Iowa State Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2018
The Cyclones will face their first true test of the season early on as they travel to Iowa City for their annual matchup with in-state rival Iowa. Iowa State was on the wrong end of an instant classic a year ago as Iowa stormed back from a ten point, fourth quarter deficit to win a 44-41 overtime thriller.
The Hawkeyes return a majority of their skill position players in 2018 including quarterback Nate Stanley, who passed for nearly 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns a year ago. Iowa also returns a potent pair of tight ends in Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson. Fant was All-Big Ten a year ago with 494 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns and Hockenson added 320 yards and three receiving touchdowns as well.
Iowa leads the all-time series 43-22, a series that includes not one but two stoppages in play due to bad blood as not many outside the state are aware of the bad blood this rivalry has. The Hawkeyes have won the last three in the series and 10 out of the last 15 in the series. This game is one of the most anticipated in the series history. It will be an all-out war for all 60 minutes but as stated in a previous article, the Kinnick Stadium advantage will be the difference.