Iowa State Football

According to the Toledo Blade's Nicholas Piotrowicz, the Iowa State Cyclones hired former Toledo Rockets football head coach Matt Campbell to the same position early Sunday morning.

The team has not disclosed the contract figures.

The hiring comes less than a week after the Cyclones fired former head coach Paul Rhoads, who had been at the position for seven years. Rhoads coached Iowa State to losing seasons in six of those seven years. 

At Toledo, the 36-year-old Campbell led the Rockets to winning seasons in each of his four full years and won a pair of bowl games with the MAC school, compiling a 35-15 record. 

Toledo offered Campbell a contract that would have made him the highest-paid coach in the MAC on Saturday, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). 

Piotrowicz described the kind of coach Iowa State is getting:

To his players, he's very, very honest. Every player in his program knows where he stands, good or bad. He does not shortcut. He'll recruit above his weight class and the kids will get better under his program. He inspires a lot of loyalty from the people he's around. He's not always forthcoming with media, but I've always believed him a good man.

Per Piotrowicz, Campbell will be in Iowa on Sunday. 

Iowa State, which has struggled to be relevant in the Big 12 for much of its existence, needed a change. The Cyclones haven't won more than six games in any of the last six seasons, and they haven't been bowl-eligible since 2012.

Bringing Campbell into a power conference, Iowa State looks as though it is confident that he can help turn things around.

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.

After seven years with the school, Paul Rhoads is out as head coach of the Iowa State Cyclones. 

Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman and ESPN's Brett McMurphy both reported the news Sunday afternoon, though McMurphy added that he will still coach the Cyclones' final game against West Virginia on Saturday.

Iowa State went on to confirm the decision, via Brandon Chatmon of ESPN.

The news doesn't come as a major surprise after the Cyclones missed out on a bowl game for the third straight season. And more so than simply failing to qualify for a bowl game, ISU simply wasn't competitive toward the end of Rhoads' reign.

Iowa State won five games between 2013 and 2014 and showed little progress in 2015, picking up just three overall wins. The standards for the Cyclones aren't as high as for other Big 12 schools, but it became apparent the program wasn't headed in the right direction.

The school gambled when it signed Rhoads to a 10-year extension in December 2011, roughly a month after the Cyclones upset the then-No. 2 Oklahoma State Cowboys. Even if contracts are often ripped up and rarely fulfilled in college football, seeing a team commit to a head coach for 10 years is almost unheard of.

Given Iowa State's history—or lack thereof—on the football field, you can understand why it felt such a pressing need to secure what it thought was a promising head coach. Plus, a $1.6 million base salary wasn't altogether unreasonable for a Big 12 head coach.

What the extension did instead was tie Iowa State to a good but not great head coach and saddled the program with a hefty buyout in order to send Rhoads packing.

Whereas that win over Oklahoma State looked to be the start of something special in Ames, it was instead Rhoads' one moment in the spotlight.

The problem for Iowa State is that finding a replacement won't exactly be easy. As Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel noted in October, it feels as though an unusual number of schools have openings at the moment:

https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/653743622328717312

The Cyclones will have a lot of competition for many of the top candidates, which will make the hiring process even harder.

Also problematic for Iowa State is its place in the college football hierarchy. The renovations to the Bergstrom Football Complex in 2012 provide the program with great facilities, but that only goes so far toward luring top recruits.

The Cyclones haven't had a winning season since 2009, and they haven't cracked the Associated Press' Top 25 poll in a decade. Not to mention, the program hasn't won 10 games ever in its history.

Becoming a consistent contender in the Big 12 isn't impossible for Iowa State, but it's a years-long process. And when the school shows a modicum of success, holding on to the coaches who made it happen would prove difficult.

Even Baylor's rise under Art Briles started slowly, as the Bears went 4-8 in each of his first two seasons. He also had a talent like Robert Griffin III to help transform the team.

Meanwhile, Kansas' improbable 12-1 2007 campaign came six years into Mark Mangino's tenure.

Rhoads' replacement will likely be given plenty of time to try to work his magic, but he'll have an uphill road to climb to make the Cyclones nationally prominent again.

