Official word came today from the Iowa and Iowa State athletic departments that the series between the schools’ football teams that has been played every year since 1977 will continue at least through 2017.

Not a real big surprise.

There had been some talk that Iowa was going to discontinue the series, and there was some question as to when the old contract was due to expire. In the end, it appears as though everyone is happy with the agreement, which will continue to pay 20 percent of ticket revenue to the visiting team for the next five years. After that, according to the release from ISU, the revenue sharing will be more in line with traditional home-and-home series.

As I said, it comes as no real surprise that Iowa and ISU extended the contract. When the state legislature stepped in and demanded the rivalry be renewed in 1977 — after it had not been played since 1934 — the message was pretty well sent that this thing was going to happen whether or not the parties were in favor. And why not? It’s a healthy rivalry for the fans and the citizens of a state where college football is king. Why not let the two premier programs in the state go head to head for bragging rights? (No offense to those FCS folks up in Cedar Falls who had the best team in the state last season.) It gives fans something to talk about for a week, it gives the media something to write about and it gives significance to an otherwise meaningless nonconference game.

I can see why Iowa might balk at the chance to play what is perceived to be — and, honestly, should be — a much weaker program. Iowa is, as they say in Columbus, Ohio, THE University of Iowa. It’s the Hawkeye state, right? Iowa has all the resources and tradition to dominate the series. So, much like playing your little brother in 1-on-1 in the driveway, if the Hawkeyes win, the line on the street and in the newspapers is, “Well, of course they should win.” And if they lose, like they’ve done seven of the past 10 years — including six of nine under Kirk Ferentz — it’s a disgrace. I can see why Ferentz, AD Gary Barta and others wearing black and gold would want to avoid such a series.

As for the Cyclones, I can even understand why a new coach like Gene Chizik might not want to keep it going – though, as I understand it, the folks at ISU love this thing much more than those at Iowa. The problem for ISU is that this game takes on so much more meaning than a typical nonconference game, and, as was the case last year, it often defines an entire season. If Chizik is going to turn the program around and make it relevant in the Big 12 again, those eight conference games have to be the most important of the season. The “at least we beat Iowa” line isn’t going to be enough. And another thing, a program like ISU that is trying to get back to a bowl game needs every nonconference gimme it can get. So, taking on a perceivably superior team like Iowa doesn’t really make sense. But, then again, it hasn’t hurt them in seven of the past 10 seasons.  

So, maybe from the outside looking in this series doesn’t make sense. Maybe the Hawkeyes and Cyclones would be better served if the ”which team is better argument” was only debated on bar stools and not decided on the field. Maybe both programs would be better off.

Come on … in the college football vacuum from Iowa City to Ames, this thing makes perfect sense.

And it will for another 10 years.       

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 pm and is filed under Hawkeyes Football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.