CyHawk Trophy at stake when Hawkeyes and Cyclones meet in annual rivalry game

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa (1-0) at Iowa State (1-0), Saturday, 2:30 p.m. CT (Fox)

Line: Iowa by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Iowa leads 46-23.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Iowa, which dropped out of the AP Top 25 following a so-so performance against Utah State, is out to recapture the CyHawk Trophy. The Cyclones ended a six-game losing streak in the series with a 10-7 win in Iowa City, one of their few bright spots last season. Iowa State was satisfied with its win over Northern Iowa last week, and a victory over its cross-state rival would add to the confidence of a team that entered the season reeling from losing five projected starters in a gambling sting.

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa offensive line vs. Iowa State defensive line. One of the Hawkeyes’ biggest question marks was their O-line, and its performance against Utah State’s undersized defensive front didn’t offer a satisfactory answer. Iowa, which traditionally bullies opponents with its run game, managed just 2.4 yards per carry against an undersized opponent. The Cyclones recorded five sacks against UNI thanks to the disruption caused by the D-line; Tyler Onydim’s star is rising after he made four tackles while playing just 11 snaps.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Iowa: The TE combination of Luke Lachey and Erick All is going to be a handful for defenses. They combined for 10 catches for 88 yards and a touchdown against Utah State, with Lachey tying a career high with seven receptions. Lachey and All, who transferred from Michigan, have combined for 100 career receptions for 1,184 yards and seven TDs.

Iowa State: CB Jeremiah Cooper played the best game of his career with an interception return for a touchdown, another pick and strong run defense. He and TJ Tampa are formidable in the secondary.

FACTS & FIGURES

A win would give Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz 200 for his career as a Division I coach. … Iowa has won five straight in Ames by an average of 6.8 points. Two of the wins have been by three points or less. … Iowa State has held 16 straight opponents under 400 total yards, the second-longest streak in the country. … Rocco Becht threw for two touchdowns and ran for another against UNI, making him the first Cyclones quarterback to do that in a first career start since Sage Rosenfels against Indiana State in 1999. … Hawkeyes are 24-8 in their last 32 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin).

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll