Jim Hightower in 1983 was threatened for his controversial BB call that enflamed Hawkeye fans' denialism...thin skinners have a long storied history at Iowa. It became a bonkers national story.
I know some of their racist fans. I don't find it surprising they are up in arms and spitting racist bile. But alarming "even for the internet" as Ryan on The Office says about Creed's online machinations.
I've spent enough time around both fanbases to know that rampant rasism exists in both. That's why it's an Iowa thing.