In-State College Football Rivalry Game Ticket Price Crosses $100 in Week 2

The Iowa State Cyclones are taking on the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Trice Stadium in their Week 2 matchup. Both teams are coming off major wins, with the Cyclones going into their 3rd game of the season (with 2 wins in their bag) and the Hawkeyes diving into their 2nd game of the season (with a 1-0 record). However, while the Cy-Hawk rivalry has never been short on hype, this weekend it’s not just the players feeling the pressure—it’s the fans’ wallets.

According to TickPick, the average get-in price for Iowa vs. Iowa State climbed to $134 an hour before the game started at 12 PM ET as part of FOX’s Big Noon Saturday, making it one of the hottest (and most expensive) tickets in the country this week. That’s more than a $100 jump from where prices were trending earlier in the summer. In comparison, if you want to watch the game between Miami and Bethune-Cookman today, all you need is $8.

Now this surge is anything but random. The Cyclones are entering Week 2 while standing on the No. 16 rank on the AP Top 25 poll. That does give the Cy fans a bit of an edge when it comes to the “Which team is better?” debate. However, you also have to keep in mind that Jack Trice can only hold 61,500 fans. So the more the demand, the more the resale price. It’s basic economics and rivalry magic. Demand always spills over when the rivalry is in Ames, and resale markets simply reflect that.

But if you were looking for any cheaper options before the game, it’s highly likely that you wouldn’t have had any luck. We checked on Ticketmaster and SeatGeek, and many seats are listed north of $150, with premium lower-bowl sections creeping much higher. While TickPick’s “all-in” pricing model might show a different/lower point, the reality is the same: Rivalry bragging rights remain expensive.

And if not just for “rivalry’s sake,” people would still want a slice of this pie because of the history it holds. The Cy-Hawk trophy dates back to 1977, and the Hawkeyes currently lead the all-time series 47–23. However, if you talk about “recent memory,” then the case is a bit more even.

The Cyclones snapped a six-game losing streak with their 2022 win in Iowa City, while Iowa responded by reclaiming bragging rights in 2023. In simple terms? This isn’t a lopsided rivalry anymore—both fanbases come into each September believing their side can walk away with the trophy, and that belief drives ticket demand higher every year the game returns to Ames.

All in all, the on-field outcome of this game is anyone’s guess, but one thing is for sure: The 2025 Cy-Hawk is officially one of the hottest tickets in college football!!