By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette
IAsportz features ACGC vs. Panorama game
If you are not familiar with IAsportz media, and you are interested in high school athletics in the state of Iowa, I recommend you check it out. IAsportz is an independent media group that covers the major sports across Iowa with IAwrestle, IAfootball and IAbasketball. The organization does a great job getting video highlights of these sports across the state.
Last week, the IAfootball crew recorded the ACGC vs. Panorama football game. They posted the highlights HERE. If you have got 10 minutes to spare and were unable to catch the game, these are a fun watch. If you were there and wanted to rewatch some of the best moments, they are also worth a watch. The crew also captured Valley vs. Dowling in what is normally one of 5A’s biggest matchups of the season.
Cy-Hawk
The annual Cy-Hawk game is Saturday in Ames. No. 16 Iowa State and Iowa have drawn plenty of attention to this weekend’s matchup with Barstool Sports College Football Show coming to cover the game, as well as the national program, Big Noon Kickoff. Back in 2021, College GameDay came to Ames to cover the state’s biggest college football rivalry. This year’s game is pointing to be one of the most crucial in recent memory.
The longstanding balance between these two programs feels as though it has been flipped on its head in recent years — culturally, at least. Sadly, for me, the Hawkeyes have dominated this rivalry. Despite the fact that Matt Campbell has turned the Cyclones into one of the most consistent teams in the Big 12, he has only beaten Iowa twice. Some ISU fans argue that beating Iowa is not important. Even so, Iowa is normally, if not always, ISU’s toughest non-conference opponent and biggest rival. Beating Iowa absolutely matters. Campbell is 2-6 against the Hawkeyes, and has yet to beat them in Ames.
The good news for Campbell is that those two wins have come in the last three years. This season is as good as any to firmly plant the Cyclones as the best college football team in the state. The Cyclones are off to a good start with a tough win overseas against one of the Big 12’s best, followed by a dismantling of one the nation’s best FCS teams in South Dakota. While Iowa did win its game against Albany, 34-7, major questions remain about its offense. The newest solution at QB, Mark Gronowski, who is allegedly making seven figures in NIL money, managed to put up only 44 passing yards against an FCS school.
If Campbell is able to make a statement win with the majority of the college football world’s attention focused directly on his program, he will get one of the few remaining monkeys off his back. Then, there is no telling how high this Cyclone team can fly.
Reach out with comments, complaints or story ideas to cyote@dmcityview.com.