Ames, Ia. - The Cy-Hawk Trophy is there for the taking.
And if you believe the number-crunchers, Iowa's football team will slip out of Jack Trice Stadium with a comfortable victory.
The 2-0 Hawkeyes are listed as 17-point favorites over 0-2 Iowa State.
It's an ideal setting for a rout - or a trap.
"No matter what the players tell you, 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds are going to be a tad overconfident," says USA Today analyst Danny Sheridan. "(Iowa) is going to be looking at game films of Iowa State ... and saving their best effort for Wisconsin."
Sheridan, a nationally recognized handicapper, adds another unquantifiable element to the intrastate rivalry: Cyclone pride.
"I do believe they'll play their (butts) off against Iowa," he said. "The reason why they'll do that is obvious. They've been humiliated two weeks in a row."
The 31st edition of the Big Game's modern era - which will draw nearly 50,000 fans and be seen nationwide on cable - features one team possibly peeking ahead, and the other seeking its first victory under a new coach.
Can Gene Chizik snare the Hawkeyes the way his predecessor did?
"If Dan McCarney were there, I would definitely, 100 percent, pick Iowa State (to make it close)," Sheridan said. "He's unbelievable. And the proof is in the pudding."
McCarney was the Hawkeyes' boogeyman. He coached the Cyclones to wins in six of the past nine meetings. On two other occasions Iowa State made the final score tighter than the experts predicted.
"Dan McCarney was born and bred for that game," said Kelly Stouffer, who will provide color commentary for Versus. "It was an emotional experience for him, and he was very successful in transferring that to his team."
Chizik, who replaced McCarney last November, is directing a team in transition. The Cyclones sputtered offensively and succumbed defensively to Kent State and Northern Iowa.
"It's a very tough situation for a new coach," Stouffer said. "He has the task of building a program. At the same time, he's trying to win games with players that don't really figure prominently into plans for the future."
Quarterback Bret Meyer and receiver Todd Blythe are stuck in limbo. Beating Iowa twice in three seasons would solidify their place in Cyclone lore.
"It would certainly be great to leave my senior year with the Cy-Hawk Trophy," Blythe said. "I want nothing more than to be able to go get that thing from their sideline and carry it back into our locker room."
The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, are on the verge of reasserting their dominance in the series. They won 27-17 a year ago and could claim their fourth win in five years.
"I couldn't even tell you what the point spread is," defensive end Ken Iwebema said. "I don't know about favorites."
Iowa holds the statistical edge.
Tailbacks Albert Young and Damian Sims each average at least 5 yards per carry. Quarterback Jake Christensen is completing 57.4 percent of his passes, with five touchdowns and one interception.
Meyer has thrown four interceptions and one touchdown, and the Cyclones average 3.8 yards per rush.
Is it a setup?
"Coach (Kirk) Ferentz is going to have to do a very good job of convincing his players that Iowa State has the ability to beat them," Stouffer said. "Meyer is struggling, but he's obviously demonstrated in the past that he has the ability to take over a game."
Meyer's recent struggles could turn into an advantage for the Cyclones.
"When you see a team lose to Northern Iowa ... it's going to be very hard to get up," Sheridan said. "The only thing that would make it a rout would be if Iowa State truly has no talent, but I know they've got a great quarterback, a good receiver and a good junior college running back.
"They really do have some talent, and they're underperforming now."
The Hawkeyes could also be seeing red - Badger red.
Next week's Big Ten Conference opener at Wisconsin is a potential tone-setter that could propel Iowa toward a title run.
"The way the Big Ten is sorting out," Stouffer said, "that could very well be one of the games that determines the conference standings."
It could also be a distraction.
"The 100 percent effort here is going to come from Iowa State," Sheridan said. "It's not - underline the word not - coming from Iowa. Now the question is, does Iowa have enough talent over this team to compensate for showing up at 85 or 90 percent?
"I can't answer that."
And if you believe the number-crunchers, Iowa's football team will slip out of Jack Trice Stadium with a comfortable victory.
The 2-0 Hawkeyes are listed as 17-point favorites over 0-2 Iowa State.
It's an ideal setting for a rout - or a trap.
"No matter what the players tell you, 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds are going to be a tad overconfident," says USA Today analyst Danny Sheridan. "(Iowa) is going to be looking at game films of Iowa State ... and saving their best effort for Wisconsin."
Sheridan, a nationally recognized handicapper, adds another unquantifiable element to the intrastate rivalry: Cyclone pride.
"I do believe they'll play their (butts) off against Iowa," he said. "The reason why they'll do that is obvious. They've been humiliated two weeks in a row."
The 31st edition of the Big Game's modern era - which will draw nearly 50,000 fans and be seen nationwide on cable - features one team possibly peeking ahead, and the other seeking its first victory under a new coach.
Can Gene Chizik snare the Hawkeyes the way his predecessor did?
"If Dan McCarney were there, I would definitely, 100 percent, pick Iowa State (to make it close)," Sheridan said. "He's unbelievable. And the proof is in the pudding."
McCarney was the Hawkeyes' boogeyman. He coached the Cyclones to wins in six of the past nine meetings. On two other occasions Iowa State made the final score tighter than the experts predicted.
"Dan McCarney was born and bred for that game," said Kelly Stouffer, who will provide color commentary for Versus. "It was an emotional experience for him, and he was very successful in transferring that to his team."
Chizik, who replaced McCarney last November, is directing a team in transition. The Cyclones sputtered offensively and succumbed defensively to Kent State and Northern Iowa.
"It's a very tough situation for a new coach," Stouffer said. "He has the task of building a program. At the same time, he's trying to win games with players that don't really figure prominently into plans for the future."
Quarterback Bret Meyer and receiver Todd Blythe are stuck in limbo. Beating Iowa twice in three seasons would solidify their place in Cyclone lore.
"It would certainly be great to leave my senior year with the Cy-Hawk Trophy," Blythe said. "I want nothing more than to be able to go get that thing from their sideline and carry it back into our locker room."
The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, are on the verge of reasserting their dominance in the series. They won 27-17 a year ago and could claim their fourth win in five years.
"I couldn't even tell you what the point spread is," defensive end Ken Iwebema said. "I don't know about favorites."
Iowa holds the statistical edge.
Tailbacks Albert Young and Damian Sims each average at least 5 yards per carry. Quarterback Jake Christensen is completing 57.4 percent of his passes, with five touchdowns and one interception.
Meyer has thrown four interceptions and one touchdown, and the Cyclones average 3.8 yards per rush.
Is it a setup?
"Coach (Kirk) Ferentz is going to have to do a very good job of convincing his players that Iowa State has the ability to beat them," Stouffer said. "Meyer is struggling, but he's obviously demonstrated in the past that he has the ability to take over a game."
Meyer's recent struggles could turn into an advantage for the Cyclones.
"When you see a team lose to Northern Iowa ... it's going to be very hard to get up," Sheridan said. "The only thing that would make it a rout would be if Iowa State truly has no talent, but I know they've got a great quarterback, a good receiver and a good junior college running back.
"They really do have some talent, and they're underperforming now."
The Hawkeyes could also be seeing red - Badger red.
Next week's Big Ten Conference opener at Wisconsin is a potential tone-setter that could propel Iowa toward a title run.
"The way the Big Ten is sorting out," Stouffer said, "that could very well be one of the games that determines the conference standings."
It could also be a distraction.
"The 100 percent effort here is going to come from Iowa State," Sheridan said. "It's not - underline the word not - coming from Iowa. Now the question is, does Iowa have enough talent over this team to compensate for showing up at 85 or 90 percent?
"I can't answer that."
