Cy-Hawk Rivalry Returns to NBC Tonight as Iowa Hosts Iowa State

The 73rd edition of the Cy-Hawk rivalry kicks off tonight at Kinnick Stadium, where the No. 21 Iowa Hawkeyes welcome the Iowa State Cyclones with the trophy on the line. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with a national broadcast on NBC, a network owned by Comcast (CMCSA). Comcast shares closed at $25.05 and were trading up 0.6% at $25.20 recently, valuing the media and telecom company at roughly $92.5 billion.

Iowa holds the historical edge in the series with 46 wins, but Iowa State has taken the last two meetings, in 2024 and 2025. Despite that recent success, the Cyclones enter tonight as 13-point underdogs. The program is in a rebuilding phase under new head coach Jimmy Rogers, while Iowa arrives in strong form following a 40-0 shutout of Northern Illinois.

How to Stream the Game

Cord-cutters can access the NBC broadcast through live TV streaming platforms that carry the network. Options include DirecTV, Fubo, YouTube TV, Sling, and Peacock, Comcast’s own streaming service, which typically offers a free tier or trial period. Viewers with a traditional cable package can simply tune in on their local NBC affiliate.

The game is one of several marquee college football matchups slated for national broadcast this weekend, a slate that continues to underscore the value of NBC’s sports rights portfolio. Live sports remain a key driver of both linear viewership and streaming sign-ups for media companies, and rivalry games like the Cy-Hawk tend to draw regional audiences well beyond typical September programming.

The broadcast also lands during a busy stretch for Comcast’s sports holdings, which alongside NBC’s college football package include Big Ten rights, NBA coverage beginning this season, and Premier League soccer. Sports programming has become a central pillar of the company’s strategy as it navigates the shift from cable distribution toward streaming, both through Peacock and its Xfinity platforms.

What to watch

• Final viewership figures for tonight’s broadcast, which NBC typically reports in the days following marquee college football windows.
• Comcast’s upcoming quarterly earnings, where management commentary on Peacock subscriber growth and sports-driven engagement is expected.
• The remainder of NBC’s Big Ten slate, as early-season ratings often shape advertising demand for the fall.

Source: original release