No. 21 Iowa heads into Saturday night’s road trip to Northwestern with a few clear pressure points in focus, and the setting should be a lively one. The Hawkeyes are heading to new Ryan Field for the first time since 2021, and it will be their first meeting with the Wildcats since 2023, when the teams played at Wrigley Field on neutral ground.
One of the biggest questions for Iowa is whether Hank Brown stays in control at quarterback. The Hawkeyes have already rotated through multiple starters this season, beginning with Brown before his injury against Ohio State, then turning to Jeremy Hecklinski for two games.
Brown reclaimed the job against Wisconsin and delivered enough to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors. Iowa needs some stability now, especially on another road trip, and Brown gives them that chance.
If the day goes sideways, the Hawkeyes also know Hecklinski is available.
The atmosphere in Evanston adds another layer. Northwestern’s new stadium has brought with it the Wildcat Wall, a student section in one end zone that has already drawn plenty of attention for how tall and loud it is.
The Wildcats are 3-0 at home since the stadium opened this season, though they still haven’t faced a ranked opponent there. Saturday will be their first shot at one, and Northwestern enters at No. 26 in the AP poll.
Iowa’s offense will also need to come out with some urgency. A quick score would help quiet the crowd and give the Hawkeyes a little breathing room early.
They have managed field goals on opening drives, but touchdowns on those early possessions have only come against non-Power Four teams this season. That kind of start could matter even more on the road, especially since Iowa usually gets the ball first.
Ball security may end up deciding plenty, too. Iowa has had trouble with fumbles over the last two games, while Northwestern’s defense has made a habit of creating turnovers.
The Wildcats are plus-9 in turnover margin this season, and quarterback Aidan Chiles has thrown just one interception. At the same time, Northwestern has also put the ball on the ground 10 times, so there are extra takeaways in play on both sides.
Iowa simply has to do a better job protecting the football than it has lately.
There’s also the bigger-picture angle that comes with the first College Football Playoff rankings of the season arriving this week. Iowa and Northwestern will get a clearer sense of where they stand in the final year of the 12-team format.
The Hawkeyes have spent most of the season on the outside looking in, but with the Big Ten’s parity, a path could still exist if Iowa can avoid a third loss. The rankings will be updated each week through November.
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