Reece Vander Zee has had an interesting career against Iowa State. 

Iowa's third-year wide receiver entered his first Cy-Hawk game riding high after totaling 66 yards and two touchdowns in his first career college game, but reality soon came crashing down. The Hawkeyes managed to get their young wideout the ball only once in that 2024 clash at Kinnick Stadium (a 10-yard reception) and lost 20-19. 

Vander Zee and Iowa hoped the 2025 battle in Ames would be different, but any chance of him contributing in it was lost before the year even began. He suffered a foot injury just days before the season opener and wouldn't return until mid-October. With quarterback Mark Gronowski already struggling, missing one of his key offensive weapons proved to play a factor in the Hawkeyes' subsequent 16-13 defeat. 

A rivalry that was once dominated by Iowa has now flipped to Iowa State in this decade. The Cyclones have won three of the last four meetings over the Hawkeyes, including the last two in Iowa City. 

Iowa enters Saturday's contest at Kinnick Stadium (6:30 p.m., NBC) as a heavy favorite, and it's safe to say its players have every intention of bringing the Cy-Hawk Trophy back to town - especially Vander Zee. 

"I'm ready to get back out there and play them [Iowa State]," Vander Zee said at media availability on Sept. 8. "We're just we're just going to go out and compete, do our job, and so I'm ready to go go out there and compete." 

The Hawkeyes could very well win this game if they get another strong day on the ground from running back Kamari Moulton, but Vander Zee knows the main key to a victory against a new-look Iowa State defense will be a consistent passing attack - specifically through the deep ball, which Vander Zee felt like Iowa didn't connect on enough against Northern Illinois. 

"I think we we missed on a bunch of shots that we that we could have completed and came down with - me included," Vander Zee said. 

Improvement will begin at the quarterback position. Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski showed flashes during last weekend's 40-0 win over Northern Illinois and will probably rotate drives again. That uncertainty at the sport's most important position has been a problem for previous Iowa teams, but the Hawkeyes do have the weapons to overcome it and create those big plays down the field. 

Vander Zee will likely get into a rhythm at some point, but unlike the 2024 Cy-Hawk game where he was probably the primary target, there's going to be other playmakers for the Hawkeyes to rely on. Tony Diaz collected 84 yards and a touchdown in his first game in the black and gold, and though it's only one game, he could be the perfect slot receiver to compliment Vander Zee on the outside. 

Bowling nights with the wide receivers have helped Vander Zee form a close rapport with Diaz and the other wideouts, but there's another unit Vander Zee has had to connect with this season - special teams. 

Kaden Wetjen's college eligibility was exhausted last year, forcing Iowa to find a new punt returner. Special teams coordinator Chris Polizzi tried everyone on his roster throughout fall camp, and the search yielded the 6-foot-4 Vander Zee. 

Returning punts is new territory for Vander Zee in college, but he had ample experience back there during his high school career. He and fellow Iowa teammate Zach Lutmer would share returning duties for Central Lyon High School, where it quickly became rare for them to touch the football at all due to their playmaking abilities. 

Vander Zee knows Iowa State is going to kick him the ball on Saturday, and that's just fine with him. Intensely studying the Cyclones' defensive tendencies and getting a chance to make plays on offense is fun, but he relishes the opportunity to have the football in his hands at all times. 

That's exactly the opportunity that awaits for him when a punt drops into his arms. 

"[I'm] just a guy that that goes back there and secures the ball and gets gets you a few yards," Vander Zee said. "Whatever they need from me, I'll go out and do it. And so whatever that is, I can do it." 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]