A good game on a great day
The Iowa Hawkeyes held on in Ames to beat the host Iowa State Cyclones 20-13 in front of 61,500 football fans and 3 or 4 presidential candidates. And Iowa State's band won.
AMES, Iowa — I believe it was in 1977 when the Iowa vs. Iowa State football rivalry was renewed after it’d been abandoned for several decades. I’ve been to many of the 45 or so games the Hawkeyes and Cyclones have played since then, and I’m not sure there’s been a better day for a game than Mother Nature gave us Saturday.
A full house at Jack Trice Stadium of more than 61,500 fans basked in 80-degree temperatures under partly-cloudy skies, cheering wildly as Iowa built a substantial first half lead, then held on to beat the Cyclones 20-13.
At least three Republican presidential candidates were on hand — former President Donald Trump up in the luxury suites in the press box, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum over in the club section in the east stands, and just two rows in front of my wife Mary Riche and me was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sitting next to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for three quarters, before both left. And someone said that entrepreneur and candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, of Ohio, might have breen around, too.
Students getting their photo taken with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. (Photo by Mary Riche)
Some of you might remember that for about 20 years, into the late 1990s, at this annual fall game, I was self-appointed judge of which marching band was better. Both always performed. Generally, I found that the Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band played better, but the Iowa State University Cyclone Football “Varsity” Marching Band (that’s it’s real name) marched better and was more fun.
So let me pronounce here that at Saturday’s game, Iowa State’s band was better. One reason is that the Iowa U band wasn’t here.
The Iowa State band did a halftime show featuring music from the uber-popular “Indiana Jones” movies. Note that “Cy” the mascot got into the act, costumed as Jones himself. (Photo by Chuck Offenburger)
Has that become a new thing — that only the home school band performs for the Iowa vs. Iowa State game? If so, then Gov. Reynolds, please do something about it. You over-reach on lots of other things, so you might as well dictate that both bands participate at this game, too.
Actually, she represented the state really well on Saturday. She and DeSantis were cordial as could be when dozens of fans asked to have their photos taken with one or both of the dignitaries.
A dad shoots a photo of himself and his two daughters with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican candidate for president who sat two rows in front of us in the west stands. (Photo by Mary Riche)
Three other observations here:
—Has Brian Ferentz, the offensive coordinator for the Hawkeyes and the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz, forgotten that he was told over the summer that the team must average 25 points per game or he’ll lose his job? Last week, Iowa scored 24 in defeating Utah State. Saturday, they scored 20, and only 3 of them came in the second half. Hmmm.
—No matter how many Cyclone games you attend, and despite that we all know that the fraternity boys shoot off a real cannon in one end zone when ISU scores, and again when the ensuing kick-off happens, it still scares the bejeepers out of most of us when that big gun roars.
—This game was actually a cheap date for Mary Riche and me. First, we didn’t have to pay to park, although we did have to park south of U.S. Highway 30 in the Research Park and then hoof it a mile and a half to the stadium. Even better, the fantastic tickets we had down front on about the 25-yardline were free — or nearly so. I won them in a raffle game during last June’s Bell Tower Festival in our town of Jefferson.
Chuck Offenburger and Mary Riche on their cheap date at the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game Saturday in Ames.
Since those tickets allowed us to sit so close behind the Cyclones’ bench, I thought a way to show our appreciation to our homefolks would be to shoot a couple photos of Tyler Miller, a Cyclone star player who grew up in our Greene County and played for our high school. Oh, what a specimen he is!
The starting offensive lineman, a redshirt junior, stands 6 ft. 9 in. tall and weighs 335 pounds, according to the ISU roster. An ag studies major, Miller was on the Big 12 Conference all-academic team in 2021 and on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. He appears to me to be an outstanding lineman, one worthy of post-season football honors if he stays healthy.
So Tyler Miller is representing us well. But how do they keep him fed?
Greene County native Tyler Miller (66) is a rather imposing figure on the football field.
Miller has a presence, all right! By the way, that white wrap on his wrist is a list of plays and formations the Cyclones used in the game.
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You can comment on this column below or write the columnist directly by email at chuck@offenburger.com.
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Chuck, maybe you could suggest that instead of shooting off the cannon with a boom, that it be filled with fun things that fly out. Glitter, ticker tape, soft candy, t-shirts for babies, etc. I'll bet the "boom" unsettles many folks, especially anyone with PTSD from military experience.
Thanks for the sideline report!