Every year, the rivalry between Iowa and Nebraska is already fierce, but George Kittle simply added fuel to the fire—and lit the match with a smile.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes star didn’t waste any time responding to a little pregame jab from an old rival following the San Francisco 49ers’ 8-4 start and their victory over the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football. Kittle shifted his focus from the NFL spotlight to former Nebraska linebacker and “Bussin’ With The Boys” host Will Compton during his postgame interview with Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter.
Before the Hawkeyes’ Black Friday game against the Cornhuskers, Compton, a nine-year NFL player who has never passed up a chance to irritate Iowa supporters, chose to make fun of Kittle. On game day, he even attempted to FaceTime Kittle to deliver some trash talk with a Huskers flair. It would be an understatement to say that Kittle wasn’t amused. “Hey, Will Compton,” Kittle began with the kind of smile that tells you the roast is coming. “I didn’t really appreciate your voice memo talking trash about Nebraska vs. Iowa on the day of my Monday Night Football game. didn’t agree with me. What do you know? It didn’t appeal to me. Nebraska does that kind of thing. They make cheap shots.
Kittle continued, retaliating with the same vigor that Compton had attempted to use earlier. “You’re coming to me about Nebraska vs. Iowa while I’m getting ready for a Monday Night Football game on national television? That indicates that you are afraid. You’re afraid. At Penn State, you lost by thirty? Their coach was recently fired. Did you lose by thirty? Are you kidding me?” Then came the knockout blow, vintage Kittle, which was equal parts hot and funny. There is nothing you can do when Iowa comes in and runs the ball down your throat. Will Compton, stop talking and sit on the bus that doesn’t go anywhere.
There were gunshots. Officially, rivalry began. To be honest, it’s difficult to hold Kittle accountable for fully leaning in. Iowa is 7-4 going into the last week of the regular season, having lost four games by a total of 15 points. Although they haven’t been particularly dominant, the Hawkeyes have been competitive in every game and have managed to pull off victories, such as their thrilling 25-24 victory over Penn State on October 18.
In contrast, Nebraska’s season has been like a roller coaster without a few bolts. The Cornhuskers are also 7-4 going into the rivalry game, but any momentum they had hoped to gain was dashed following a crushing 37-10 loss to Penn State, the same Nittany Lions team Iowa defeated at Kinnick Stadium a few weeks prior. In spite of this, Husker supporters have been as boisterous and self-assured as ever—at least when it comes to teasing Iowa supporters.
The tension didn’t improve on Saturday either. Iowa needed a last-second 44-yard field goal to defeat the struggling Michigan State program. Nevertheless, Nebraska supporters’ online responses appeared to overlook the fact that their own recent game against Penn State ended in a four-quarter explosion. When you combine all of that with Compton’s provocation, the rivalry has escalated well in advance of kickoff.
The back-and-forth between Kittle and Compton adds a little extra spice to this year’s Heroes Trophy match, which carries the usual emotional stakes. Kittle has never hesitated to defend the Hawkeyes, and Compton has turned the rivalry between Nebraska and Iowa into a second career. There will be fireworks when those two collide. There’s more at stake than just bragging rights, as Iowa and Nebraska are currently 7-4 and 4-4 in Big Ten play, respectively. Pride is present. Postseason positioning is one of them. Denying your neighbor a happy holiday weekend is a simple joy.
But history is the most crucial factor. These programs bear the burden of state identity, fan culture, and years of unresolved disputes in addition to playing football against one another. Nobody is backing down, and no jab is going unanswered—Kittle may have captured the spirit of the Midwest better than anyone. On Friday, Iowa and Nebraska will play at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln at 11 a.m. CT. The game will be televised by CBS. Before this year’s story is finished, expect plenty of action—and perhaps a little more verbal sparring—between the chatter, the tension, and the trophy on the line.
