Dumb question from an outsider fan of your great program

[DutchyFunStar]

I generally hope all the schools listed above have good seasons. But there are only two schools I am glad to see lose. Nebraska and OSU. Nebraska fans were terribly cocky when they joined the conference printing conference champion shirts before they played a game. Now I will hope Nebraska wins their bowl game to represent the B1G well. But OSU on the other hand can lose every damn game they play and I would still be wishing the other team had scored more.

 

[Urohawk]

Wisconsin (again eastern Iowa bias), but it shouldn't even be close.

Some not so strong contributing factors:
It is a border state although not much area geographically.
The Heartland Trophy started in 2007 which is not a long time but trophies have to start somewhere.

Strong contributing factors:
Two former Iowa coaches went on to coach at Wisconsin to success
Wisconsin used to dominate the series pre1950s
Iowa rattled off a record of 17-0-1 from 1977-1996

Strongest factor:
Series record stands at 44-43-2 in favor of Wisconsin. It is competitive from both sides.

 

[Suburbian Hawk]

We have one rival. Rutgers.

 

[Urohawk]

We have one rival. Rutgers.

I think you mean Purdue!

 

[Suburbian Hawk]

I think you mean Purdue!

Could be Maryland?

 

[nu2u]

Gophers but Huskers are gaining fast.

When Hayden Fry arrived he circled the Minnesota game. He always had a little extra ready for the Gophers. Part of the reason, I think, is the longevity of the rivalry and it was always the last game of the season back then. It got pretty heated there for a couple years thanks to former MN coach Smokey Joe Salem.

Some classic games in the 80's and 90's and who could forget the goalposts. 55-0 was a blast. RIP Kinnick North.

 

[Bonnell20]

I grew up down highway 30 not too far from Ames so I have never liked ISU fans or have ever felt sorry for them being destroyed every year.

 

[RogerKint]

I wouldn't call ISU much of a rival. I would say Minnesota then Wisconsin. Big Ten teams are all bigger rivals than the clowns. Well, other than Maryland and Rutgers. Penn St. has even become a game I always look forward to.

ISU's main rival is Northern Iowa. They have quite a series going.

 

[pepsicock]

I had to laugh when I saw this . This is awesome



Inside the visitor's pink locker room inside Kinnick Stadium. Former Iowa coach Hayden Fry had the locker room painted pink.

Kinnick Stadium is well known for its pink visitors' locker rooms, a tradition started by emeritus Iowa coach Hayden Fry.[6] Believing that pink would put opponents in a "passive mood", and because he thought that some believed pink was a "sissy color", Fry had the visiting locker rooms decorated completely in the color pink.

One thing we didn't paint black and gold was the stadium's visitors locker room, which we painted pink. It's a passive color, and we hoped it would put our opponents in a passive mood. Also, pink is often found in girls' bedrooms, and because of that some consider it a sissy color.

Hayden Fry, Hayden Fry: A High Porch Picnic, p. 102[7]
The pink locker room tradition has been continued with the newly renovated locker rooms, which include everything from pink urinals to pink lockers. Controversy flared during the 2005 season when a visiting law professor, along with other university faculty and students protested the pink coloration as demeaning to women and homosexuals.[8][9][10] Despite these protests and with lots of student support, however, the locker room remains pink.

 

[hawkster03]

Listen up as the correct answer is right here:

ISU! Kirk Ferentz has a LOSING record against them! Every B10 team he has a winning record against other than osu.

ISU sucks yet the games are normally very close and somehow those maggots have come out on top more than we have.

IN STATE, for dang sakes. A good majority of the players on both sides are from Iowa. You mainly see two colors worn in this state by fans, black and gold and whatever you call that chit they wear. (cardinal?)

I don't care if the Nation doesn't give two chits about the game. Based on the above, ISU is Iowa's biggest rival.

PS Anyone that says Illinois is our biggest rival should be shot.

