Every year, the annual Cy-Hawk game usually turns into a pick-em matchup.
Regardless of record, history, or how good one team looks compared to the other, this game is always a coin flip. Two heated rivals going head-to-head for all the bragging rights can be an impossible game to pick most of the time. And this year looks to be more of the same with that.
Heading into Saturday’s Cy-Hawk matchup, Iowa State is favored by 2.5 to 3.5 points, depending on the sportsbook. They’re the team a lot of people are picking to win this game, and it makes sense why. The Cyclones are 2-0, with a big win over Kansas State. The offense is humming, and the defense has been pretty good, for the most part. Compared to the Hawkeyes, who passed for less than 50 yards and struggled against Albany for a half, Iowa State seems like a sure bet.
But, this game is always weird. And oftentimes, the best team doesn’t always win in this series. Iowa still has what it takes to go on the road and win this game. Are any experts bold enough to pick the Hawkeyes to win on Saturday?
Who are the experts taking in this year’s Cy-Hawk game?
College Football News:Iowa 23, Iowa State 20.
In 2017, Iowa beat Iowa State 44-41, but since then …
Iowa State 20-19. Iowa 20-13. Iowa State 10-7. Iowa 27-17. Iowa 18-17. Iowa 13-3. Both offenses might be talented, and there will be more of a passing game than normal, but the defenses will both rule the day.
The road game has won every game since 2018, and it’ll happen again in a low-scoring battle that comes down to a late kick. This is when Gronoswki steps up, leading a late drive for a thrilling win.
It’s Iowa vs Iowa State. It’ll be fantastic. -Pete Fiutak, College Football News
Sports Illustrated: Iowa +122. Sports Illustrated is picking the Hawkeyes to go on the road and win. Here’s what they had to say about it.
I’m not letting a big win against an FCS team convince me that Iowa State is as good as the betting market says they are. The Cyclones were largely outplayed in Week 1 against Kansas State and were lucky to leave Ireland with a win. A disciplined team like the Hawkeyes won’t let them off the hook that easily. -Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated
The Athletic: Iowa State -2.5. The Athletic is rolling with the Cyclones to win and cover the spread at home this weekend. Here’s more of what they had to say.
The road team has won the Cy-Hawk Trophy in each of the last five meetings (the game was not played in 2020), with Iowa winning six straight in Ames. Mark Gronowski, however, threw for only 44 yards in Iowa’s 34-7 win over Albany last week. That’s not good enough to beat these Cyclones. Rocco Becht throws for 200-plus yards and accounts for three scores as Iowa State covers the spread to make it a two-year winning streak in the series. -Manny Navarro, The Athletic
Bleacher Report: Iowa State 23, Iowa 13. Bleacher Report has Iowa State taking home a double-digit win in this year’s Cy-Hawk game. Here’s their reasoning.
This matchup will likely come down to whether Iowa’s passing game can threaten Iowa State. Ideally, the Hawkeyes would control the clock on the ground and force ISU into a low-possession slog. But I’m not sold on Iowa sustaining drives by picking up a few third-and-longs through the air. -David Kenyon, Bleacher Report
CBS Sports: Iowa State 20, Iowa 17. Both experts at CBS Sports picked the Cyclones to win a low-scoring affair on Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. ISU expert predictions nationally
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