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Iowa football 2023 early opponent preview: Iowa State
Cyclones looking to rebound from 4-8 season
Editor’s note: Second in a 12-part series previewing Iowa’s 2023 football opponents
IOWA CITY — It had been a while since the Cy-Hawk Trophy was away from the Iowa football facility.
But the Hawkeyes’ seven-year streak against their in-state rival came to an end last year following a 10-7 loss at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa’s opportunity to retake the traveling trophy on Sept. 9 will involve a Cyclone team looking to bounce back from an adverse 2022 season.
The Cyclones were 4-8 overall and 1-8 in Big 12 play — their worst finish in the Big 12 since 2014. For the first time since Matt Campbell’s first season in Ames, Iowa State did not go to a bowl.
Unsurprisingly after the down year, outside expectations are low for Iowa State.
National college football writer Phil Steele forecasted the Cyclones to be ninth in the Big 12, and Athlon Sports slotted them 10th in the conference.
Iowa State has the benefit of eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters returning in 2023, though.
Quarterback Hunter Dekkers had some impressive moments in his first season leading the Cyclones’ offense, completing 66 percent of his passes while throwing 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Rocco Becht, J.J. Kohl and junior college transfer Tanner Hughes also could be in the conversation at QB in 2023.
Elsewhere on the offense, running back Jirehl Brock averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his first year as a starter despite working behind an offensive line that struggled. Brock will be a senior this year.
Iowa State will be looking to replace star wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, who was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award and a first-team All-American.
Jaylin Noel is likely to take on the WR1 role this year while Eastern Kentucky transfer Jayden Higgins could be another name to watch at the position.
The defensive line lost Will McDonald IV and M.J. Anderson to the NFL, and Gerry Vaughn is the only returning starter on the linebacker corps.
Most of the secondary is intact from last season, though. Four of five starters are back in 2023, including second-team all-Big 12 honoree T.J. Tampa.
Iowa vs. Iowa State: 3 things to watch
- Iowa’s defensive line vs. Iowa State’s offensive line. The Hawkeyes’ defensive line should be a strength again in 2023 despite losing Lukas Van Ness to the NFL. Iowa State’s offensive line, meanwhile, is returning four of five starters.
- Cade McNamara vs. Iowa State’s secondary. Iowa State’s secondary serves as a better measuring stick of how the McNamara-led passing attack is faring than either of Iowa’s other non-conference games.
- Who all is available? If any football player suspensions result from Iowa and Iowa State’s sports wagering investigations, it could potentially have an impact on the Sept. 9 Cy-Hawk game.
2023 prognosis
The last five Cy-Hawk games have been decided by 10 or fewer points. This year’s matchup has the potential to be another close game, but at the end of the day, Iowa is definitely the favorite to take the Cy-Hawk Trophy back to Iowa City.
Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com
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