 

[Dauminator]

Honestly, I think most Iowa fans are self-delusional. I'm talking about those who try to talk up any and all other opponents besides Iowa State as a bigger rival, with sundry excuses as can be read here.

Yes, we have other border and conference rivals. But the fact is, our main rival is Iowa State. And it is not the lopsided affair it was in the past. They're in-state. They're in a different conference. We may have other contrived trophy games, but how many other schools have a contrived all-sports trophy? We butt heads on in-state recruits. Just look at the way fans, players, and media act and react to this game.

Heck, it took the threat of state legislative action to get the series restored after however many decades.

It's Iowa State, guys. Embrace it. Stop downplaying it like you don't care.

 

[Chewback]

The obvious answer is Purdue.

Yup. Our Designated Most Hated Rival. I don't know why anyone else is even mentioned.

 

[Chewback]

Gophers but Huskers are gaining fast.

When Hayden Fry arrived he circled the Minnesota game. He always had a little extra ready for the Gophers. Part of the reason, I think, is the longevity of the rivalry and it was always the last game of the season back then. It got pretty heated there for a couple years thanks to former MN coach Smokey Joe Salem.

Some classic games in the 80's and 90's and who could forget the goalposts. 55-0 was a blast. RIP Kinnick North.

Next to the unimaginable hatred that exists between Iowa and Purdue, Minnesota or Northwestern rank second, at least for their hatred of Iowa. Actually I think NW hates us more than Minny does.

 

[Cougar63]

For me personally, it's

1. Goldy
2. Minnesota
3. Minnesota again
4. Also Minnesota
5. Iowa State
6. Nebraska

After the student section was chanting. "We hate iowa" during a moment of silence for Bo Schemblecher, I have never hated a team more than I do Minnesota, and I am aware of the Yankees' existence

 

[greenelite]

1. Iowa State - It's really f'n embarassing to lose to them.
2. Wisconsin
3. Minnesota
4. Nebraska

That being said, I consider our main rival Michigan State. KF hates Dantonio.

 

[Johnny Trendelenberg]

Minnesota

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Main rival used to be Minnesota for like 80 yrs

 

[ottumwan in tx]

As someone mentioned, this is very geographical. If you were to poll Hawkeye fans based on where they lived in the state, it would probably go something like this:

Southeast Iowa - Illinois
Northeast Iowa - Wisconsin
North Iowa - Minnesota
Western Iowa - Nebraska
Central and Southern Iowa - Iowa State

no

 

[ANYCHawk]

Iowa State is our main rival, yes. Always played them early, no idea why.

Cause in Big Ten history it's been rare to play an out of conference game once Big 10 play starts.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Isu is not even close to the main rival because they went for years and years without even putting them on the schedule and there is always talk of ditching them again

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Living 20 minutes from Ames It's hard for me to like Cyclone fans even though I have a lot family who graduated from ISU, they're classy fans but I can't say the same for the rest of the fanbase. Nebby for me though is #1 by far and away, ISU is 2nd, Wisky is 3rd and I've never had a very strong hatred for Minny. But I am excited going to next week's game vs NDSU, their fans are FCS equivalent to Nebraska except actually relevant.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

Nebraska does not qualify due to lack of history with them

 

[IACentralHawk73]

Nebraska does not qualify due to lack of history with them

For me it's due to the unusually large Nebraska population around my town, I've hated Nebraska since I was little.

 

[bagdropper]

What I find ironic is for the most part the rest of the traditional B10 loathes Iowa big time. I chalk this up to that they cannot grasp the concept that a "runt" like Iowa can beat their school in literally anything. Football especially. I also believe the Hayden Fry years, when you had a coach that had no misgivings whatsoever to crush/kill/destroy teams like Indiana, Northwestern, Illinois, and Minnesota, etc - tended to amplify this loathing.

Hayden would pile on. And then some. I seem to recall Sam Wyche pulling his team together at midfield after the game after Iowa laid a whoopin' on them in IC. 1983 if my memory is good.

