The Iowa State Cyclones visit the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa State moved to 1-0 by beating Southeast Missouri State 38-10, and Iowa is also 1-0, having shut out Northern Illinois 40-0.
Iowa State’s offense set the tone in that opener. The Cyclones passed for 195 yards and rushed for 108 as they scored 38 points while allowing 10.
Iowa’s defense set the tone in its own opener. The Hawkeyes held Northern Illinois to 67 rushing yards and 113 passing yards, while their offense passed for 218 yards and rushed for 289.
Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.
How to Watch Iowa State vs. Iowa
- When: Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
- TV: NBC
- Stream: Peacock
Players to Watch
Iowa’s ground game set the tempo in a 40-0 rout of Northern Illinois, and Moulton was the biggest reason why. He carried just 11 times but piled up 183 yards and two touchdowns, an explosive debut that immediately makes him the focal point of the Hawkeyes’ offense heading into the Cy-Hawk rivalry. Iowa State’s defense forced two fumbles and an interception in its opener, so ball security will matter, but Moulton’s big-play speed gives Iowa a way to control the clock against a Cyclones team that just changed coaches under Jimmy Rogers. A heavy workload for Moulton likely means Iowa is dictating the game’s pace early.
Iowa State’s offseason quarterback swap already looks like a smart bet. Raynor, who arrived from Arkansas State, accounted for four total touchdowns in his Cyclones debut, completing 8 of 16 passes for 184 yards and two scores while adding two more on the ground in a 38-10 win over Southeast Missouri State. Now he faces a far tougher test in a road trip to Kinnick Stadium against an Iowa defense that limited Northern Illinois to 120 total yards. Raynor’s dual-threat ability gives him a way to extend drives if Iowa State’s offensive line struggles to hold up, and his legs could be the equalizer in a hostile rivalry environment.
Efficiency, not volume, defined Dominic Overby’s season opener. He caught just two passes against Southeast Missouri State but turned them into 85 yards, showing the kind of big-play ability Iowa State will need if Raynor is forced into obvious passing situations against Iowa’s defense. The Hawkeyes surrendered only 120 yards of total offense in their opener, so explosive plays through the air could be Iowa State’s best answer to a defense that is otherwise selling out to stop the run. If Overby can turn a handful of targets into chunk yardage again, it keeps the Cyclones competitive on the road.
The Auburn transfer got the first crack at Iowa’s ongoing quarterback competition and made the most of it, completing 12 of 20 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown in the win over Northern Illinois. Brown now leads Iowa into a Cy-Hawk matchup against a Cyclones defense that already produced three sacks and forced three turnovers in its own opener. How Brown handles pressure and protects the ball will go a long way toward determining whether Iowa’s quarterback battle stays open or starts to settle. A clean, turnover-free performance would strengthen his case as the Hawkeyes’ full-time starter.
Iowa State vs. Iowa Odds
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