For the third year in a row, Iowa’s offensive line is in the mix for college football’s top line honor.
The Hawkeyes were named one of 10 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which goes to the best offensive line in the sport. Iowa won the award last season and is trying to do something no program has ever done: win it three times. The only team to string together back-to-back victories is Michigan, which pulled it off in 2021 and 2022.
This year’s Iowa front has powered an offense averaging 27.8 points and 373.9 yards per game. On the ground, the Hawkeyes are putting up 173.8 rushing yards a game, and the line has allowed just eight sacks through nine contests.
The run game has had some big spikes along the way. Iowa has gone over 200 rushing yards in three games this season, highlighted by a 422-yard performance in Week 2 against Northern Iowa and a 263-yard effort in a Week 6 win at Washington.
The unit didn’t start fast, which made sense after Iowa lost three starters to the NFL. But the group has settled in, and position coach George Barnett has helped guide that progression. Two preseason All-Americans, Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper, have been the anchors, while Leighton Jones, Cael Winter, and Jack Dotzler have also played major roles.
The award, named for legendary offensive line coach Joe Moore, will reveal its finalists in early December. The winner will be announced in late December.
In Other News...
Iowa Heads Into Purdue With One Big Defensive Unknown
Purdues defense is suddenly in a state of transition heading into its matchup with Iowa after head coach Barry Odom fired defensive coordinator Kevin Kane following the loss to Maryland. Odom pointed to the units poor performance as the reason for the move, but he stopped short of saying who will handle the defensive play-calling against the Hawkeyes, even as he credited his assistants for the work of game planning.
For Iowa, the change adds a wrinkle, but not one that appears to be altering the approach. Kirk Ferentz acknowledged the uncertainty on Purdues sideline, though he said the Hawkeyes preparation stays the same regardless of who is making the calls. In a Big Ten game where field position and details usually matter anyway, Iowa will still be focused on its own plan and the challenge of sorting out a defense with a new layer of uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas Bowl Picture Is Taking Shape After A Big Week 11 Win
Iowas bowl outlook is starting to come into focus after its win over Northwestern, with the Hawkeyes now showing up in a range of postseason projections as Week 11 approaches. Several college football media outlets have slotted Iowa into different bowls, and the names attached to those matchups give a sense of just how many paths remain on the table as the season winds down.
The projected opponents vary from Alabama and Kentucky to Florida, SMU and Duke, with the games spread across the stretch from Dec. 18, 2026, through Jan. 2, 2027. For now, though, Iowa still has work to do before any of that becomes real, starting with its next game against Purdue at Kinnick Stadium. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Opens Big Four Stretch With One Lingering Concern After UConn
Ava Heidens night against Connecticut ended with more than just a bruising loss for Iowa. The Hawkeyes center needed five stitches after taking a cut in the game, and her early foul trouble also played a part in how the matchup tilted in UConns favor during a 91-79 defeat. For a team trying to settle in before the heart of its schedule, it was the kind of game that left both a physical and tactical mark.
Now Iowa turns to Northern Iowa to open its in-state stretch, with the Hawkeyes looking to clean up the issues that showed up against one of the nations top programs. There was also some off-court news for the program, as Iowa announced national letters of intent from 2027 recruits Jada Seubert and Khalia Hartwell, a reminder that the staff is still building for the future even as it tries to steady the present. [Read more 🡒]