Cy-Hawk Kicks Off: Iowa Time Machine October 1, 1894

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On October 1, 1894, Iowa and Iowa State met for the first time on the gridiron. Over 550 spectators witnessed the first meeting in an iconic college football rivalry, as the men from Ames won the first contest 16-8. Iowa leads the all-time series 47-25.

The 1894 Iowa Agricultural Cardinals entered the season as an independent. Boasting a 5-1 record by the end of the season, the team shut out three of six opponents. A lone loss to Grinnell kept the squad from a perfect season as they racked up wins over Fort Dodge, Iowa, Simpson, Pandora, and the Des Moines YMCA.

The State University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in their ‘Old Gold’ sweaters, finished the season with a 4-4-1 record. Competing in the Western Interstate University Football Association under 1st-year head coach Roger Sherman, the Hawkeyes hung tough at Iowa Stadium all year. With wins over Cornell, Augustana (Rock Island), Kansas, and Grinnell, the Hawks turned in a solid season. Losses to Iowa Agricultural, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Nebraska, along with a tie with Chicago, rounded out the schedule.

Marking the first contest of many over the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the series paused after Iowa Athletic Director Ossie Solem quit scheduling the Cyclones in 1935. In 1977, with new stakes and a shiny Cy-Hawk Trophy awarded by the governor, the rivalry continued to bring together and push apart Iowans across the state. #Iowa #OTD #History #CyHawk #Football