In a scant 11 weeks your Iowa Hawkeyes will make the 136-mile trek west on I-80 to retrieve the Cy-Hawk series trophy after its year-long vacation captivity somewhere deep in the bowels of Iowa State’s football facility. For Iowa fans last year’s edition of El Assico definitely lived up to its name, as Iowa pissed one down it’s leg and allowed Matt Campbell’s squad to carry the trophy off our field, onto their bus, and drive it back to their little cow-town out west. It was a bad day, and an absolute harbinger for the 2024 season, as the loss all but ended any hopes for a CFP birth (which were pretty remote to begin with).

But that was last year, it’s a whole new world in Iowa City with a new QB (4 new QBs to be precise), another offseason under Tim Lester’s belt and a new optimism for a season that, we hope, will lead to resurgence of Iowa Football under Kirk 4.5(???). Let’s take a look at what Little Brother has in store for us this year.

Series History

El Assico is my least favorite game every season for a variety of reasons. Sure, Iowa owns the all-time series (47-23) and generally owns little brother (especially when they wear one of their horrific alternate uniform combos – seriously, what’s the deal with the black and whites?), but it never feels good, even when we win. It’s a game that, generally, Iowa is expected to win, so when they do it means nothing and if they don’t it means everything, it’s a lose lose proposition for the Hawks. This time around Iowa State is coming off the best season in their history (finally getting over the 10-win hump) and they’re not looking to fall off. Matt Campbell has the Cyclones feeling good and has stolen 2 of his last 4 tilts against the Hawkeyes (though the Clones can’t seem to figure out how to beat us in their building), so I don’t expect that this year’s edition will feel good either, even when we win. The only real difference this year is that, right now, I don’t think many people would pick Iowa to win this game.

2024 Results

Overall: 11-3
Conference: 7-2

The Cyclones enjoyed a historic 2024 season, finishing 11-3 (achieving the schools first-ever 10+ win regular season), culminating with Iowa State earning a spot in their first ever conference title game. They finished the season ranked #15 in the final AP poll, and capped everything off with a bowl win over Miami that earned them the privilege of consuming an anthropomorphized Pop-Tart.

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Matt Campbell (10th season at Iowa State)
Offensive Coordinator: Taylor Mouser (promoted from Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach, 1st season as OC)
Defensive Coordinator: Jon Heacock (9th season at Iowa State)

Matt Campbell arrived in Ames 10 years ago (which is hard to believe) and recently agreed to a Ferentz-like eight-year contract that will keep him in Ames through the 2032 season (provided that he doesn’t get poached by a P4 team, with a lot more money, between now and then). Taylor Mouser was promoted to offensive coordinator after Nate Scheelhaase left for the pros, though he’s no stranger to Ames, having been with Campbell since his arrival. Jon Heacock is Campbell’s Phil Parker and he isn’t going anywhere or getting any worse at putting a solid, though not always exceptional, unit on the field.

Key Departures

WR Jayden Higgins (Selected 34th overall by the Texans) – Higgins notched one of the best seasons an ISU receiver has ever had last year with 87 catches (second all-time), 1,183 yards (third all-time) and 9 touchdowns (tied for second all-time)

CB Darien Porter (Selected 68th overall by the Raiders) – Porter didn’t put up crazy numbers: 51 (18) tackles, 3 INT, 2 PDs, but he was a solid corner and a big body that could cover pretty much every team’s #1 WR.

WR Jaylin Noel (Selected 79th overall by the Texans. Noel may not have had the season that Higgins had, but he caught seven passes of 50+ yards (including a 75 yarder that sucked all the wind out of my sails in Iowa City last year).

OT Jalen Travis (Selected 127th overall by the Colts) – Travis was the first Cyclone OL drafted since the 49’ers took Carter Bykowski with the 246th pick in the 2013 draft.

Transfer Loss:

DT Tyler Onyedim (Sr.) – transferred to Texas A&M – 75 tackles and ten tackles for loss over the last two years.