Former Washington State head coach Paul Wulff is returning to a collegiate sideline. Wulff has agreed to become a volunteer coach under Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports.  

The hiring comes days after Rhoads fired offensive coordinator Mark Mangino following the Cyclones' 2-5 start. It's a situation that had been festering for a while, as Rhoads' desire for a run-first offense clashed with Mangino's pass-heavy system. 

“The things that we haven’t gotten on the same page with—it’s been ongoing for several weeks,” Rhoads said, per Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register. “We’ve been trying to work that out. In the end, we could not come to a conclusion together—and he decided not to accept the direction that we wanted to go.”

Bleacher Report's Bryan Fischer isn't sold on the move:

I’ve seen Paul Wulff offenses before. I’m not sure firing Mangino and installing Wulff/Todd Sturdy makes much sense for Paul Rhodes.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 29, 2015

Wulff, 48, most recently served as South Florida's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2014. He was fired after a 4-8 season in which the Bulls ranked 120th in yards per game and tied for 119th in points per game. Before arriving in South Florida, he was an offensive assistant under Jim Harbaugh with the San Francisco 49ers—a job he landed after being fired at Washington State.

The Cougars went 9-40 in Wulff's four seasons as head coach, and he left with the lowest winning percentage in school history. He previously had a semi-successful eight-year run as the head coach at Eastern Washington, posting a 53-40 record that included three playoff appearances.

Based on his recent failures, though, it's hard to see Wulff coming in midseason and suddenly fixing all that ails Iowa State. The Cyclones have lost each of their last three games by three scores and play two of their next three games against ranked opponents.

It's not exactly an ideal situation.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerocnway22) on Twitter.

Iowa State head football coach Paul Rhoads announced Thursday that defensive lineman Mitchell Meyers has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Mitchell Meyers diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. #CyclONEnation http://t.co/TvxUBkPkAx pic.twitter.com/UcqVkDWwtB

— Iowa State Football (@CycloneFB) February 12, 2015

Cyclones.com had the news in an official release, which included comments from Rhoads.   

"Mitchell's immediate health is our most important concern right now," said Rhoads. "I have no doubt that Mitchell will attack this with a positive mindset and strong determination. He also will have 100 percent support from the Iowa State football family and Cyclone Nation."

Iowa State tight end E.J. Bibbs and defensive graduate assistant Derek Hoodjer expressed support for Meyers:

My bro @mitchell_meyers who's batting Lymphoma. I know you will when the fight without a doubt . Love you bro pic.twitter.com/ZQYkupiMmi

— EJ BIBBS (@EjbibbsGLA) February 12, 2015

Our family member @MeyersMitchell is as tough of a person as I've ever been around. He proved that all Fall. And is going to prove it again!

— Derek Hoodjer (@DerekHoodjer) February 12, 2015

Meyers expressed gratitude for those who had reached out to him:

I want to thank everyone for the support and encouragement I have received. I am determined to embrace the process and fight this with a positive attitude. I have decided to stay here in Ames for my treatments so I can remain in school and be around my teammates. I have the greatest teammates in the world. It's been humbling to see their care and words of encouragement. I would love to be able to play football at Iowa State again, but right now my focus is on my health.

An encouraging diagnosis from Iowa State team physician Dr. Marc Shulman indicated that Meyers' condition is in a treatable stage, with a 90 percent curing rate. Shulman added Meyers has commenced chemotherapy treatment already.

The Mayo Clinic explains that Hodgkin's Lymphoma is the less common of two types of lymphatic system cancer, which impacts the immune system. It also notes that advanced treatments and diagnosis have made full recovery rates higher.

Meyers is a rising redshirt junior from The Woodlands, Texas, who thrives on the gridiron as well as in the classroom. He has been named an academic All-Big 12 selection for two years running as a supply chain management major (h/t Cyclones.com).

The 6'4", 262-pound Meyers has shown the versatility to play inside and outside along the Cyclones' defensive front, racking up 30 total tackles in 2014.

As Rhoads and Meyers mentioned, Meyers' health is the chief concern before any future football implications can be surmised.    

The TCU Horned Frogs sit on the verge of making the College Football Playoff. At 10-1 straight up and 9-2 against the spread, the Horned Frogs will finish out their regular season at home Saturday afternoon against 2-9 Iowa State.

