In the midst of one of the most heated rivalries in college football, Kirk Ferentz dropped a subtle compliment to the Cyclones.
Ferentz knows better than most how intense the Iowa-Iowa State football rivalry can get, with him being part of the rivalry since 1981. Despite not knowing where Iowa was on a map before joining Hayden Fry's staff, Ferentz has become a fixture in the in-state rivalry and knows how important it is. Rivalry or not, Ferentz is adamant that college football in the state is massively underappreciated on the national stage.
Ferentz praised ALL college football programs in Iowa ahead of Cy-Hawk weekend
Ferentz isn't one to hand out meaningless compliments, and he doesn't do anything without a purpose attached to it. As hype and hatred ramp up ahead of Saturday's kickoff at Kinnick Stadium, Ferentz praised all levels of college football in the state, calling it "underappreciated."
"I still think it's, really, probably underappreciated a little bit on a national front, just the football that gets played here for a state of our size."
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) September 8, 2026
Kirk Ferentz talked about the success of the sport in the state of Iowa ahead of the annual Cy-Hawk game 👇 pic.twitter.com/VG4Z63583Q
It is rare for a small state to have one good Power Four football program, let alone two, but Iowa is blessed to have both Iowa and Iowa State. Iowa State was very competitive under Matt Campbell, and Iowa has had sustained success since Ferentz took over, and that isn't mentioning all the other great football happening in the state. Grandview College is a powerhouse that has won 72 straight games, and Northern Iowa is always in contention for the FCS playoffs. Overall, there is a lot of great college football here, and Ferentz believes it's underappreciated nationally.
Ferentz praised the high school development and the development of all of the college football programs in the state, and doesn't care that they play Iowa State this weekend before praising them. The national respect for football in this state is severely lacking, even though it is a beacon for college football and amateur development in the heart of the Midwest. Iowa might not be the biggest state, but it is hard to find more college talent overall than here.
A lot of that in-state talent will be on full display this weekend, with both Iowa and Iowa State boasting multiple talented Iowa players, and we often take for granted how good the football is in our state. Especially with no pro teams, college football is our pro football, and we should be thankful we have so much good football to watch. Ferentz is right on the money with his assessment of football in the state, and it remains to be seen how long it will take the national media and outside observers to catch up.
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