Now that Iowa State’s historically bad football team is ranked, do we pull for them to succeed?

The Cyclones haven’t felt a national ranking since 2005. They claimed the final slot in the AP Top-25 poll this week after defeating Texas Tech. This Iowa State team has accumulated five wins and only faltered twice.

Thankfully, one of those losses came to the Hawkeyes. The other at the hands of Texas in a game where quarterback Jacob Park threw the tantrum of a century. Realistically, Iowa State is a an overtime loss and an earlier quarterback change from being undefeated.

That is a stretch to make for a team that still has two losses but put all of this is perspective. Iowa State has played seven games and only lost twice. Let that sink in.

Those in black and gold have two common reactions to the Cyclones recent success.

And oh how they differ.

First of all, there are those who believe once Iowa has defeated Iowa State they no longer matter until the early fall matchup comes around again. These typically find it in their heart to root on the Cyclones on days they don’t play.

In all reality, what does pulling for them really do. One is in the Big Ten, the other the Big 12. A majority only pay attention when it is a cy-hawk battle in football, basketball, or wrestling. Does it really impact Iowa if they do bad?

The answer is no.

Especially if Iowa beats Iowa State, pulling for them can only help the Hawkeyes strength of schedule. Plus it legitimizes the rivalry in the nation’s eyes. A sweeping opinion is that the game, at least in football, is a burden to Iowa.

This is a simple, when Iowa State is good the rivalry is better as well. In hindsight, Iowa’s win in Ames could be their most impressive victory.

The other option, which seems to be more non-Iowa residents, is that Iowa State favor has no place in Iowa City. They’d like to see a winless season every year. They have been nearly satisfied in recent years.

This idea leaves no room for anything cyclone. Not in football, not basketball, and not in any sport. These are the die-hard Iowa State haters. They embrace the rivalry like those would see the Iron Bowl in Alabama.

In their eyes, regardless of circumstances, Iowa State must lose to Iowa and finish last in the Big 12. There is no room in their heart for a Cyclone.

It is a question that confuses many Hawkeye fans. When Iowa is good, it doesn’t matter. This year though, while Iowa currently boasts three losses, ignoring Iowa State is impossible. Fans are left with a moral dilemma, how to handle Iowa State being good.

Iowa State faces top-five ranked Texas Christian in Ames. Do you cheer for Iowa State?

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The 2017 edition of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Trophy Game did not disappoint whatsoever. The newest rendition of the rivalry game will go down as a classic battle between two hated rivals. While the game started off to a relatively normal 14-10 score at the halftime break, the pace quickly heated up in the second half.

A slow start did not deter either team from pouring on the points in the following half. Both offenses threw the other’s defense out of the game in the second half. This being despite the fact that Iowa came into the game with a nationally renown defense; only allowing Josh Allen and the Wyoming offense to only 3 points.

Prior to halftime, Stanley and the Iowa offense reestablished itself with a 91 yard, 10 play drive that ended with a Stanley to VandeBerg for a 17 yard touchdown. Matt VandeBerg missed majority of last season with a broken foot; this was his first touchdown catch following the injury.

With 7:21 remaining in the third quarter, Iowa took a commanding 21-10 lead with another 94 yard, 11 play drive. The drive was capped off with Wadley hurdling over the pile on the goal line for a 1 yard touchdown. However, Iowa State responded quickly, effectively, and immediately with 21 unanswered points, going up 31-21 with 11:46 remaining in regulation.

Jacob Park would throw for 347 yards and four touchdowns by the end of the game with Nathan Stanley throwing for 333 yards and five touchdown to battle. Following the 21-0 Cyclone run, the Hawkeyes would strike back and would eventually tie the game.

In the post-game interview, Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz spoke on the fourth quarter rally, saying, “The one thing we did all day offensively — we responded. They took the lead there, they just hit us with everything there in the second half. Our guys responded a couple more times.” And respond the Hawks would. The Hawkeyes were challenged again as Iowa State would attempt put the game away with a 38-31 lead with 4:36 remaining.

The thriller continued as Iowa would march back 81 yards in 7 plays to tie the game. Stanley completed a short pass across the middle to Wadley to tie the game for overtime. “It was a dog fight,” said Wadley, “We knew we were going to get their best effort.”

A dog fight perfectly describes the classic Ames matchup which took place on September 9th. However, the match would end in overtime. The Iowa defense showed up to force an Iowa State field goal which set up Stanley and the Iowa offense to take home the Cy-Hawk trophy.

Akrum Wadley ended the game with a strong statline, with 118 rushing yards and a touchdown on 28 attempts. Wadley also caught 72 passing yards and another touchdown on 4 receptions. Stanley and Wadley both needed large outputs to match Park with future NFL wideout Allen Lazard and Junior Hakeem Butler.

