Iowa’s week-to-week run through the state of Iowa continues Saturday, and this one comes with a little history attached.
After grinding out a 16-13 win over Iowa State to reclaim the Cy-Hawk Trophy, the Hawkeyes now turn to Northern Iowa for their final nonconference game. It’s also their third straight home game before they head to Ann Arbor to open Big Ten play against Michigan.
The matchup may pit an FCS program against an FBS one, but these two have plenty of familiarity. Iowa and Northern Iowa are separated by just 90 miles, and this will be the eighth meeting in a series that began in 1995. The Hawkeyes have won every one of the first seven.
Northern Iowa has made Iowa work at times. The closest call came in 2009, when the Panthers nearly pulled the upset before falling 17-16.
In the 2010s, the teams met three times - in 2012, 2014 and 2018 - and Northern Iowa stayed within striking distance in the first two, losing 27-16 and 31-23. Iowa’s biggest win in the series came in 1997, a 66-0 blowout.
The most recent meeting, in 2018, ended 38-14 in Iowa’s favor. Nate Stanley threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, Iowa piled up 238 rushing yards on 50 carries, and the defense was dominant, holding Northern Iowa to 228 total yards and just six rushing yards on 21 attempts.
This year’s Panthers arrive at 1-1 after a 56-14 win over Drake. Quarterback Jaxon Dailey has been the driving force, going 36-for-51 for 529 yards and three touchdowns.
Still, the ground game has been a problem for Northern Iowa. The Panthers are averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, and that puts them right into the teeth of an Iowa defense that has allowed only 2.2 yards per carry through two games.
That’s the matchup to watch. Iowa should have a strong chance to shut down the run, force Northern Iowa into obvious passing situations, and hunt for turnovers. If the Hawkeyes can do that, it would only add to the confidence already building on the defensive side.
In Other News...
Iowa May Have Found A New Weapon In An Unlikely Place
Boston Everitt arrived in Iowa as something of a novelty, an Australian punter learning American football and college life at the same time, but the early returns suggest the Hawkeyes may have uncovered a useful piece. He earned the starting job and has settled in quickly, averaging 43.9 yards per punt in the opening games of the 2026 season while helping flip field position when Iowa needs it most.
What has stood out just as much as the leg is the adjustment behind it. Everitt has been getting steady support from teammates and coach Kirk Ferentz, who has praised his attitude and work ethic as he continues to adapt to life in Iowa. For a program that has long valued hidden edges, the possibility of finding one in an unlikely place is exactly the kind of development worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Making Another Early Push At A Recruit Fans Will Notice
Iowas recruiting momentum from the Cy-Hawk win carried right into the next day at Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes extended a scholarship offer to 2028 tight end Israel Johnigan during his game day visit. The Kansas City, Missouri, prospect is already drawing attention as one of the more highly regarded names in his class, and Iowa made sure he left campus with a clear sense of interest.
Johnigans junior season has helped fuel that early buzz, and the offer fits the way Iowa likes to get involved with tight ends before the market gets crowded. With multiple schools already in the mix, the Hawkeyes have put themselves in position early with a recruit fans will want to track, even if the real battle for him is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Passing Game Has A New Problem After Tony Diaz's Breakout
Tony Diaz has given Iowas passing game a needed spark early in the 2026 season, but the bigger picture is still about how the Hawkeyes can keep defenses honest around him. The tight end group has long been one of the teams defining matchup pieces, and DJ Vonnahme has already started to show why, catching six passes for 67 yards in two games while offering another option in the middle of the field.
Vonnahme is likely to miss the upcoming game against Northern Iowa, which adds a new wrinkle to a passing attack that is still trying to find its most reliable secondary threat. For Iowa, the intrigue is less about replacing one player and more about which tight end steps forward next, because the offense could use that play-action balance to make Diaz even harder to contain. [Read more 🡒]