Iowa didn’t need style points to beat Iowa State on Saturday night. It needed answers in the biggest moments, and the Hawkeyes found them in a 16-13 Cy-Hawk win that brought home the trophy.
That doesn’t mean everything was clean. Far from it.
Kirk Ferentz and his staff still have plenty to sort through before Big Ten play begins. But the night belonged to Iowa’s ability to win the tight, ugly ones, and a few players and units rose while others left more questions behind.
Special teams set the tone for one of the biggest stock boosts. After a shaky Week 1, that group bounced back in a major way.
Caden Buhr was perfect on all three field goal attempts, and the biggest one came from 42 yards to win it. Boston Everitt helped tilt the field with several solid punts that pinned Iowa State deep, while the return game stayed steady with Reece Vander Zee giving Iowa a reliable presence.
Chris Polizzi’s units were ready.
The linebackers were just as important on the defensive side. Iowa’s defense was excellent all night, and that group stood out above the rest.
Cam Buffington piled up a game-high 15 total tackles and did a strong job spying Iowa State quarterback Jaylen Raynor. Jayden Montgomery added four total tackles and two tackles for loss.
When Iowa needed a stop, those two kept showing up.
The fourth quarter also deserves a spot on the rise list. That was a major change from last season, when Iowa dropped four games by a combined 15 points and kept coming up short in the closing stretch.
This time, the Hawkeyes finished. They put together two scoring drives in the quarter that ate up a combined 10:23, and the defense answered with two three-and-outs to close the door.
Iowa made the clutch plays when it mattered most.
Tony Diaz kept his stock climbing, too. Against tougher competition, he still produced in a big way, finishing with eight catches for 95 yards.
Most of that damage came before halftime, including a huge 56-yard grab. Diaz is looking more and more like Iowa’s top skill-position threat, and he’s forcing his way into the game plan every week.
On the other side of the ball, the offensive line took a step back. After dominating in Week 1, that group looked far more ordinary Saturday night.
Iowa managed just 93 rushing yards and averaged 3.2 yards per carry. The line struggled to open holes, even if Iowa State’s defensive front deserves credit for a strong performance.
For a unit trying to repeat as Joe Moore Award winners, it was a rough outing.
Tim Lester also had a night he’d rather forget. His work since arriving in 2024 has been excellent, but the offense never found much rhythm against the Cyclones.
There were several play calls that had fans thinking about the Brian Ferentz days, and the scripting never really got Iowa going. Lester did make the right calls late to help secure the win, but this was not his sharpest night.
Jeremy Hecklinski’s stock dropped without him even taking the field. Iowa stuck with Hank Brown for the entire game, which says plenty about how the staff views the quarterback situation.
There were chances to make a switch and chase a spark, but the Hawkeyes never did. Unless something dramatic happens next week, Brown appears to have locked up the job heading into Big Ten play.
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 🡒]