November has a way of exposing every roster in college football, and Iowa and Northwestern are no exception. Between the two teams, 29 players show up on the availability report heading into the weekend, and a few of the names at the top of that list could shape how this game unfolds.
Iowa’s biggest concern is up front. The Hawkeyes have leaned on their offensive line for most of the season, but that cushion is starting to disappear.
Starting center Cael Winter is out, and so are key depth pieces Lucas Allgeyer, Trent Wilson, and Cannon Leonard. That leaves Iowa thin across the line, even if four of the five starters are still available.
Michael Myslinski is set to take over at center in Winter’s place.
The Hawkeyes also have a couple of important defenders worth monitoring. Starting cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Zach Lutmer are both listed as questionable for Saturday night’s matchup with Northwestern. Both are dealing with injuries, and while there’s reason to think Iowa could have them available, the final call may come down to how they look in a pregame workout.
Northwestern’s biggest question mark is even more significant. Quarterback Aidan Chiles is listed as questionable, and that status changes the whole picture if he can’t play. He stayed in the Wildcats’ last game against Oregon, but his second-half line - 5-for-14 - leaves room for questions about whether he was dealing with something physical or simply ran into a defense that adjusted.
Still, the sense here is that Chiles is likely to suit up. If he does, the main thing to watch is whether the injury affects what he can do on the ground.
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Iowa Heads Into Northwestern With One Huge Worry On Both Sides
Iowas trip to Northwestern comes with the usual Big Ten late-season wear and tear, but this one carries an especially heavy injury load on both sidelines. The two teams have a combined 29 players on their injury reports, and for the Hawkeyes the concern starts up front, where the offensive line is already thinner than usual with starting center Cael Winter out and Michael Myslinski stepping in.
The issues do not stop there for Iowa, either. Two starting defensive backs, Jaylen Watson and Zach Lutmer, are listed as questionable, adding another layer of uncertainty to a group that will need to hold up against a Northwestern offense that has its own question mark at quarterback, with Aidan Chiles also questionable for the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Campbell Shared An Update After A Frightening Week 8 Scare
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Fortunately, Campbell later offered a positive update on his condition and indicated he should be okay, which is the news everyone around the program wanted most. His update came as another busy NFL weekend unfolded for former Hawkeyes, with TJ Hockenson, Sam LaPorta, Amani Hooker, Drew Stevens and Lukas Van Ness all turning in notable Week 8 performances that kept Iowas pro pipeline in the spotlight for another Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas November Edge Could Suddenly Mean Much More This Year
November has long been a comfortable month for Kirk Ferentzs Iowa teams, and the numbers back it up. Since 2014, the Hawkeyes are 36-13 in the month, a stretch that has helped define how this program handles the grind late in the season. Ferentz has pointed to the same ingredients for years: managing stress, keeping the right mindset and leaning on fundamentals when the weather turns and the stakes rise.
This November, though, the usual routine carries a little more weight. Iowa is trying to turn that late-season steadiness into something bigger, with a College Football Playoff berth in view if the Hawkeyes can keep stacking wins. The formula is familiar, but the payoff could be different this time, which is exactly why the next few weeks matter so much in Iowa City. [Read more 🡒]