How do you make an Iowa Hawkeye football fan's blood boil? You show them this play from last year's matchup against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The "fair catch" that was heard around the college football world. If you notice...fair catch was used in quotes. This was easily one of, if not the, most controversial calls in college football last season. Minnesota holds the all-time record in this matchup with 63 wins and 52 losses, according to Gopher Sports but Iowa has absolutely dominated this matchup in recent years.

In the last 10 matchups, Iowa is 8-2 and if you remove the "fair catch" call from last season, it would most likely be 9-1, barring some sort of miracle finish by the Gophers at the end of the game last season.

Eagle 102.3 logo
Get our free mobile app

I'm not sure what fans of both teams are expecting from these two teams this season. Both teams are 2-1 and have lost to teams that they probably should've beaten, at least on paper. The Hawkeyes lost to the Cyclones at Kinnick Stadium and the Gophers lost to North Carolina in Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium.

ESPN

I personally don't think it would be surprising at all if either the Iowa Hawkeyes or Golden Gophers finished the season with a few surprising wins or a few heartbreaking losses. I think the Hawkeyes should finish with a better record but in college football, you never know. With how the Hawkeyes offense has looked once they enter Big 10 play the past couple of years, you never really know what to expect each week.

With the Gophers, you never know which team you're going to get and with a new QB, I wouldn't be surprised to if Minnesota finished with only 5 wins by the end of the season. What makes this matchup so special is, that you can throw all of the records out of the window.

If you ask ESPN who they predict will win the game...you can literally flip a coin. What makes this matchup exciting every year is the records don't seem to matter going into the game. Even tho Iowa will be on the road this Saturday, ESPN analytics have them as a slight favorite.

If you're someone who gambles on sports...I would completely stay away from this matchup. I've never seen ESPN analytics have a matchup this close. The Hawkeyes are favored at 50.1%. This is the smallest possible measurement someone can be favored in a game.

The Hawkeyes will play in Minnesota, under the lights, this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 pm as Iowa looks to get revenge for how the game ended last season and bring Floyd back home to Iowa City.

Give us your score predictions in the comments! I hate to say this but this might be the least interested in this game I've been in a long time. It's a fun rivalry game and I'll surely be watching but for some reason, neither of these teams is giving me a ton of excitement early this season...maybe that's just me?

Iowa Hawkeyes Vs. Troy Trojans September 14, 2024

The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Troy Trojans, 38 to 21, on September 14, 2024. I took these pictures with my first press pass, thanks to U of I. After reviewing over 3,000 pictures I think these are decent enough to share. I hope you enjoy them.

Gallery Credit: Sloppy Joe

10 Favorite Things About Fall in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois

We all have a favorite season but when it comes to fall, there are so many amazing moments that bring this season to the top. Smells, tastes, and memorable moments are all top picks according to a survey done by Stuffed Puffs marshmallows and below are the top 10.

Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio

More From Eagle 102.3