College Sports

No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 9 Iowa State in 1st top-10 Cy-Hawk game

Posted September 09, 2021 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

No. 10 Iowa (1-0) at No. 9 Iowa State, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. EDT (ABC).

Line: Iowa State by 4 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Iowa leads 45-19-0.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The Cy-Hawk Trophy and bragging rights that come with winning the biggest game in the history of the rivalry. Iowa, of the Big Ten, and Iowa State, of the Big 12, are both ranked for the first time when they play each other. The winner gets a boost into the early-season College Football Playoff picture, but this game hardly needs that to be important.

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa linebackers Jack Campbell and Seth Benson vs. Iowa State running back Breece Hall. The Cyclones are likely to play with multiple tight ends and hammer away with their All-America tailback. Hall and the running game had a sluggish performance last week with 69 yards on 23 carries. Benson led the team in tackles with 10 against Indiana and Campbell, at 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, is quite literally built for this type of game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Iowa QB Spencer Petras: The second-year starter completed only 48% of his passes in the blowout of Indiana last week. Everything else was clicking for the Hawkeyes so it didn't matter.

Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar: Watch to find out if he plays. The All-American missed last week's game and Iowa State coaches have sounded optimistic but far from definitive about his status this week.

FACTS & FIGURES

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is having unprecedented success with the Cyclones, but he still hasn't beaten the Hawkeyes (0-4). ... Iowa has won five straight in the series and have not committed a turnover during the last four. ... The last two games in the series have featured a total of four offensive touchdowns and 51 points. The 2017 game was 44-41 in overtime, the highest scoring in the series. ... The rivals did not play last year because of pandemic-altered schedules. ... The Cyclones have allowed an average of 2.6 points in the second half of their last six games. ... Iowa DB Riley Moss had two interceptions returned for touchdowns last week against Indiana.

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FILE - In this Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021, file photo, Iowa offensive lineman Tyler Linderbaum (65) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Indiana in Iowa City, Iowa. As much as Big Ten teams love having fans back this year after playing without spectators in the pandemic-delayed 2020 season, the change is requiring some adjustments because communicating on the field isn't quite as easy as it was a year ago when they were in empty stadiums. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) The Associated Press

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