Next week, Iowa State travels to play Akron at 11 am central time on CBS Sports. The Iowa Hawkeyes return to Kinnick Stadium to take on the North Texas Mean Green on September 16th at 2:30 central time on ESPN2.

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Whether you bleed back or you bleed cardinal, this year’s Cy-Hawk game was one for the books.

It wasn’t easy, but the Hawkeyes were able to escape Jack Trice Stadium with a 44-41 overtime victory Saturday. Freshman receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime to help the Hawkeyes fend off a scare in Ames.

The Hawkeyes led 14-10 at halftime thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Nate Stanley. Nick Easley and Matt VandeBerg were on the receiving end.

Out of halftime, the Iowa offense rolled down the field on a 94-yard drive that was capped off by an Akrum Wadley one-yard rushing touchdown. Iowa led 21-10, and the offense was looking good.

Iowa State never gave in. On each of their next three drives, the Cyclones found their way into the end zone.

David Montgomery led the charge for the Cyclones on the ground. He finished with 112 yards on 20 rushing attempts and a touchdown run. His seven-yard touchdown put Iowa State up 31-21 with 11:46 to go in the game.

The Iowa offense had been stagnant, but a switch flipped on again on the next possession. The Hawkeyes started at their own eight-yard line, but Stanley led the troops down the field for a score. The drive was capped by Smith-Marsette’s diving grab from 15 yards out, making the score 31-28.

The ensuing Iowa State drive, Parker Hesse picked off Jacob Park to set Iowa up at the Iowa State five-yard line. The Cyclone defense held Iowa to a field goal, tying the game at 31 all.

As if the momentum had shifted enoug, the Cyclones made sure to get Jack Trice rocking again. Jacob Park his Hakeem Butler for a 74-yard touchdown pass to put Iowa State back up 38-31 with five minutes remaining.

After trading punts, the Hawkeyes got the ball back with three minutes on the clock.

That’s when Akrum Wadley took matters into his own hands.

With a minute on the clock, Wadley caught a short pass from Stanley and scampered his way downfield for a 46-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.

“I could hear the sideline yelling ‘get out of bounds’ because we were in two-minute drill,” Wadley said. “I was tired. Noah (Fant) just caught a first down, he was tired. We had to have it, I was trying to score.”

The electric play sent the game to overtime. Iowa won the toss and chose to play defense first. The Hawkeyes held Iowa State to a field goal, giving them a chance to win it with a touchdown.

They did just that.

Smith-Marsette made another diving grab to give the Hawkeyes a 44-41 victory, giving Iowa three straight Cy-Hawks wins, and three straight wins in Ames.

“The last play was something we have been practicing hard in practice,” said Smith-Marsette. “It is a play that we know if we have something, we can go to it.”

Smith-Marsette caught four passes for 36 yards in the game, just one week after fumbling on his first college touch against Wyoming.

“He’s got a little spirit to him that we really like,” said Head Coach Kirk Ferentz. “He seemed like the kind of guy that could shake that off.”

Fumbles, especially for younger players, seem to result in limited paying time, but the coaches went right back to their freshman receiver one week later.

“It shows that they believe in me,” Smith-Marsette said. “Last week I had a minor setback, but this week I came back and they showed they believe in me and I took advantage of it.”

Smith-Marsette helped lead the charge through the air, but he wasn’t the only one making plays. Nine different Hawkeyes caught at least one pass in the game as Stanley threw for 333 yards and five touchdowns.

“Last week, you probably noticed, he looked pretty tight at times,” Ferentz said. “For him to play the way he played in this environment says a lot.”

Stanley has now thrown for eight touchdowns in his first two games at the helm of a “run first” offense. In Saturday’s win, he led four touchdown drives of 89 yards or longer.

Wadley’s presence was felt in his final Cy-Hawk game. Wadley tallied 269 all-purpose yards on the day – 127 on the ground, 72 through the air, and 70 on kick returns.

It seemed as through the Cyclones were well on their way to reclaiming the Cy-Hawk trophy, but the fourth quarter did not go exactly as planned.

“At the end of it, they made those different plays to win the game,” said Iowa State Head Coach Matt Campbell. “That’s really what it comes down to – some critical situations and moments.”

The Cyclones outplayed Iowa for nearly the entire football game, but came up a play or two short. Montgomery finished with 164 yards of total offense and a touchdown, while Allen Lazard and Hakeem Butler combined for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

“Both teams left everything they had out there,” Ferentz said. “We’re really pleased to come out of here with a win.”

Iowa (2-0) will host North Texas at Kinnick Stadium next Saturday at 2:30pm CST.

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