Is this heaven? No, it’s a rivalry game in Iowa City

Welcome to the Hawkeye state, ISU

My first time in the state of Iowa, driving to Iowa City to tour the school that I’d find myself absolutely in love with two years later, my allegiance to the Hawks was already strong. When we approached a car drudging along in the right lane and I saw the sickly Ronald-McDonald hues of the cyclone sticker across their back windshield, my reaction was immediate disgust. Before I was even an official student, I knew where my loyalties would always lie. Iowa is the Hawkeye state, and as soon as I stepped foot on campus I knew that I was meant to bleed black and gold.

This weekend, I get to experience my first live rivalry game against Iowa State. It feels like every second after leaving Kinnick Stadium I am just waiting to go back in, and here are just some of the reasons why this game is without a doubt going to be one of the most memorable of the year.

Iowa is going to win

At work yesterday, my boss put on last year’s Iowa State game to keep us motivated, a stroke of managerial genius. As I watched the Hakweyes come back from a 10 point deficit, breaking the tie with only two minutes left in the game and ultimately winning 31-7, I was reassured by our teams indomitable determination. In the game last year, the team all had the number nine printed on their helmets, in respect and mourning for a former player who had died four days earlier at the age of 27. Our team always found a way to overcome difficulty last season, and continually won games without being flashy or risky. The team simply takes every game play by play, while myself and the rest of the fans cheer with all of our heart. The record for the rivalry leans heavily in Iowa’s favor, with an astounding  43 victories to Iowa States 21 (according to Sports Illustrated. Wikipedia says Iowa State has 26 wins, but honestly a Cyclone probably just edited that to make themselves look a little less pitiful).

Confetti falls from the big Iowa sky after a Hawkeye victory

Kinnick looks great in Black and Gold

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of themes like Blackout (although they’re pretty much asking for tailgaters to take it one step further to live up to the title), but nothing beats the look of Kinnick when it is organized in to clean stripes of black and gold.

Competition just makes the victory sweeter

Somehow, without fail, Iowa State plays better against the Hawkeyes than they probably play the rest of the season. And while it’s sometimes fun to watch our Hawkeyes stomp all over the field, scoring like it’s the easiest thing in the world, a close game means a fun game. The competition on the field always is reflected in the rowdy crowd as well, and I don’t mind a little competition in my cheering. The student section will absolutely be stepping up their game this weekend too.

Fair warning, you might drop your ice cream cone in a hurry to throw your hands in to the “I” when we score this weekend

We had to fight to make this rivalry happen

Historically, the Cy-Hawk rivalry is one of the oldest, with the first match up ever happening all the way back in 1894, but as college football changed over time there was a 42 year stretch where the teams didn’t get to face off. To put the game back on, moves had to be made all the way in the state legislature. Iowa is invested in this game, and it is an honor to be able to play it.

“Hi? Mr. Senator? Yeah were gunna need to arrange for a Cyclone vs. Hawkeye game ASAP”

At the end of the day, everyone wins

For all of the Cyclone fans out there who should start preparing now for a loss, I have good news still: you get to spend a weekend in Iowa City! Both of these schools are filled with great, like-minded people, and any time that we can all be together tailgating and eating Big Ass Turkey Legs, we are winning.

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