The battle for in-state supremacy happens in just a few days!
The Iowa-Iowa State rivalry is one of the oldest in-state rivalries in college football, dating back to 1894, and everyone in the state knows how important the game is. With bragging rights on the line, Iowa welcomes Iowa State to Kinnick Stadium for the 73rd overall meeting between the two programs, with a whole lot at stake. Despite all the history, hype, and noise surrounding the Cy-Hawk matchup, Kirk Ferentz is treating it like every other game.
Ferentz isn't a fan of circling or highlighting any games on the schedule
Ferentz has been part of the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry since joining Hayden Fry's staff in 1981, and he has seen up close and personal how fans of both teams treat the game and the week leading up to it. There is no love lost between the two fanbases, and while Ferentz acknowledged the game's importance, he isn't concerned about the outside hype.
Kirk Ferentz on not buying into external hype of Cy-Hawk matchup: “Just trying to turn things on and off, that’s a really risky game to play, in my opinion.” pic.twitter.com/ZvMutYLjIq
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) September 8, 2026
Ferentz revealed that he has never been keen on highlighting, circling, or writing any games in red on the schedule, which he feels would take away from the importance of the other 11 games. Ferentz said that trying to turn things on and off is a risky game to play, and he stressed the importance of treating all the games equally. He knows how important the game is to fans and outside observers, but he doesn't want outside noise to affect what he or his team is doing. He wants his team to treat this game like any other game, but we all know that isn't completely possible.
The players know how important this game is, regardless of Ferentz's attempt to make it seem like any other game, and while they'll need to keep those emotions in check during the game, they can't turn them off completely. The Iowa roster has multiple players from the state who grew up on one side of the rivalry or the other, and they know what's at stake. Not to downplay what Ferentz said, but realistically, players, fans, the media, and everyone elsearen't treating this game like any other.
A trophy isn't the only thing that's at stake in the matchup, even though the Hawkeyes have been very successful in their last 43 trophy games. Iowa is 32-11 in those games and has dominated Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. If Iowa wants to make that 33-11, they have to take this game seriously and treat it like it's more than any other game, while also balancing the intense emotions that will be a part of it on game day.
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