Over the past six seasons the Iowa Hawkeyes has been to five bowl games and emerged as one of the Big Ten’s better programs. The Iowa State Cyclones have been to two and haven’t won more than three games since 2012.

Yet, when it comes to the inter-state rivalry between the two, each side is knotted at three wins apiece. The Hawkeye State’s biggest showdown often defies traditional wisdom; another big upset could be in store when the two teams meet for the Cy-Hawk trophy Saturday at Noon (ET) on ESPN2 (live stream).

Time, TV channel, and streaming info

• Time: Noon (ET)
• Location: Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa
• TV: ESPN2
• Streaming: Watch ESPN
• Odds: Iowa is favored by 1.5 points.

Iowa vs. Iowa State news:

• Iowa’s new football tradition is waving to kids in Iowa City’s nearby children’s hospital and — ohm man — that’s delightful

There is a hospital — University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, to be specific — that overlooks the football stadium. Well, the home crowd started a tradition on Saturday after the first quarter, one in which the entire Hawkeye crowd waved to the children’s hospital. The whole thing made for a touching scene, to say the least.

• Iowa earned three votes in last week’s AP poll, which means maybe they’re on the rise, but currently they’re just slightly better than Navy and Vanderbilt.
• Northern Iowa is a solid FCS team, so Iowa State’s season-opening win gave some solid insights into the 2017 Cyclone squad.

Play calling was a bit safe, but they plays were there and success was more so a matter of execution. To counter, the offense did move the ball at will in the second half using various offensive linemen.

• Iowa State’s rising roster found its rhythm last week — does that mean a big performance is in store for Saturday’s rivalry game?

The Cyclones probably performed better than most expected, especially in the trenches, and improved throughout in each phase which had a slow start. Cyclone fans should be pleased with the performance in a comfortable win, and knowing that many the issues the Cyclones faced on Saturday will fix themselves as the season goes on.

Iowa vs. Iowa State prediction:

Iowa State is trending upward after being lost in the woods for the past five seasons, as a young, but experienced, roster grows. However, Iowa’s ability to make potential 2018 first-round draft pick Josh Allen look bad (23-40, two INTs) doesn’t bode well for the Cyclones. Jacob Park looked great against Northern Iowa, but the second-year starting quarterback will struggle against the Hawkeyes, who look like the better team early in 2017.