It wasn't like Mac competed well with Iowa until Hayden let the program slide, and Ferentz had to come in and build it back up. When Iowa was bad, we beat them, I know except for 2002.
In terms of recruiting, it really never had a bearing on what happened in-state. Other than a handful of exceptions, Mac never took an Iowa high school player that Iowa wanted. What he managed to do, which was important, was that he was able to get players that Iowa may have grey shirted, to come here on scholarship so he closed the gap in that case.
The problem is that too many Iowa State fans care way too much about this game. You know, I don't care about the game other than the week before, and the week after so I don't have to listen to them chirp.
But even the years when we beat them, as soon as they got into their conference schedule, and had some success, the Iowa State game was inconsequential, except to the Iowa State fans that care more about this early season non-conference game than they should. And of course our schedule got much tougher, playing the best of a strong rotatiion in the Big 12 (and the North was good) and we started faltering and the losses piled up beating Iowa didn't matter.
When we lost 15 in a row, it was important to beat them, only for the sake of legitimacy. Mac was around at the right time for that, and good for him (of course he still hasn't gotten another head coaching job at any level, which is a big red sign about the true esteem with which he is held in the coaching profession).
I thought that Rhoads did a nice job last year with a weaker schedule, and kept his kids together. This year will be much tougher just based on who we have to play.