The Horned Frogs are big favorites for this one, and covering the spread wouldn't be a bad way to impress the playoff committee.

 

Point spread: The Horned Frogs opened as 33-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

 

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 42.2-17.9 Horned Frogs

 

Why the Iowa State Cyclones can cover the spread

The Cyclones are 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS over their last five games, but they've had chances to make some cash.

Two weeks ago, ISU led Texas Tech by 10 points in the third quarter and by four points late into the fourth quarter before giving up the game-winning score. And last week, as 10-point dogs, the Cyclones led West Virginia 21-7 in the second quarter before giving up 30 of the last 33 points in a 37-24 defeat.

If Iowa State can get a full 60-minute effort, continued good play from quarterback Sam Richardson, perhaps 100 yards from running back Aaron Wimberly and some containment on defense, it could easily cover this spread.

 

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

The Frogs not only took care of business last week at Texas, but they also earned the necessary style points to stick right near the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings. TCU led 20-3 through three quarters but, perhaps sensing it hadn't done quite enough, scored four times in the fourth for a gaudy final score of 48-10.

Quarterback Trevone Boykin accounted for 280 yards and three scores, and the defense held the 'Horns to 290 yards while forcing six turnovers. The Frogs have already won five games this season by 30 or more points, and they know the committee will be watching Saturday's game closely.

 

Smart pick

Motivation means everything in this spot, and the Frogs can't afford to call off the dogs. So the smart money here resides with TCU, giving the big points.

 

Betting trends

• Iowa State is 1-4 SU in its last five games when playing TCU.
• TCU is 5-0 ATS in its last five games at home.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates, and get the free odds tracker app.

Mark Mangino believes he's in a good place. He didn't say so specifically, but he didn't have to. It's hard not to notice the excitement in his voice.

And the laughter. He chuckles a lot. 

"I define my own happiness," he said. "I don’t have others do it for me."

It's the attitude of a man doing what he loves with the people he loves. 

Three months ago, Mangino agreed to join Paul Rhoads' staff as Iowa State's offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, marking his official return to the Big 12. He's joined by his son, Tommy Mangino, who is the team's wide receivers coach. 

Before that, Mangino spent one year at his alma mater, Youngstown State, also coaching tight ends. 

But Mangino is mainly known for his eight years as the head coach at Kansas. From 2002-09, he guided the Jayhawks to a 50-48 record—mind-boggling given the program's lowly recent history—including a 12-1 season in 2007 that ended in an Orange Bowl win over Virginia Tech. 

Sandwiched in between tenures in Lawrence, Kan., and Youngstown, Ohio, however, was a three-year stint in which Mangino accomplished his greatest mission. 

The Traveler

Mangino's coaching resume has taken him everywhere from Youngstown to Norman, Okla., and now to Ames, Iowa. But only after he was let go from Kansas in December 2009 did he really travel. 

It could have been that he needed some time away. Mangino and Kansas parted ways amid allegations of player mistreatment—and on the heels of a seven-game losing streak that put the Jayhawks at 5-7. It was the first losing season for the program since 2004. 

So Mangino and his wife, Mary Jane, left Lawrence and moved to a house in Naples, Fla. They didn't stay there full time, however; they traveled extensively.

Among the sites Mangino and his wife visited included the Battle of Vicksburg in Mississippi, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn. and even Mount Airy, N.C, the fictional home of The Andy Griffith Show. 

Priorities.

There were family trips too. Mangino's daughter lived in the Tulsa area, and there were more relatives to visit in his home state of Pennsylvania. 

"It provided time for our family to pull closer together," Mangino said. "It allowed me to be the father and grandfather that I wanted to be and was trying to be when I was working long hours.

"We got to do things together as a family that we had not been able to do—maybe ever."

It was a complete departure from the coaching lifestyle. There was no rush. Mangino and his wife could do things at their pace. For the first time in decades, it was all about them. 

"My wife likes to think that my departure from Kansas was a blessing in disguise." 

Was it?

"Absolutely." 

