Iowa’s push through the back half of the season is going to come down to the guys who can swing a tight game. The Hawkeyes have already put themselves at 5-1 and are staring at a possible run to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, but the path is still full of games that will have to be won the hard way.
That starts with the defense, which is going to be leaned on heavily as the schedule turns. Not every night will look like the offensive outburst against Washington, and Iowa knows that. When the scoring gets tighter, the Hawkeyes will need their defense to keep forcing opponents into uncomfortable spots.
Cam Buffington is at the center of that. The linebackers, led by Buffington, are going to be asked to handle the teams Iowa faces down the stretch that want to stay on the ground. If Iowa can get offenses off schedule and push them toward the pass against its secondary, that gives the Hawkeyes a real edge.
Trevor Lauck carries a different kind of pressure on the other side of the ball. Iowa is going to have moments when it has to throw in big third-down situations, and that means Lauck will need to keep winning against top-tier edge rushers long enough for Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski to deliver.
Then there’s Zach Lutmer, who has already made his presence felt against the run. He plays with no hesitation when he’s coming downhill, and he does a lot of his damage where the action is thickest. Lutmer is third on the team with 34 tackles, and he has already established himself as a star.
What could really change things for Iowa, though, is Lutmer making more noise in coverage. He has been quieter in the passing game, whether that’s because quarterbacks are avoiding him or because of his current role, especially with Tyler Brown out. Either way, there’s room for him to impact games even more if he starts jumping routes and trusting his instincts to create turnovers.
On offense, DJ Vonnahme looks like another player Iowa will need to wake back up for the late-season run. He has 18 catches through five games, and last year he finished with 29 total, 17 of them coming over the final four games.
With his health improving after being banged up, Tim Lester should keep looking for ways to feed him more often. Tony Diaz and Reece Vander Zee have already shown they can help in the passing game, but Vonnahme has the feel of a player who can matter even more as the stakes rise.
And then there’s Caden Buhr, who could end up being the difference in one of those classic Iowa finishes. The Hawkeyes are going to need to win one or two more games with a late field goal, because that’s how this team has lived for years. Buhr has been strong so far, and the bigger tests are waiting in the weeks ahead.
In Other News...
Iowa Is Back In The Top 25 With One Big Problem
Iowas win over Washington gave the Hawkeyes exactly the kind of lift they were looking for, and the reward showed up Monday in the AP Top 25, where they climbed to No. 17. The performance fit the formula this team has leaned on all season: sturdy defense, enough balance on offense to keep control of the game, and a record that now sits at 5-1.
Still, the ranking comes with a real test ahead. The remaining schedule is demanding, and if Iowa wants to stay in the College Football Playoff conversation, it will need more consistent offensive production and a more disruptive pass rush on defense. There is also no clean answer yet under center, with Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski still competing for the starting quarterback job after their recent showings. [Read more 🡒]
Ty'Reek Coleman Is Giving Iowa Fans A Reason To Believe In This Backcourt
TyReek Coleman has quickly become one of the more interesting newcomers around Iowa basketball, not just because he arrived from Illinois State, but because the Hawkeyes seem to have a real need for what he brings. Expected to handle lead-guard duties next season, Coleman is already drawing attention from Ben McCollum for the kind of defense and efficient scoring that can steady a backcourt while a new roster takes shape.
For Iowa, the appeal goes beyond one transfer filling a spot. Coleman is still getting comfortable in the system, but the early signs suggest he could be more than a stopgap and instead become a central piece of how the Hawkeyes want to play. If his progress keeps trending the way it has since he arrived in Iowa City, the backcourt may end up looking a lot more stable than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas 5-1 Start Has One Midseason Reality Fans Should Notice
Iowas 5-1 start has put the Hawkeyes in a familiar spot: winning enough games to stay relevant, while still sorting out what this team really is through six contests. The offense has shown enough production to keep drives moving, the defense has delivered the kind of steady work Iowa fans expect, and special teams has continued to factor into the bigger picture as well.
The interesting part now is not whether the record looks good, but which pieces are sustainable once the schedule tightens and the season moves deeper into October. Individual contributions across the roster have helped shape this run, and the coaching staff has clearly gotten solid early results, but there is still a midseason benchmark every contender has to clear if it wants to be taken seriously. [Read more 🡒]