The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Cy-Hawk

Iowa48-23Iowa State
Power Program II#22 of 138–National Program II#45 of 138–
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →

Iowa leads the all-time series 48-23. They've met 71 times since 1895. Iowa once took 15 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Iowa
Win total
8.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+8
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +21
What fans are saying · program direction
fans believe Kirk Ferentz's team often wins by narrow margins
Iowa has had that 7-3 game and the infamous 6-4 victory with a fuck you safety. The years pass and times changes but Kirk Ferentz getting low scoring wins is inevitable.
Verified verbatim
Iowa State
Win total
5.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-7
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -29
What fans are saying · player performance
One fan believes Jaylen Raynor is not meeting performance expectations
Raynor plays way too scared. The game moves way too fast for him, he should not be starting if the game is moving this fast for him as a senior
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1895–2026

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeIowaIowa Stateevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Iowa won, gray: Iowa State won)1900192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Iowa State has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Iowa led 8 and Iowa State led 15.

more passmore runIowaIowa State2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262008Iowa State 13.8 ptsIowa won 17-52024Iowa State 13.7 ptsIowa State won 20-192017Iowa State 10.3 ptsIowa won 44-41
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Iowa by 54 in 1985. The biggest crowd, 70,585, was in 2014.

The coaching duels

Kirk Ferentz vs Matt Campbell6-3
Hayden Fry vs Jim Walden8-0
Kirk Ferentz vs Dan McCarney3-5
Kirk Ferentz vs Paul Rhoads4-3
Hayden Fry vs Donnie Duncan1-3
Hayden Fry vs Jim Criner4-0

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
157-60
Iowa leads
1st-rounders
22-2
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
IowaIowa State
1960s2-3
1970s12-13
1980s22-6
1990s20-7
2000s33-10
2010s37-7
2020s31-14

Best picks, either side

2004Robert Gallery Offensive Tackle · Oakland RaidersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2015Brandon Scherff Offensive Tackle · Washington RedskinsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
2019T.J. Hockenson Tight End · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 8#8 overall
1997Tommy Knight Defensive Back · Arizona CardinalsRd 1, pick 9#9 overall
1972Craig Clemons Defensive Back · Chicago BearsRd 1, pick 12#12 overall
1986Chuck Long Quarterback · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 12#12 overall
2020Tristan Wirfs Offensive Tackle · Tampa Bay BuccaneersRd 1, pick 13#13 overall
2023Lukas Van Ness Defensive End · Green Bay PackersRd 1, pick 13#13 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Iowa State1.13×its own average home crowd
Iowa1.09×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2026Iowa16-13
2025Iowa State16-13
2024Iowa State20-19
2023Iowa20-13
2022Iowa State10-7
2021Iowa27-17Iowa State — both ranked, Iowa State routed by 10
2019Iowa18-17Iowa State — decided by 1
2018Iowa13-3
2017Iowa44-41
2016Iowa42-3
2015Iowa31-17
2014Iowa State20-17Iowa — Iowa favored by 15.5
2013Iowa27-21
2012Iowa State9-6

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Iowa’s chance to win through that meeting. Iowa is 4-3 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2026Iowa 16-13Iowa won 16-13 vs Iowa State. Chance to win started at 88%, low 52%, high better than 99%.Busy
2025Iowa State 16-13Iowa lost 13-16 at Iowa State. Chance to win started at 33%, low under 1%, high 53%.Busy
2024Iowa State 20-19Iowa lost 19-20 vs Iowa State. Chance to win started at 59%, low under 1%, high 95%.
2023Iowa 20-13Iowa won 20-13 at Iowa State. Chance to win started at 58%, low 49%, high 99%.
2022Iowa State 10-7Iowa lost 7-10 vs Iowa State. Chance to win started at 44%, low under 1%, high 78%.Busy
2021Iowa 27-17Iowa won 27-17 at Iowa State. Chance to win started at 43%, low 31%, high 99%.
2019Iowa 18-17Iowa won 18-17 at Iowa State. Chance to win started at 56%, low 16%, high 81%.
2018Iowa 13-3Iowa won 13-3 vs Iowa State. Chance to win started at 60%, low 40%, high 97%.
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2026
    “This game is going to be my 13th reason why”
    An Iowa fan
  • 2025
    “Looking forward to Iowa running 3 plays and then punting on 4.”
    An Iowa State fan

This season’s plays, Iowa and Iowa State

Official highlights with our numbers, from the 1 play on film when they met.

  1. Q2, 7:51 · Iowa State up 3Jaylen Raynor finds Vince Benetti for a 4-yard touchdownIowa State at Iowa, week 2Q2, 7:51 · Iowa State 10, Iowa 0▲13%Iowa State’s chance to win, 35% to 48%▲13%Iowa State’s chance to win, 35% to 48%J.Raynor pass complete short left to V.Benetti caught at IOWA04, for 4 yards to the IOWA00 touchdown. The previous play is under automatic review - "Short of the line to gain". CALL UPHELD, kick goodWatch from this playBig Ten Football

Meetings with their own story page

10 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.