Iowa’s future Hawkeyes kept busy in the playoffs, and a handful of commits put together eye-catching nights on both sides of the ball.
The biggest offensive line stat line belonged to Nate Brenneman, even though Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley’s season ended before the postseason. Brenneman wrapped up the year with 27 pancake blocks and also chipped in on offense with seven rushes for 13 yards and four touchdowns.
He was just as active on defense, finishing with 38 tackles, a team-high 15 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. He also forced a fumble and recovered two.
At tight end, Jaxx DeJean helped OABCIG move on in 2A with a 14-7 second-round win at Dike New Hartford. That sends OABCIG into the quarterfinals against Central Lyon/George-Little Rock. DeJean caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, added 1.5 tackles on defense and handled punting duties five times for 192 yards.
Quarterback Chase Grove delivered one of the weekend’s top passing performances, leading North Central to a 38-28 first-round playoff win over Pike in Indiana. Grove went 21-of-32 for 348 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, and he added six carries for 40 yards.
There was also a win for Keyon Thomas, as Warren Central rolled past Perry Meridian 47-10 in the first round to improve to 10-0. Brayden Santibanez, meanwhile, was back sidelined with an injury as Collierville beat the Houston Mustangs 42-35.
Reilly Newman and Lakota West had a bye to open the playoffs and will face St. Xavier next week.
James Barnett’s season at Iowa City West ended without a playoff berth, but he still finished with 18 pancake blocks while helping a Trojan rushing attack that piled up 1,710 yards and 21 touchdowns.
On the defensive side, Bariyus Allen put together a strong regular season for Belmont, finishing with 48 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks while also forcing two fumbles. He even added two carries for 10 yards and a touchdown on offense, though Belmont closed the year 3-6.
Jake Thies turned in a little bit of everything for Fenwick in a 38-20 win over Highland Park. The future Iowa defensive back had seven tackles, a pass breakup and a 58-yard pick-six on defense. He also ran four times for 51 yards and a touchdown and caught one pass for 10 yards.
Elsewhere, Jonathan Harris and Chicago Brother Rice jumped out to a 42-0 halftime lead before finishing off St. Charles North, 48-7.
Jerrence Knoblock and West Lyon blanked Hinton 35-0 in the second round of the 1A playoffs, with Knoblock recording two tackles and a sack. Tommy Riordan and Hinsdale Central cruised past Von Steuben 63-3 in the first round of the Illinois playoffs.
Braylon Bingham and Pleasantville saw their run end on the road with a 42-7 loss to Aplington-Parkersburg, and Gavin Stecker and Bettendorf were knocked out by Dowling, 42-14, in the first round of the 5A playoffs.
In Other News...
Arizona Suddenly Has A Real AP Poll Problem
USCs upset of No. 2 Ohio State threw the top of the AP Poll into even more chaos, and it could have a ripple effect that reaches well beyond the Buckeyes. Oregon and Iowa both added quality wins against ranked opponents, giving each program a stronger case to climb back into the conversation when the next rankings come out.
For Iowa, the timing matters because a crowded middle of the poll is starting to shift, and the Hawkeyes have put themselves in position to benefit if voters decide to reshuffle the deck. Nothing is official yet, but with another wave of ranked matchups ahead, the next AP release could look a lot different for teams trying to move back in. [Read more 🡒]
Boston College Bowl Hopes Took A Brutal Hit After Week 9
A win over Wisconsin gave Iowa a much-needed lift in Week 9, and the ripple effect showed up in ESPNs updated FPI ratings. For a Hawkeyes team that had already taken two losses, the bounce back mattered, nudging the program upward and improving its bowl outlook as the season enters a stretch where every result starts to carry extra weight.
The broader Week 9 picture around the power conferences was mixed, with USCs win over Ohio State helping its rating and Washington also improving its bowl eligibility chances. Elsewhere, Boston College took a heavy hit in a loss to Duke, while UCF and Oklahoma also saw their postseason odds and FPI standing take a step back. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Sent A Ranking Message With One Frustrating Catch
Iowas 30-0 win over Wisconsin did more than add another notch to the ledger. It pushed the Hawkeyes back into the top 25 and gave Kirk Ferentz plenty to like about the way his team handled the Badgers from start to finish, with the defense delivering a shutout and the offense doing enough to keep control of the game.
Even so, the performance came with the kind of familiar frustration that keeps Iowa from feeling fully settled. The Hawkeyes still have not found an opening-drive touchdown against a Power Four opponent this season, and ball security remains a concern after three fumbles against Wisconsin, even if they managed to recover one of them. [Read more 🡒]