Remember what just happened here boys...

Minnesota I think is the leader at this by far though. Sid Hartman for decades has banged that drum the loudest. The guy flatly hates Iowa with a passion. It's obvious Pat Fitzgerald has a weed up his ass about Iowa also.

But yeah, ISU is our rival...but I'd almost consider it the reversal to the above. To Iowa fans, it's somewhat inconceivable to us that Iowa would lose to an ISU given that most years they plainly aren't good at all and Iowa is at least stronger.

They are a humiliating thorn more than anything else.

Ask any Iowa fan, what gives you more pleasure in any given year. Beating ISU, or beating a Wisconsin, OSU, Michigan, etc? They'll say those B10 foes darn near every time.

For me, it's OSU and Michigan. I sat through too many ass kickings as a kid to ever consider an ISU win more satisfying.

At one time as a kid, I NEVER thought I'd see Iowa beat them. The 1981 win over Michigan at the Big House and the win over OSU in 1983 changed that forever for me. I'll never, ever forget those wins.

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

Is Iowa St your main rival or Nebraska ? And why do you play Iowa St so early in the year. Thanks Iowa 45 Iowa St 13 Go Hawks

Frankly I want no part of playing a 2-9 team on Thanksgiving weekend. Nebraska at their worst will never get there. Iowa state would be there about half the time. Systematically, if you're Iowa, there is no reason to set this game up at the end of the season the way you guys do there. All the traditional rivalry games in the b1g that take place on that weekend are conference games and Iowa-Nebraska on Black Friday works for us a heck of a lot better than Iowa state would.

 

[mthawkeyes]

What I find ironic is for the most part the rest of the traditional B10 loathes Iowa big time. I chalk this up to that they cannot grasp the concept that a "runt" like Iowa can beat their school in literally anything. Football especially. I also believe the Hayden Fry years, when you had a coach that had no misgivings whatsoever to crush/kill/destroy teams like Indiana, Northwestern, Illinois, and Minnesota, etc - tended to amplify this loathing.

Hayden would pile on. And then some. I seem to recall Sam Wyche pulling his team together at midfield after the game after Iowa laid a whoopin' on them in IC. 1983 if my memory is good.

Remember what just happened here boys...

Minnesota I think is the leader at this by far though. Sid Hartman for decades has banged that drum the loudest. The guy flatly hates Iowa with a passion. It's obvious Pat Fitzgerald has a weed up his ass about Iowa also.

But yeah, ISU is our rival...but I'd almost consider it the reversal to the above. To Iowa fans, it's somewhat inconceivable to us that Iowa would lose to an ISU given that most years they plainly aren't good at all and Iowa is at least stronger.

They are a humiliating thorn more than anything else.

Ask any Iowa fan, what gives you more pleasure in any given year. Beating ISU, or beating a Wisconsin, OSU, Michigan, etc? They'll say those B10 foes darn near every time.

For me, it's OSU and Michigan. I sat through too many ass kickings as a kid to ever consider an ISU win more satisfying.

At one time as a kid, I NEVER thought I'd see Iowa beat them. The 1981 win over Michigan at the Big House and the win over OSU in 1983 changed that forever for me. I'll never, ever forget those wins.

The 2002 beatdown in the Big House was pretty satisfying, as was the 2004 drubbing of OSU at home.

I hope that either Wisconsin or Michigan are undefeated when they come to Iowa City. (It can't be both.) I'd really like to pop the Harbaugh bubble in November.

 

[dbrocket]

Is Iowa St your main rival or Nebraska ? And why do you play Iowa St so early in the year. Thanks Iowa 45 Iowa St 13 Go Hawks

I consider Iowa State our most intense rival. We have better rivalries with Minnesota, Wisconsin, and others (Michigan St. when we play regularly) but those are respectful (well, maybe not Minnesota).

Iowa State is different. I've hated Iowa State since I was like 7. It sickens me to lose to them. There's no "well, that was a well played game, good on them" when we lose to Iowa State. I'm angry. I feel weird about it whenever I think about it for weeks. And Iowa State fans love to remind you.