The Family Man

The time away from football allowed Mangino to concentrate on his personal life. Not long into his sabbatical, however, his focus shifted outward. 

In 2011, Mary Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It's in remission now, and she goes in for regular checkups, but there was a time when the outlook was scarier. Mangino describes the chance to be with her during that time as a "blessing." 

He wanted that same chance for his son. As Tommy began showing interest in following his dad's professional footsteps, the longtime coach tried to discourage it. 

The life of a college football coach is taxing. There is practice, game preparation, more game preparation, recruiting trips, even more game preparation and university events to attend. Often lost in that schedule is a coach's family. 

"Tom was strong academically. I thought there were other things he could do that would free him up when he had a family," Mangino said. "He had a lot of things going for him that he could have pursued with his academic background.

"But, his mother sided with him."

So Tommy began coaching. He was an offensive graduate assistant at Kansas for two seasons (2008-09), an assistant at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College for three and a grad assistant at Arkansas in 2013. 

The path followed his father's description of the business perfectly. 

"I told him he would have to pay his dues. He would have to coach a lot of hours doing tasks that weren’t fun," Mangino explained. "He would probably have to go into the high school or junior college ranks. If he wanted to get into the Division I ranks, he would have to be a graduate assistant a couple of times."

Tommy has a wife, Danielle, and one son, Vinny. As hard as the coaching profession can be on family life, three generations of Manginos are in Ames—together. 

The Homecoming King

Mangino says he keeps in contact with several former players, including those from Kansas. In a way, they are an extension of his family 

In 2013, he got a call from a former player. This one was different from the others, though. 

Eric Wolford, the head coach at Youngstown State and a former player under Mangino at Kansas State, had a job offer. 

"He wanted me to come back and help him out," Mangino said. 

Mangino, a 1987 graduate of Youngstown State, was thrilled. He believed he was in a place where he had options. This was the right option at the right time. Youngstown was home to him and many of his friends. 

The caveat, however, was that he could commit only for a year, and Mangino doesn't like being a one-and-done coach. 

Wolford didn't mind.

"In fact," Mangino recalled Wolford saying, "he didn't think I was going to be there for more than one year."

Ten months later, Rhoads called to inquire about an opening on his coaching staff. 

The Coach

Though Mangino didn't have an extensive history with Rhoads, it's not lacking significance. 

They coached against each other once before in 2009, a 41-36 win by the then-No. 16 Jayhawks. It was the last time Mangino won a game in Lawrence. 

Now working for Rhoads, Mangino enjoys being back in control of an offense. While many principles of offense are constant, the game has evolved. Mangino's time away from the game didn't mean he was out of the loop, though. 

"You have to stay in tune to the trends, you have to educate yourself," he said. "So during my time off from the game, I visited various programs and NFL teams. I studied a lot of video and talked to a lot of people. I watched some games on TV and in person, and observed practices.

"I stayed on the cutting edge." 

Mangino's playbook isn't thick. He doesn't believe in it. Rather, he's more focused on discipline and getting the little things right. 

Iowa State's offense needs help, there's no doubt about that. Last season, the Cyclones ranked ninth in the Big 12 in points per game and eighth in rushing offense and total offense. Mangino was hired because of his acumen with a locker room whiteboard. 

There will be tough times, of course. By his own admission, his team meetings are hard work. What he wants, though, is to have fun. The interaction between players and coaches, he explains, is something that isn't understood by the general public. 

"The players, they keep you young," Mangino chimes enthusiastically. "I may not know the names of the songs, but I know the beat to every contemporary country song, pop song and hip-hop song.

"I’m up on the latest phrases, so when I say them to the players while walking in the hall, they get a kick out of it."

The Happiest Man Alive

Five years ago, Mangino's future as a college football coach seemed uncertain at best. Now, he's back in the Big 12. 

It would be easy to assume that he's angling for another head coaching job. If he can get things turned around with the Cyclones, more likely than not some program will offer him a chance. 

Without a doubt, Mangino would seriously entertain such an offer. But, for now, he's put it out of his mind. 

"I live for the present and I’m mindful of the future," he claimed. "I’m locked in to the task at hand." 

For three years, Mangino's task was reconnecting with his family, something that understandably slips through the cracks over the years. He seems content with where his life has taken him. The things that matter most have been taken care of. 

