Top Cy-Hawk Games of Century

Hawkeyes Hold Edge in Series During Last 25 Meetings

Sep 10, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; The line of scrimmage during the second quarter between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

IOWA CITY, Iowa - I rolled into town just before kickoff of the 1997 Iowa-Iowa State game. Exhausted after driving a U-Haul straight through from New Jersey, I looked forward to seeing the rivalry in my new town.

That day in my North Dodge Street hotel room was the first time I'd watched the Cy-Hawk showdown. I mostly tuned into games with teams in the eastern time zone or blue blood programs growing up. 

The Hawkeyes destroyed ISU, 63-20, in Ames that day. They won for the 15th consecutive time in the rivalry. I was bored by it, falling asleep after the cross-country trek. 

Little did I know I'd arrived at a clear demarcation line in the series. I've covered all 25 Cy-Hawk games played since then, the Hawkeyes holding a 14-11 advantage. 

The Cyclones broke Iowa's streak the fall after my arrival and then won the next four meetings after that. The first Hawkeye victory I witnessed was a 40-21 beatdown led by quarterback Nathan Chandler in Ames. 

Difficult times in our country impacted two of the years. In 2001, terrorists flew jets into the World Trade Center and other US locations the week of the Cy-Hawk game in Ames. It was smartly moved to the end of the season. 

The rivals did not meet in 2020. You might remember, there was a pandemic. 

As I near 60, some memories of these games fade with the years. Others will occupy brain space for as long as it's operating. 

Below are the Top 5 Cy-Hawk games I've witnessed since 2000. It's been quite a century so far, and Saturday's renewal of the rivalry at Kinnick Stadium might be another doozy. 

Sept. 14, 2002, Kinnick Stadium 

Iowa State 36, Iowa 31

The result of this game serves as an example that the teams' seasons will not be defined by what happens in this contest. It's important for a lot of reasons, but getting a boost from victory here is far from guaranteed. 

The Hawkeyes won a share of the Big Ten title with an undefeated conference season, while ISU lost six of its last seven games, including the final four. 

The Cyclones will always have the satisfaction of ruining their rival's perfect regular season, however. And few benefits of winning this game are greater than bragging rights. 

Seneca Wallace was the best player on the field that night. The Cyclone signal caller tore up Norm Parker's defense to the tune of 361 passing yards. It's one of the top performances by a Kinnick Stadium visitor this century, that's for sure. 

The Hawkeyes led this one 24-7 at halftime only to see ISU take advantage of their three second-half fumbles, including one by eventual Heisman Trophy runner-up Brad Banks. They all led to points. 

The '02 game is the only true night meeting this millennium. If you walked to your car at Kinnick after the final horn, you know why. 

Sept. 11, 2004, Kinnick Stadium

Iowa 17, Iowa State 10

A year after snapping a five-game skid in the series, the Hawkeyes found themselves locked in another brouhaha with their rival. This one was of the defensive variety.  

One of the top Iowa defenses this century, the '04 unit carried a lot of the weight in the last Big Ten Championship season around here. That certainly was the case in this one. 

Leading 17-10 with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes stopped quarterback Bret Meyer on a 4th-and-3 from the Iowa 34. The home team then kneeled it out. 

The Cyclones missed three field goals in this game. Iowa committed eight penalties for 75 yards. 

The Hawkeye defense delivered another big third-down stop deep in their territory earlier in the fourth quarter. ISU managed just 1.9 yards on 34 rushing attempts. 

Iowa scores came on a 1-yard touchdown run by Albert Young, a 29-yard scoring pass from Drew Tate to Ed Hinkel and a 39-yard Kyle Schlicher field goal. Todd Blythe's 40-yard TD grab at the end of the third quarter pulled the visitors to within 17-10. 

Sept. 10, 2011, Jack Trice Stadium

Iowa State 44, Iowa 41 3 OT

Steele Jantz didn't enjoy the career he and Cyclones fans hoped for, but the quarterback's exploits in this game made it so he never need to buy a drink in Ames again. Iowa fans would like to pour a drink over his head. 

