The calendar turning to November has long been a good sign for Iowa football, and this season is no different. Under Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes have repeatedly found another gear late in the year, and with a College Football Playoff trip still in reach, they’ll need that same surge again.
Ferentz was asked why his teams seem to play their best football when the season reaches its toughest stretch, and his answer centered on the grind that comes with this part of the schedule.
“So, you start getting stressed a little and stressed in different ways in November, typically. Emotionally, physically, there’s a lot of things that beneath the surface that are taking place.
“Ultimately, you have to be able to perform, find a way to get it done, and that’s really what it gets down to if you are going to have a successful season,” Ferentz said when asked about how Iowa plays its best football late in the year.
For Ferentz, the formula is not complicated. He pointed to the mental side of the game and the need to handle the month’s challenges without letting them become an excuse.
“I’ve talked to our players about this every year. If you are going to be successful in a conference, you have to win on the road.
“You’ve got to find a way, because you’re going to play half your games -- and I understand we play an odd number of games, so it’s not technically half, but over two years it’s half your games on the road. If you want to use that as a crutch, you can’t. You’re not going to be very successful.
“Same thing about November. It’s just meeting the challenges, whatever they may be, and every November has got them.
Having the right mindset and then you got to go out and play, and we’re going to find out. Hopefully it’s positive,” Ferentz said about embracing the challenges.
The numbers back up Iowa’s reputation. Since 2014, the Hawkeyes are 36-13 in November, a .735 winning percentage in a month that often carries major stakes.
That kind of run doesn’t come from anything mystical. It comes from a team doing the small things well, staying sharp on fundamentals, and handling the messier parts of late-season football better than most. Cold weather, ugly conditions and rosters thinned by injuries all show up this time of year, and Iowa has made a habit of leaning into that reality instead of shrinking from it.
The Hawkeyes have built a November identity around that approach, and the record says it plainly: they welcome the challenge.
In Other News...
Iowa Heads Into Northwestern With One Huge Worry On Both Sides
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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 🡒]
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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 Playoff Push Rests On A Crucial Road Test At Northwestern
A playoff push can get complicated quickly in November, and Iowa heads into a road trip to Northwestern knowing there is little margin for error. The Hawkeyes have leaned on a defense built to make life difficult for opposing run games, and that approach figures to be central again as they try to control the pace and avoid letting the Wildcats settle in at home.
On the other side, Iowa is looking for its offense to provide enough support, with wide receiver Tony Diaz among the players who could help tilt the game. Cam Buffington and Zach Lutmer are also part of the group Iowa needs to deliver in a big spot, because a road win here would keep the Hawkeyes moving in the right direction and preserve the kind of momentum that matters most in late-season college football. [Read more 🡒]