The rest is ultimately secondary. 

"My career will not be incomplete if I don’t get another head coaching job," he said confidently. "I’ve had a great ride."

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football at Bleacher Report. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. 

Iowa State's offensive efforts have been hindered by a variety of reasons so far this season, one being that quarterback Sam Richardson has been playing hurt. 

The sophomore sustained an ankle injury in Week 1 in a loss to Northern Iowa and has been battling with it ever since. Though Richardson would rack up 260 yards passing in a Week 3 loss to Iowa—much of it late in the game—it was obvious he didn't look comfortable throwing or running the ball. 

The Cyclones received a much-needed second bye week Saturday—rare for this early in the year—for Richardson and starting center Tom Farniok, who has a sprained MCL, to heal up in time for the game against Tulsa on Thursday. 

However, ISU coach Paul Rhoads said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference that Richardson will likely be dealing with his injury for a while. 

"Sam will be much better than he was in the Iowa game, but he’s far from healthy," Rhoads said via Dean Berhow-Goll of the Iowa State Daily. "It’s a lingering type of injury that may bother him throughout the course of the season.”

Keeping Richardson healthy going forward should be a priority for Rhoads, but a major problem is that there's been little to no run game so far.

Richardson is currently Iowa State's leading rusher with 86 yards on 29 carries. Against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Richardson had just 12 yards on eight carries while looking visibly limited. 

The Cyclones' running backs and offensive line haven't helped out. Running the ball was an issue last year for Iowa State and things haven't improved. Running backs this year have combined to average just 3.6 yards per carry.

Richardson may look better against Tulsa next week, but if his ankle is going to be a lingering problem like Rhoads says, there's no way he's going to be able to lead the team in rushing attempts the entire year and not miss some game time in the process. 

If Richardson does go down with an injury, who steps up? The Cyclones are young at quarterback with three freshmen and one redshirt sophomore, Brandon Horbach. In any case, none of the other quarterbacks on the roster have attempted a pass at the collegiate level. 

For as rough as Iowa State has looked on offense, it could get much worse if Richardson isn't on the field. Making a bowl seems like a long shot for this team as it is and that's with Richardson at less than 100 percent. 

It will likely be a long year for Iowa State if Richardson cannot get fully healthy again.

This is an annual tradition of late summer, one of the fine early season college football games on the crop checkered prairies of the middle west. There is the bright, warm sun, and the oceans of corn rolling ripe over the land. The leisurely afternoon tailgates around the stadiums are tremendous feasts; what Hayden Fry liked to call "high porch picnics." 

Iowa State has become a much tougher football team in the last several years, and especially feisty in this game. Growing up, I used to go back and forth between these stadiums and watch Iowa administer beatings at both ends. The second to last game I saw the Hawkeyes won in Ames, 63-20. But just two years later, the last one I saw in person, Iowa State won at home, 17-10. It was a sign of things to come.

Last year it was triple overtime, and an almost mythical performance from Cyclones' hero Steele Jantz that decided the game. The 44-41 Cyclones' victory compelled State ahead 8-to-7 in the last 15 meetings. That 15-year cycle is important, because in the preceding 15, Iowa was unbeaten. State has not won in Iowa City since 2002. Iowa leads the series overall, 39-20.

"They took advantage of mistakes, and, quite frankly, outplayed and out coached us," head coach Kirk Ferentz said this week to the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Cyclones' quarterback Jantz spoke to the Gazette, too: “You’re either a Cyclone fan or a Hawkeye fan,” Jantz said. “It just means so much to the fans. Cyclone fans really want to win and Hawkeye fans really want to win. That’s where I get the biggest sense for what this means.”

But it must be a little brother, underdog mentality that keeps the fire in State, because whereas Hawkeyes' fans generally root for the Cyclones in every game they're not playing against Iowa, Iowa State fans almost universally loath the Hawkeyes. I've always had the impression that Iowa losses felt almost as good to Cyclone fans as their own wins did.

But that may change under head coach Paul Rhoads, who is beginning his fourth season with the Cyclones, if they continue to improve and establish a tradition of their own. State was playing in front of 50,000 people at every home game last season, a huge improvement from the old game-day atmosphere at Jack Trice Stadium.

