For the 42nd-straight year, Iowa will take on its in-state rival, Iowa State. This will be the 66th time the two teams will meet, and Iowa has the upper hand in the series, 43-22. The Hawkeyes are on a three-game winning streak against the Cyclones.

Last year’s game between the two was one to remember, with Iowa getting the better of Iowa State, 44-41, in overtime. As is often the case, the final score doesn’t tell the whole story — both teams held at least a 10-point lead at some point in the second half, and both came back.

467: Yards against Iowa in 2017

At the helm will be quarterback Kyle Kempt, who played in nine games last season (eight starts) and threw for 1,787 yards and 15 touchdowns with just 3 interceptions.

If Iowa hopes to win the game Saturday, its defense is going to have to play a lot better than it did last season, especially in the secondary. While Iowa State fared well on the ground in last season’s Cy-Hawk contest, it was even better in the air, putting up 347 passing yards and scoring 4 touchdowns.

Star tailback David Montgomery had an incredibly successful campaign last year as a true freshman, picking up 1,146 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns. He started every game last year, and with four returning offensive linemen, he seems to be in for just as good a season.

194: Average Hawkeye rushing yards against ISU

A major part of the Cyclones’ success last season was the improved defense. Although it didn’t have a good showing in last year’s game against the Hawkeyes, it allowed a solid 10 points fewer per game in 2017 than it did in 2016.

The bulk of Iowa State’s defensive success started with its defensive line, which figures to be just as impressive, if not more, this season.

Iowa has averaged 194 rushing yards per game against Iowa State over the past five seasons, and four of those games ended with a Hawkeye victory. The situation seems ripe to put up numbers similar to that this year, because it appears the Cyclones will be starting a true freshman at middle linebacker.

8-5: Matt Campbell’s 2017 record

One thing that Iowa should’ve taken away from that contest is that Iowa State is no longer a cakewalk; Matt Campbell has turned Iowa State into a formidable foe.

In Campbell’s second year as coach of the Cyclones, he won eight games, the second-most in school history and the most since 2000. He also led them to their first bowl win in eight years.