Iowa State football team Sep 10, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive lineman Kyle Krezek (94) and offensive lineman Trevor Downing (52) carry the Cy-Hawk trophy after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

This year’s showdown between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones lived up to the “hype” thanks to a low-scoring affair full of baffling decisions, poor play, and absurd mistakes. Just like the college football world wanted.

The Cy-Hawk game has been dubbed by many fans as “El Assico” as a heated rivalry that tends to feature games lacking much fanfare, excitement, or pleasure for either fanbase. This year’s game was a classic example of all of that.

Iowa, which won 7-3 last week without scoring a touchdown, finally found a way into the endzone to score seven points the old-fashioned way.

However, in classic El Assico fashion, that was all the scoring they’d do on the day. Both teams traded brutal fumbles at the goal line and it appeared that neither one would score another touchdown all day as they combined for six total turnovers.

From there, things got really weird, which we should have known when we saw a fan in the stands wearing Iowa State gear under his Iowa hoodie for some reason.

Eventually, Iowa State figured things out and churned out a 99-yard drive in the fourth quarter that ate up almost 12 minutes and culminated in an 8-yard touchdown pass to put the Cyclones up 10-7. Iowa had a chance to send the game to overtime but, of course, it was missed.

Iowa State notched their first road win in the in-state rivalry since 2014 and the game lived up to the El Assico reputation, much to the delight of college football fans.

Long live El Assico!

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.