Football in the state of Iowa is basically a religion, but the 2025 season felt like someone rewritten the scriptures. Honestly, if you walked into a bar in Ames or Iowa City right now, the vibe would be completely different depending on which jersey is hanging on the wall. For the Iowa Hawkeyes, it’s about the comfort of the "old guard" and a defense that refuses to age. For the Iowa State Cyclones, it’s absolute, pure chaos.
You’ve got a coaching legend like Kirk Ferentz officially committing to his 28th season in 2026, while Matt Campbell just packed his bags for Penn State, leaving a crater in Ames that the new guy, Jimmy Rogers, is desperately trying to fill.
The Cy-Hawk trophy is currently sitting in Ames. It got there after a nail-biting 16-13 win by the Cyclones on September 6, 2025. It was a game that felt like a fever dream—Iowa State won because their redshirt sophomore kicker, Kyle Konrardy, has ice in his veins. He nailed a 54-yard field goal with less than two minutes left. The crazy part? He did the exact same thing to the Hawkeyes in 2024 at Kinnick. He’s basically the most hated man in Johnson County and a saint in Story County.
The Ferentz paradox and the 2025 Hawkeye revival
It’s kinda funny how everyone expects the Hawkeyes to eventually fall off a cliff. But they finished the 2025 season at 9-4, capped off with a 34-27 win over Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The offense actually looked... competent? Tim Lester’s second year as offensive coordinator saw them jump nearly 60 spots in national scoring rankings. They averaged 29.3 points per game. For a team that used to treat a forward pass like a legal liability, that's practically a revolution.
💡 You might also like: Duke Football Recruiting 2025: Manny Diaz Just Flipped the Script in Durham
Mark Gronowski, the transfer quarterback, was the steady hand they needed. He wasn't throwing for 400 yards a game—that’s not the Iowa way—but he threw 10 touchdowns and ran for 16 more. He kept the chains moving. And the defense? Phil Parker is still a wizard. They allowed just 16.1 points per game. That’s the eighth-best in the country. They’ve now allowed fewer than 20 points per game for nine straight seasons. That is a stat that doesn't even feel real in modern college football.
But there are cracks. They lost to Indiana. They lost to Oregon and USC. The gap between "very good" and "elite" still feels like a canyon in the new-look Big Ten.
Why Ames is currently the transfer portal epicenter
While Iowa City is steady, Ames is a construction site. When Matt Campbell left for Penn State in December 2025, the floor fell out. Iowa State currently leads the nation in outgoing transfers. We’re talking over 50 players. Every single 2025 starter on both sides of the ball is gone.
📖 Related: Dodgers Black Heritage Night 2025: Why It Matters More Than the Jersey
Enter Jimmy Rogers. He’s 38, came from South Dakota State, and he’s basically trying to build a roster via a grocery list and a prayer. He brought in Jaylen Raynor from Arkansas State to play quarterback. Raynor is a legit dual-threat guy—he threw for over 3,300 yards and ran for another 400 last year. He actually lit up the Cyclones early in the 2025 season, so I guess if you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em.
What most people get wrong about the Cy-Hawk rivalry
There’s this myth that the home team always has the edge. It’s actually the opposite lately. Until Iowa State’s win this past September, the home team hadn't won since 2018. The road team had a five-game winning streak. It’s a weird, psychological hex where the visiting team seems to feed off the hostility.
Another thing? The scoreboards. People think these games are always 10-7 slogs. While they are close—11 of the last 13 meetings were decided by 10 points or less—the way they get there is shifting. We’re seeing more explosive special teams play. Kaden Wetjen for Iowa just won his second straight Jet Award as the nation's best returner. One muffed punt or one 90-yard return is usually the difference between the Cy-Hawk trophy staying put or taking a ride down I-30.
👉 See also: College Football Top 10: What Most People Get Wrong About the 2026 Rankings
The 2026 outlook: A state divided
Looking ahead to September 12, 2026, when the rivalry moves back to Iowa City, the stakes are bizarrely high.
- Iowa's Mission: Prove that the "Iowa Way" can survive the NIL era without losing its soul. They’re bringing in a massive wide receiver transfer, Tony Diaz, who actually picked the Hawkeyes over Alabama. That alone tells you the brand is changing.
- Iowa State's Mission: Survival. Jimmy Rogers has to prove that Matt Campbell didn't take the "culture" with him to State College. If the Cyclones can remain competitive after losing 51 players, it’ll be the coaching job of the century.
The reality is that Iowa football is no longer just about corn and punting. It’s about navigating a world where your head coach might be 70 years old or a 38-year-old fireball, and your roster might change completely every January.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors:
- Watch the Trenches: Iowa’s offensive line is getting a boost from portal guys like Trent Wilson (James Madison). If the protection holds, Gronowski’s successor will have a much easier time.
- Monitor the "Rogers Effect": Follow Iowa State’s spring ball closely. With so many new faces, chemistry is the only thing that matters. If Raynor doesn't gel with the O-line by April, the 2026 season could be a long one in Ames.
- Special Teams Matter: In a rivalry this tight, keep an eye on Kyle Konrardy. If he stays healthy and stays at Iowa State, he is effectively a 3-point cheat code from anywhere inside the 40-yard line.