No. 20 Iowa heads to Washington this week with a few clear pressure points in view, and the trip brings a rare setting for the Hawkeyes: their first game in Husky Stadium since 1963. That one ended with a 17-7 Iowa win, but this is obviously a different era of college football.
The Hawkeyes are also trying to answer a simple question after their first loss of the season: how quickly can they reset? Iowa fell to No.
5 Ohio State, 31-14, five weeks into the year, and history has leaned in the Hawkeyes’ favor after those setbacks. They’ve won their last four games following their first loss of the season.
A win in Seattle would send them into the bye week on a much cleaner note.
There’s also the matter of the injury report, which could shape how Iowa looks on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Hank Brown left the Ohio State game early with what Kirk Ferentz called a “mild sprain,” but Brown was still listed as the starter on this week’s depth chart.
On the defensive side, Deshaun Lee and Zach Lutmer are both back on the depth chart as normal after leaving early with cramps, according to Ferentz. Iowa’s first official updates are set to begin Tuesday with the Big Ten injury reports.
Washington enters the matchup with its own offensive concerns. The Huskies have had trouble getting anything going on the ground, losing three running backs to injuries and managing just 640 rushing yards and six touchdowns so far. First-year running back Brian Bonner Jr. has taken on the load, with 216 yards on 41 carries, though he has not scored a touchdown in 2026.
The bigger issue for Washington has been sustaining drives. The Huskies are only 18-for-62 on third downs this season, which works out to 29 percent through five games.
They’ve done better on fourth down, converting 60 percent, and they’ve been efficient in the red zone with 21 scores on 25 chances. But their opponents have also been highly effective inside the 20, going 14-for-16.
That inconsistency showed up again in last week’s loss to USC, when Washington went just 1-for-12 on third down.
This matchup also lands on a Friday night, which gives Iowa its first of two Friday games this season, with Nebraska waiting in the finale. The Hawkeyes have been strong in that spot, winning 13 of their last 15 Friday games and each of the last three. Still, this one comes with the late-night feel and cross-country travel that can make things tricky, especially with the two-hour time difference and the quick turnaround from Ohio State.
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Iowa Lost Saturday But Kinnick Still Showed What Makes This Program Different
Saturdays loss to Ohio State did not change what makes an Iowa home game feel different from so many others around college football. ESPNs College GameDay was on campus for the first time this season, and before kickoff the crew stopped at the University of Iowa Childrens Hospital, spending time with patients and families as part of a visit that fit right into the atmosphere around Kinnick Stadium.
The bigger story there has always been more than what happens on the field. The Wave remains one of the sports most recognizable traditions, and it reflects the kind of local support that has long defined Iowa football. Even on a tough afternoon, the scene around Kinnick served as a reminder that this programs connection to its community is part of the draw. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's QB Picture Just Got More Complicated Ahead Of Washington
Iowas Week 6 depth chart added another layer to an already fluid quarterback situation heading into Washington, with Hank Brown listed as the starter even after getting banged up in the previous game. Browns status has been a talking point all week, and the release only sharpened the focus on how the Hawkeyes plan to handle the most important spot on the field.
Jeremy Hecklinski is still in the mix after stepping in and performing well in Browns place, so Iowa does have another option if the game script or Browns availability pushes it that way. The rest of the offensive picture looks a little more settled, with Kamari Moulton listed as the lead back, though the Hawkeyes are clearly still planning to rotate other running backs into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Desperate Washington Team In A Huge Road Test
Friday night brings Iowa into a tricky Big Ten road test against Washington, a matchup that carries a different kind of urgency for both programs. The Hawkeyes are 4-1 and looking to head into their bye week at 5-1, a mark that would keep their season moving in the right direction after a strong start.
Washington, meanwhile, is the team with more immediate pressure. At 3-2, the Huskies need a win to keep their College Football Playoff hopes from slipping further, and this is only the second Big Ten meeting between the programs, with Iowa holding a 4-3 edge in the all-time series. For Iowa, it is the kind of road game that can say plenty about where this team stands in the league race. [Read more 🡒]