Down a touchdown with under six minutes to play in regulation, the California product guided ISU on a 13-play, touchdown-tying drive. He converted with throws on 3rd-and-15 and 3rd-and-20 during the march. 

The teams headed to overtime tied at 24 after beating each other up for 60 minutes on a hot day. The Hawkeyes received the ball first and scored a touchdown on a four-yard Marcus Coker run. ISU countered with a 4-yard scoring pass from Steele to Darius Reynolds. 

The Cyclones grabbed a lead in the second overtime courtesy of a 1-yard TD run by James White. Iowa sent it to a third OT on a 23-yard TD throw from James Vandeberg to Keenan Davis. 

The Hawkeyes couldn't gain a first down on their next position with two plays being incompletions from Vandenberg on passes to Davis. Mike Meyer's 34-yard field goal put the visitors ahead, 41-38. 

Iowa State and the home crowd knew a touchdown would win it. When White took it into the end zone from four yards out, Trice exploded in celebration. 

Jantz had two big completions during the final drive, including one a 3rd-and-two. He also rushed for four yards on the play before White scored the decisive TD. 

Sept. 9, 2017, Jack Trice Stadium

Iowa 44, Iowa State 41 OT

The outlook wasn't bright for Iowa, trailing 31-21 with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Or that's what we thought. 

The Hawkeyes rallied to tie it at 31 with 5:16 remaining. Nate Stanley connected with Ihmir Smith-Marsette on a 15-yard scoring pass before Miguel Recinos hit a 23-yard field goal. 

ISU responded. Hakeem Butler scored on a 74-yard pass from Jacob Park on the second play of the next drive. The home team led with 38-31 with 4:36 on the clock and then forced a 3-and-out from the visitors. 

Iowa needed its defense to step up. It did, forcing a punt. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, Colin Downing hit a 61-yarder down to the their 11. 

A pair of 9-yard receptions from tight end Noah Fant and ran Akrum Wadley run helped move the ball to the home 46. On the next play, quarterback Nate Stanley hit Wadley, who outran the defense for a game-tying TD with 1:09 left. 

The Iowa defense held, sending the game to overtime. The Cyclones kicked a field goal on its opening possession.  

The Hawkeyes took over, moving the ball down to the five with the help of Wadley's 6-yard run and a first-down catch from Nick Easley. Stanley ended it by hitting Smith-Marsette in the right corner of the south end zone. 

Iowa's James Daniels celebrated with Hawkeye fans in the stands. A Cyclone team with standouts like Butler, David Montgomery and Allen Lazard was left stinging after seemingly having the contest in hand. 

Sept. 14, 2019, Jack Trice Stadium 

Iowa 18, Iowa State 17

The only Cy-Hawk game this century decided by a lone point, I considered ignoring it because of the miserable weather. The second-half lead changes, the ending and mother nature had us humming a Nat King Cole classic, however.

It should also be noted that all the delays occurred in a first half that lasted almost four hours. ISU led, 7-6, at the break, setting up a mostly soggy second half on the natural grass. 

The exception was a 73-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Tarique Milton on the second half's second play. That 14-6 lead was cut by three on a 42-yard Keith Duncan field goal to close the third-quarter scoring. 

ISU started its next drive 94 yards away from pay dirt following a penalty on the kick return. The Cyclones went three-and-out, Iowa's Nico Ragaini ripped off a 15-yard punt return and the visitors had the ball on the home 26. 

Stanley ended a seven-play drive with a one-yard TD plunge, putting his team ahead, 15-14, with 12:10 remaining in regulation. The teams then exchanged field goals, making it 18-17 Iowa with just under five minutes remaining. 

A weird day was about to become a weird night. The next possession saw ISU turn it over on downs. The Hawkeyes then ran three plays before preparing to punt with 1:29 left. 

Michael Sleep-Dalton booted it to the Cyclone 22 where it hit ISU's Datrone Young in back as he ran into returner Deshaunte Jones. Iowa's Devonte Young recovered it. 

Game over.