Before Iowa heads to Minneapolis to open the second half of its season, three Hawkeyes picked up a little extra shine.
The accolades make sense. Iowa has raced to a 5-1 start behind the same kinds of strengths that have defined the program in recent seasons: a steady offensive line, a defense that squeezes opponents, and a team that has found ways to win even with a revolving door at quarterback. Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski have both done enough to keep the offense moving, the ground game has been uneven but explosive at times, and the defense has done its part by making teams one-dimensional.
That strong first half did not go unnoticed. The Athletic named Kade Pieper, Trevor Lauck, and Cam Buffington to its Midseason All-American team.
The Hawkeyes’ offensive line has been central to everything. Iowa is averaging 194.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten, and the group has given up only five sacks, a number that ranks No. 10 in college football. That kind of protection and push has helped fuel an offense averaging 403.2 yards and 31.0 points per game.
Buffington earned second-team recognition at linebacker, and he has been all over the field since last season. He forced his way into the lineup after Jaden Harrell got hurt, played so well that he kept the job when Harrell returned, and came into this year expected to be a major piece of the defense.
He has lived up to that billing with a team-high 52 tackles and 2.0 sacks, which ties him for second on the roster. He also turned in a huge performance in Iowa’s Cy-Hawk win with 15 tackles, and he has been especially strong against the run.
Defensive coordinator Phil Parker has leaned more on Buffington as a blitzer, and that wrinkle has paid off. With the defensive line not generating consistent pressure, Buffington has helped make up the difference. He may well finish the season as Iowa’s leading tackler, and this recognition feels overdue.
Pieper landed first-team honors at right guard after another dominant start. He has started all six games there and continues to show why he is viewed as one of the top offensive linemen in the 2027 NFL Draft. Last season, he became a full-time starter and earned All-American honors while helping guide Iowa’s line to the Joe Moore Award.
Lauck also made the first team at left tackle and has carried his momentum from last season into this one. He has gone from relative unknown to veteran presence, and he is finally getting the notice that comes with the play. He has been a key part of protecting the quarterback’s blindside, and Iowa’s line has surrendered just five sacks all year.
For Iowa to keep moving toward its first College Football Playoff appearance, that trend has to hold. With Lauck and Pieper setting the tone up front and Buffington doing the heavy lifting at linebacker, the Hawkeyes have three more reasons to feel good about where they stand.
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Iowa Has A Chance To Make A Real CFP Statement At Minnesota
Iowa heads to Minnesota this week with a familiar kind of challenge in front of it, the sort that tends to reveal just how real a College Football Playoff push can be. The Hawkeyes have leaned on defense for years, and that identity is still carrying plenty of weight, especially with an 11-year streak of defensive scoring intact and a unit that has been among the nations best at getting to the quarterback.
The matchup also puts the offense under a bright spotlight, with Jeremy Hecklinski stepping in as the starting quarterback and Iowa looking to pair his play with a steadier running game. Minnesotas defense has made life difficult up front, allowing only four sacks this season, so the Hawkeyes may have to win this one by forcing turnovers and grinding out field position in a game that figures to be decided by which side can stay cleaner on the margins. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Rivalry Test That Could Shape Its Season Push
After a week off, Iowa heads into one of the Big Tens most familiar measuring sticks, a trip to Minneapolis to meet Minnesota for the Floyd of Rosedale. The Hawkeyes are carrying the better momentum on paper, with betting markets making them a nearly touchdown favorite for a game at Huntington Bank Stadium that could say plenty about where this season is headed.
Weather could put an extra wrinkle into an already physical rivalry, especially if it limits what either side can do through the air. However this one plays out, the matchup brings together two teams that know each other well and a coaching history that tends to make these annual meetings more than just another spot on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Has A Huge Opening To Keep Owning Minnesota
The Hawkeyes head into the 120th meeting in this rivalry with a familiar advantage, and they will try to keep it intact in a place where they have handled Minnesota well lately. Iowa has won five straight games at Minnesotas stadium, and the task this week is less about style points than about doing the same simple things that have traveled for them before: finish drives with touchdowns, stay out of their own way with penalties, and make life miserable for the other sides quarterback.
Minnesota brings a season that has been uneven at best, and the injury list only adds to the uncertainty for the Gophers. For Iowa, that creates a clear opening if the defense can set the tone early and the offense can avoid leaving chances on the table. Rivalry games have a way of tightening up fast, but this one looks like another spot where the Hawkeyes can lean on habit, discipline and a defense that has a chance to tilt the whole afternoon. [Read more 🡒]