And I love it when we beat them. It's not euphoric like beating a really good team, just deeply satisfying, like the natural order of the world has been restored or maintained for another year.

 

[Eternal Return]

And those of us that grew up in eastern Iowa really hate Illannoy.

But they've sucked for so long now that I don't really think of games against them as any more significant than playing Indiana or Purdue. The late 80s/early 90s both programs were solid so the games had some meaning back then. Not sure if there's been a significantly meaningful game against the Illini in 20 years other than the typical importance of winning B1G games. I'm happy about this, though, because I used to hate Illinois. Now they're just a sad, mediocre to horrible shell of the slightly above average program they used to be. Bwahahahaha!

 

[Colonel Homer]

Purdue is the protected rival. http://www.thegazette.com/2011/07/22/legends-and-leaders-chapter

 

[unsubstantiated]

Process of Elimination: I'm from Dubuque, so WI, IL, NW, MN, ISU are the contenders.

Wisconsin sucked so bad back in the pre-Barry days. We throttled them regularly.
Illinois: They're just bad lately and have had some terrible streaks over the years.
Northwestern: We pounded them so thoroughly back in the 80's, Maybe going forward?
Minnesota: Has had some terrible teams and they NEVER compete for anything.
***yet they do often seem to give us fits, Border Rival, Floyd, etc.
ISU....after all of the asskickings we delivered to them back when the "rivalry" was renewed, and they NEVER compete for anything.
Nebraska: too new and I have such good memories of beating them in 82(?).

Too me, it was always tOSU (Beating us in 85, Bobby FU..... Olive, 28-0 at halftime, and they always compete for titles)
and Michigan (12-10 / #1vs #2 game, Beating them in 1990, The screwjob in '04?, the rivalry between Hayden and Bo.)
But those days are gone.


Past: Michigan
Current: Wisconsin
Future: Probably Nebraska

Honorable Mention: Northwestern, Minnesota

 

[millah_22]

From NW Iowa.

1. Iowa State
2. Minnesota
3. Wisconsin
4. Nebraska
5. Illinois

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

Neither IMO. ISU is a bit of a forced rivalry and Nebraska is too new to the conference to be considered a bitter rivalry...yet.

I'd say Minnesota & Wisconsin are both near the top of our current list of rivals we care about beating the most.

Wisconsin. With all the ex-coaches, that made it even more of a rival. Nebbie and ISU are distant 2nd & 3rd.

 

[ConvenientParking]

From northern Iowa.
1. Iowa State (hate - but not as a university, they are a credit to my state and they serve a lot of fellow Iowans very well)
2. Wisconsin (respect)
3. Nebraska (hate and respect - my family loves to remind me that while they were born in northern Iowa, I was born in Omaha)
4. Michigan State (along with UW, one of Iowa's best football series historically, sucks we won't see them as often in the future)
5. Minnesota (they have opportunity to climb this list now that they're not the last conference game - they are vastly improved from the Brewster years)

 

[TheSouthsider]

I would love to go Kinnick Stadium 1 time but I don,t know about November games . brrr. That is 1 of my bucket list things to do and a Green Bay game, sorry Qued 18 .But I do like Alshon Jeffery former Gamecock ,

I think you would enjoy IC mid october to early november,it's usually mild weather and the atmosphere is great. Not the experience as it used to be,but still can have a good time.
Now back to question, back in the day, it was Minnesota.Geniune hatred for years on both sides.
Nowadays,I think it's Nebraska. The majority still live in the 90's and think the Hawks are inferior,but it chaps thier ass when they lose to the Hawks.
Living here in the Des Moines area all my life, I have had to hear how great the hooskers were for years blah blah blah, so a victory over them is bonus.

 

[Dauminator]

Whichever team you as an individual fan hate most is not the question. The question is who is the program's main rival? Remember that when you form your answers.