That’s not true. Lol this whole thing stems from the fact that Iowa won the popularity contest back in the day and it continues to carry over today where people who’ve never stepped foot on Iowa’s campus say “we” and “us” when talking about the Hawkeyes.
So as Iowa State fans, actually going to the school, graduating there, etc feels more special and genuine. Nowadays though, especially with Iowa State getting better at football, the fandom is spreading more and doesn’t have to be carried on from someone who went to the school.