George Kittle is back in Iowa City for a big Saturday, and the former Hawkeye will have a front-row role in the buildup to Iowa’s matchup with Wisconsin.
Kittle, now a San Francisco 49ers tight end, is set to join Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” as a special guest as the network stages its pregame show live at Duane Banks Field. The broadcast runs from 9 a.m.
CT to 11 a.m. CT ahead of No.
24 Iowa’s Heartland Trophy game against Wisconsin.
The appearance adds another layer to a day already packed with Kittle involvement. He is also Iowa’s designated honorary captain for the game, which means he will be with the Hawkeyes at midfield for the pregame coin toss and spend time with the team in the locker room before and after the contest.
Kittle’s connection to the program runs deep. He played for Iowa from 2013-16 and finished with 48 catches for 737 yards and 10 touchdowns. During that stretch, he helped the Hawkeyes pile up 35 combined wins and reach four January bowl games, including the 2015 team that ran through an undefeated Big Ten regular season and earned a trip to the 2016 Rose Bowl.
After his senior season, the 49ers took Kittle with the 146th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He has since become one of the franchise’s cornerstone players at tight end over nine seasons, with appearances in Super Bowl LIV and Super Bowl LVIII.
Saturday’s game between Iowa and Wisconsin is set for 11 a.m. CT at sold-out Kinnick Stadium and will air on Fox.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Made A Big Ten Statement Wisconsin Fans Wont Forget
In a rivalry that has been going on for generations, Iowa delivered a result that will linger in Madison for a while. The Hawkeyes blanked No. 25 Wisconsin 30-0 in the 100th meeting between the programs, leaning on a sharp outing from quarterback Hank Brown, who threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense held the Badgers to 235 total yards.
It was Iowas second straight shutout of Wisconsin, and the win pulled the all-time series even at 49-49-2. For Luke Fickells team, the frustration was obvious after a game in which Wisconsin never found any traction, while Iowa walked away with a statement victory that fit the moment and the history attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Sent Wisconsin Another Message Fans Wont Ignore
Iowas latest meeting with Wisconsin looked a lot like the last few, only more lopsided. The Hawkeyes rolled to a 30-0 win, their fifth straight over the Badgers and their second consecutive shutout, with Hank Brown giving the offense a steadier rhythm by completing 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that let Iowa control the game on both sides, and it also suggested the coaching adjustments made this week were aimed squarely at keeping the pressure on an opponent that has had trouble solving the Hawkeyes.
Even with the defense smothering Wisconsin again, there were still a few loose ends for Iowa to clean up, especially the fumbles from Xavier Williams. Those mistakes did not change the outcome this time, but they remain the sort of issue that can matter more when the games get tighter. For now, though, Iowa has another emphatic result to point to, and Wisconsin has another reminder that this matchup has become a problem it has not figured out how to fix. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Flipped This Rivalry Back In Its Favor
The 100th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin had the feel of a hinge game, and the Hawkeyes handled it with the kind of balance that has defined their best wins in this rivalry. Hank Brown was sharp throughout, completing 83% of his passes for 222 yards, while Caden Buhr supplied the kind of steady scoring that can quietly swing a tight Big Ten game by drilling three field goals, including a career-long 54-yarder.
Iowa also leaned on the parts of its identity that travel well in November, forcing two turnovers and getting enough on the ground to stay in control with 140 rushing yards and a touchdown. The result evened the all-time series at 49-49-2, a neat marker for a matchup that has spent decades tilting back and forth, and it leaves the Hawkeyes with a little extra leverage the next time this familiar rivalry comes around. [Read more 🡒]