Key Returners

QB Rocco Becht (Jr.) – Rocco has come a long way since he was thrust into the starting role after Hunter Dekkers ousting over gambling two years ago, throwing for over 3,000 yards each of the last two seasons and recording 48 passing touchdowns (sidenote – Iowa QB’s have thrown 19, no that is not a typo, in that same timeframe).

RB Carson Hansen (Jr.) – With 750 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as a sophomore, Hansen proved that he wasn’t playing second fiddle to anyone. He may not have Abu Sama’s flash, but this kid has a nose for the endzone.

RB Abu Sama III (Jr.) – Sama may not have been able to repeat the success of his Freshman campaign, but he’s a legitimate threat with the ball in his hands. Combined with Hansen, this is a dangerous backfield.

S Jeremiah Cooper (Sr.) – 48 total tackles, two interceptions, and eight pass deflections in 2024

CB Jontez Williams (Jr.) – Williams tied for 5th on the team in tackles last season with 46, had 4 picks and 5 PDs, he’s taking over for Cooper and will be heavily relied on to lock down his side of the field.

New Additions

WR Chase Sowell (Sr.) – A big pickup for Campbell, Sowell started out his career at Colorado, left after Deion Sanders came in, and grabbed 81 catches for 1,300 yards and four scores in two years at East Carolina. He’s a shoe-in for the #1 at WR.

EDGE Vontroy Malone (Jr.) – Malone had 49 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons in Tulsa, they’re hoping Malone can help beef up the pass rush (which managed just 16 sacks last season)

2025 Expectations

Wins: 7.5
Big 12 Championship Game: +1200

The Big 12 isn’t the conference it used to be (it’s not even the Big 8 anymore tbh) and there’s not a single game on the Clones’ schedule that they can’t win, but EVERY game is a toss-up, even the “easy” matchups. The Big 12 is expected to be stronger in 2025 with most predicting that Oklahoma State and Arizona will return to form. The road schedule (KSU in Dublin, Cincinnati, Colorado, TCU, and OKST) isn’t exactly murderer’s row, but there’s not an easy win in the bunch.

The Cyclones might be even better this year, but the Big 12 is stronger than it was in 2024. While they avoid Texas Tech, Utah, and Baylor, they are also missing games against teams in rebuild mode (UCF, WVU). The season opener against Kansas State in Dublin, will be crucial (and not just because they’ve decided to export Farmageddon to the Emerald Isle), as a loss in Week Zero could bring a hangover that carries into their date at South Dakota (predicted to go 12-0 and challenge for the FCS National Championship) and, fingers crossed, the Hawkeye’s visit to Ames.

Game Details

Date: September 6, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM CT
Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa
TV Network: FOX

Fun Fact: Every year I manage to burn the caloric equivalent of walking ~10 miles while sitting on my couch watching this stupid game.

Only 11 weeks until kickoff!

The hype continues to grow for former Iowa Hawkeyes’ star running back Kaleb Johnson as we approach the 2025 NFL season.

In a recent episode of ESPN’s NFL Live, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler mentioned that the Pittsburgh Steelers believe Johnson will have an “instant impact” with the organization when discussing the team’s signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

“When I talked to someone with the Steelers last night about [Aaron] Rodgers, first guy they mentioned was Kaleb Johnson,” Fowler said on an episode ESPN’s NFL Live. “They believe he’s gonna make an instant impact.”

After an impressive 2024 campaign with the Hawkeyes that included 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 240 attempt, Johnson was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh. Iowa fans rejoiced with the pick, as Johnson now seems primed for an immediate starting role due to the franchise failing to resign former 2021 first-round pick Najee Harris this offseason.

Now, the 21-year-old talented rusher will join the Steelers’ current running back room of Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Both rushers are known for their explosive playmaking ability, which gives Johnson the chance to receive work in early-down situations for Pittsburgh’s offense. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is known for utilizing halfbacks that excel in the “bruiser” role, with Harris totaling over 1,000 yards in 2024.

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