Former New York Yankees slugger Nick Swisher is in Iowa for only a few days to participate in Home Run Derby X at Principal Park on Aug. 30. But Swisher has already been in the state long enough to understand its biggest rivalry and which side he stands on.

Swisher, when meeting with reporters at Principal Park on Aug. 29, pledged his continued allegiance to the Big Ten Conference and promptly picked the Iowa Hawkeyes to beat the Iowa State Cyclones in their annual matchup in football on Sept. 6 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.

“The Big Ten is where I kind of live,” said Swisher, who played baseball at Ohio State. “That’s kind of where I got my start. So I’m a very loyal guy. So, I’m definitely going Iowa over Iowa State. I’m going to say 35-27.”

Swisher played 12 seasons in the big lea

See Full Page