

Iowa State 21, No. 21 Iowa 17

Once again, I am the only one who has any confidence in the Cyclones. 

I know the Iowa State defense will be missing two of its biggest contributors in starting linebackers Caleb Bacon and Will McLaughlin. I also know that Iowa has won six out of seven Cy-Hawk games in the Matt Campbell era and has one of the nation’s best defenses. 

None of that matters. The Cyclones will be bringing the Cy-Hawk trophy back to Ames, and here’s why.

Starting with the injury concerns on defense, I think the losses of McLaughlin and Bacon are massive, but will it hurt Iowa State as much in this game as it will in future games? This is still the Hawkeyes offense we’re talking about. I know their offense looked good last week, but it looked good against Illinois State. The Cyclones’ defense even without Bacon and McLaughlin is miles ahead of the Redbirds’. 

Iowa will have to prove to me that it can score points against good teams before I will just assume it. I think Iowa State’s defense keeps the Hawkeyes’ offense in check, despite the injuries. 

On the offensive side of the ball, the Cyclones have a tough test. Iowa has one of the best defenses in the nation year after year and it probably will be again this year. 

I’m not unreasonable. I’m not asking for Iowa State to score 50 points. I’m just asking for them to be better than they were in last season’s game. They just have to give me three touchdowns.  

Given that last season’s Cy-Hawk game was quarterback Rocco Becht’s first real test, and that since then he’s gained a ton of experience and played very well, I see no reason why he will not perform better in this season’s game. 

I believe that a more comfortable and confident Becht with a heavy dose of running back Abu Sama III can lead the Cyclones to a Cy-Hawk victory.