Since Rhoads has been with State they've beaten Nebraska in Lincoln, Texas at Austin, and last year the Cyclones kept Oklahoma State from the national championship game when they scored 17 consecutive second half points and vanquished the Cowboys in overtime in a memorable Thursday night game at Ames. 

Though Rhoads' record is 9-16 in Big 12 play, and 19-20 overall, the record belies what is going on at State. In 120 years of football, the Cyclones have played in 11 bowl games, yet Rhoads has led them there two of the last three years—missing the trifecta by one game in 2010—and won over Minnesota in the 2009 Insight Bowl. 

"Paul Rhoads had a really great idea of what he wanted to happen there," Ferentz told The Gazette. "They’ve built an identity. They have one on offense and defense and special teams. Personnel have improved every year. Very effective and tough to defend offensive package. Defense, they make you beat them."

The four trophy cases are empty in the locker room at Iowa City, where this game will be played. The Hawkeyes have not gotten up for their big rivalry games the last several years. The last two games against Minnesota, played for their finest trophy, the Floyd of Rosedale, have been among the flattest, most uninspired games I've ever seen Iowa play.

This year the Hawks' coaching staff has hung blown up photographs of the Cyclones celebrating last years' win. This is not a motivational tool generally employed at Iowa, but something has to change when your rivals are holding each of your traveling trophies.

“It’s a big game for us,” senior center James Ferentz told the Gazette. “It’s very important. It’s one we’ve been looking forward to all summer.

“If you want to be respected in your conference, you have to be respected in your state. Right now, we’re not the best team in the state, so Saturday, we’re eager to go out and try to change that.”

If the Hawkeyes' offense plays like it did last week against Northern Illinois, they probably will lose the game. Iowa quarterback James Vandenburg was unable to throw the ball more than five yards downfield. The Hawkeyes put the entire weight of the offense on sophomore running back Damon Bullock, who was making his first start. Beyond Bullock, defense and special teams were responsible for the win.

The offense is new, though, and Vandenburg may be better this week than he was last. He threw for more than 3,000 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, so there is potential for a break through.

Iowa's receivers may be good—we know Keenan Davis can run routes and catch—but there does not appear to be a guy who can sprint past the coverage and make a big grab downfield. The Hawkeyes are going to put a lot of throws into the hands of tight-end C.J. Fiedorowicz in the short and middle range. But three yard  outs and curls are not going to be enough to beat the Cyclones.

If Iowa is forced again to run their outside zone all day, they'll be playing against the strength of State's defense, which is their linebackers. Seniors A.J. Klein and Jake Knott, along with junior Jeremiah George are big, tough rovers for the Cyclones' behind the line of scrimmage.

The Hawkeyes will have to stop Jantz from running out of the pocket. They'll also have to reduce his completion percentage and yards as a passer. Jantz completed 32 of 45 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns last week against Tulsa. State was a home underdog in that game and just rolled the Golden Hurricane, 38-23. They looked much better beating Tulsa than Iowa looked escaping from Northern Illinois. 

If it isn't Jantz though, the Cyclones run with junior running backs Shontrelle Johnson and James White. Johnson went for 120 yards and a touchdown against Tulsa. White picked up 5.4 yards a carry and scored a touchdown of his own.

"Someone told me we were ten point favorites," said Ferentz. "Games get decided on the field. All that stuff is really overhyped. They had a very impressive win [last week]. I know what I have seen on film and I see a good football team."

Iowa State has always struggled to beat Iowa in Kinnick Stadium, but under Rhoads' the road has not been a wilderness of pain. Several of the programs all-time signature wins have come there. 

The game is going to be close. It may hinge on a good punt, a clutch field goal or a block. If State gets going on the ground and in the air, and shuts down Iowa's passing game, they probably will win.

If the Hawkeyes' can throw it, balancing out their running game, and keep Jantz from opening up the field with the pass so that Johnson and White have room to gallop, the Hawkeyes will reclaim the state championship, and snatch back that Cy-Hawk trophy, making those empty glass cases markedly less transparent.