AMES, Ia. — What’s Cy-Hawk week without a little controversy?

Boring, that’s what.

We’ve had Bret Bielema sounding off with a midfield expletive directed at Iowa State coach Jim Walden. We’ve heard Brian Ferentz tell us his thoughts on Matt Campbell’s recruiting philosophy, and we have Campbell never using the word “Iowa” or “Hawkeyes” when referring to Saturday’s 4 p.m. opponent.

And now we have this:

The Great Suspension Debate.

Should Saturday night’s non-game event between the Cyclones and South Dakota State count as the one-game suspension for Iowa State starters Julian Good-Jones and De’Monte Ruth, and reserve Kamilo Tongamoa — even though, technically, it wasn’t even a game?

The Cyclones' administrators said yes: It wasn’t the players’ fault that continuous lightning forced Saturday night’s whatever to be canceled about three hours after it started — and just 4 minutes and 5 seconds after Chris Francis kicked off.

Obviously, Iowa State fans agree with the ruling — which was decided during a meeting of the school’s president, the school’s faculty rep and the school’s AD...

And, obviously, some people disagreed...

So welcome to another anything goes Cy-Hawk week.

The Hawkeyes are 1-0 after beating Northern Illinois and making Kirk Ferentz the school’s winningest football coach.

The Cyclones are 0-0, so we’re getting just what we wanted right? Unbeaten opponents heading into our state’s rivalry week — with an asterisk.

Brace yourselves. It's going to be a wild week — and I'm not just referring to rain that's predicted every day between now and our first snowfall.

The CBS website even has our Big Game among the top national “hate-in-your-hearts” rivalries. It’s No. 3 on the list — ahead of Ohio State-Michigan and Auburn-Alabama, and behind BYU-Utah and Ole Miss-Mississippi State.

"It's not exactly a feud that tips the scales nationally, but, man, do these two fan bases hate each other,” the website explainer went. “What makes it better is that even though they aren't in the same conference, I get a sense that this game matters more than any other. Either team could go on to finish in last place in their division, but as long as they win this game, the season isn't a wash.

"Also, you know there's hate here because both sides pretend they don't even like playing each other. You'll hear things from Iowa fans, like, 'We need to stop playing Iowa State every year. It's just not worth it for us. We need a better nonconference opponent.' They're fine with that annual MAC game, though.

"In a sick way, it's kind of like a grade-school romance. The more they try to convince you they don't care, the more they do."

And now the suspension discussion.

A debatable decision by Iowa State administrators to make the three one-game suspended players eligible for Saturday's game?

Outsiders can judge. Outsiders will judge. They weren’t in the meeting room with athletics director Jamie Pollard and school president Wendy Wintersteen and faculty rep Tim Day.

They probably don't even know that the suspended players were demoted to the practice squad for the past couple weeks. They probably don't even know that the suspended players weren't allowed to be with the team on Thursday and Friday and Saturday leading up to game day.

They missed at least a week or so of actual first-string development, because they put themselves ahead of the team and broke a rule.

Someone even asked whether the same decision would have been made if the next opponent was Akron and not the Hawks?

People I respect dropped the "Heck No" line (or something like that), but really, how do they know?

Remember, starting quarterback Jacob Park was suspended for the Oklahoma game last season. And remember, Kamari Cotton-Moya was suspended for the Liberty Bowl -- and Evrett Edwards was ineligible.

Players broke team rules. They did stupid stuff. They let teammates down — and they wouldn’t have suited up Saturday, even if it was 70 and sunny at The Jack and the opponent was Oklahoma.

What if Saturday's game hadn't even started? Would they play in Week Two?

Hypothetically-speaking . . .

I don't know.

I know this: They took their punishment and watched from the stands while getting wet right along with everyone else — and in the end, was it their fault Mother Nature intervened?

No.

There’s also this school of wonder:

Considering it wasn’t an official game, should they be suspended for Cy vs Hawk?

True freshman Mike Rose’s middle linebacker start won’t count. Neither will Kyle Kempt and Deshaunte Jones hooking up on a 55-yard touchdown play — in which Jones sprinted the final 54 yards.

Their stuff doesn’t count, because it wasn’t a game — and if it wasn’t a game, then should the suspensions still be on the books?

How would Hawkeye administrators have handled their Game One suspended players if their Game One had been called off?

Some agree with the ISU administrative decision. Some don’t. Everyone must agree to disagree — but how about this alternative:

If Iowa State reschedules an opponent during its Oct. 20 originally scheduled bye Saturday, then withhold the suspended players from the starting lineup. Let them play; just don't start them. Technically, it’s the makeup for what should have happened on Sept. 1. Technically, it’s the game replacing the canceled first game of the season.

Publicly punish them then — and live with whatever back-and-forth chatter that’s out there this week.

And believe it — there will be plenty. There always is.

Iowa State columnist Randy Peterson has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at @RandyPete.