T.J. Otzelberger Has Prepared New Players for Cy-Hawk Rivalry Against Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa State Cyclones players have been prepped by T.J. Otzelberger for what to expect against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play from the side line against Stonehill during the first half in the NCAA basketball on Nov. 17, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa State Cyclones are heading into the next chapter of the Cy-Hawk rivalry against the Iowa Hawkeyes with a ton of positive momentum.

They are now the No. 4-ranked team in the country after going on the road and beating the Purdue Boilermakers in Mackey Arena last weekend. The No. 1-ranked team in the country at the time, the Cyclones handed them a historic loss with a 23-point margin of victory.

Now, they are returning home to Hilton Coliseum to host their in-state rivals in another big game. Iowa just missed being in the AP Poll Top 25 rankings this week, finishing 19 points behind the No. 25-ranked UCLA Bruins.

Despite not having a number next to their name, Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger knows better than to underestimate their in-state rivals. This game means a lot not only to the Cyclones but also to plenty of people outside of the program.

Iowa State knows how important a Cy-Hawk victory is

Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger calls a play against FDU during the first half of the season-opener on Nov. 3, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“We know how important this game, this opportunity is to folks in the state, to our fan base, to all those that have come before us,” Otzelberger said, via Alec Busse of Cyclone Alert, part of the 247Sports Network.

Iowa State has found a lot of success against its biggest rivals in recent years. They have won two games in a row in the rivalry and three out of the last four. The last time the Cyclones were defeated at Hilton Coliseum by the Hawkeyes was in 2019.

For several players in the Iowa State rotation, this will be their first taste of the rivalry. Freshmen Killyan Toure, Dominykas Pleta and Jamarion Bateman have experienced this yet. Neither have transfers Dominick Nelson and Eric Mulder.

T.J. Otzelberger has Iowa State players ready for Iowa

Nov 17, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to his players late in the game against the Stonehill Skyhawks during the second half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Emotions will be high inside Hilton Coliseum, but Otzelberger has prepped his players on how to handle things as if it is just any other day in their schedule.

“Certainly, as we've talked about daily habits, we have a belief in our program that those daily habits, over time, they add up and they work for you and they show up for in the night of the game. We know that it's going to be a physical game. We know it's going to be a competitive game,” said the head coach.

The Hawkeyes come into the game with an 8-1 record. Their only loss on the season thus far came on the road, in East Lansing, against the Michigan State Spartans to kick off their Big Ten schedule.

This is the first season under head coach Ben McCollum, who took over after Fran McCaffrey was at the helm for 15 years. Otzelberger and the Cyclones are hoping to welcome him into the Cy-Hawk rivalry with a loss.