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| IOWA vs. WISCONSIN |
| DATE | Saturday, Sept. 22 | 7:35 p.m. CT |
| LOCATION | Iowa City, Iowa | Kinnick Stadium (69,250) |
| RADIO | LISTEN | Hawkeye Radio Network | Hawkeye All-Access |
| TICKETS | SOLD OUT |
| TELEVISION | FOX |
| LIVE UPDATES | @IowaFBLive |
1st and 10
1: The Hawkeyes have 12 sacks in the first three weeks of the season, second most in the Big Ten (Penn State, 13) and tied for third in the country. DE A.J. Epenesa leads the team with four sacks. He is tied for the Big Ten lead and tied for fourth in the NCAA.
2: TE Noah Fant has 14 career touchdown receptions, more than any other tight end in program history and tying Clinton Solomon for ninth all-time in program history. Thirteen of Fant’s touchdown receptions have come from QB Nate Stanley over the Hawkeyes’ last 16 games.
3: Iowa has allowed a total of 25 rushing yards over the last two games, and leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the country in total defense (209.0 yards per game). Iowa is second in the Big Ten and NCAA in rushing defense and (42.0). The Hawkeyes allow just 1.5 yards per carry, second in the Big Ten (Michigan State, 1.3) and third in the country. Iowa has allowed just 40 first downs, fewer than any other Big Ten team and tied for sixth fewest in the country.
4: QB Nate Stanley has three touchdown passes this season, raising his career total total to 29. He is one shy of tying Brad Banks for 10th all-time in program history. Stanley threw for a season-high 309 yards (second career 300-yard game) in Week 3’s win against Northern Iowa. He became the 13th player in program history to pass for at least 3,000 yards. His 3,082 career passing yards rank 13th all-time.
5: The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank second in the country in scoring defense (8.0). The Hawkeyes have allowed 24 points through three games, their lowest total to start the season since surrendering eight points through the first three games in 2008. Iowa’s point differential (60) is also the highest since 2008 (97).
6: In the first three games of the season, five different Hawkeye linebackers have made their first career starts. Iowa has started a different linebacker trio in every week. The five linebackers entered the season with a combined 40 career tackles, 832 fewer career tackles than Iowa’s three starting linebackers in 2017 (Josey Jewell 437; Bo Bower, 234; Ben Niemann, 201).
7: QB Nate Stanley is 11-5 as Iowa’s starter. He has won five straight and owns an 8-2 record at Kinnick Stadium. He numbers at home include 20 TDs, 6 INTs, and 1,935 yards passing.
8: The Hawkeyes do not have a junior or senior at the running back position group. Sophomores Ivory Kelly-Martin, Mekhi Sargent, and Toren Young are the elder statesmen of the group. The trio has combined for 435 yards and six rushing touchdowns.
9: Iowa is playing its second of four trophy games Saturday. The Hawkeyes are 11-2 in their last 13 trophy games. Iowa defeated Iowa State, 13-3, to win the Cy-Hawk trophy for the fourth straight year Week 2.
10: The Hawkeyes are chasing their fifth 4-0 start under head coach Kirk Ferentz (2003, 2006, 2009, 2015). Iowa has won five of its last six Big Ten openers. Its 2017 loss to Penn State snapped a streak of five straight conference opening wins.
TROPHY GAMES
Iowa is playing its second of four trophy games this season on Saturday. The Hawkeyes defeated Iowa State, 13-3, to win the Cy-Hawk trophy for the fourth straight year. Iowa is 11-2 in its last 13 trophy games.
The Hawkeyes defend the Floyd of Rosedale trophy at Minnesota on Oct. 6, and the Heroes Trophy on Nov. 23 against Nebraska at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa will try to regain possession of the Heartland Trophy against Wisconsin on Saturday.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP REUNION
The 1958 Hawkeye football team returns to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday to celebrate the 60th anniversary of their historic 8-1-1 season. Led by Hall of Fame Head Coach Forest Evashevski, the Hawkeyes were Big Ten Conference champions and defeated California 38-12 in the Rose Bowl. They were voted National Champions by the Football Writers Association and awarded the Grantland Rice National Championship Trophy from Look Magazine. Randy Duncan was a consensus All-America quarterback, the Helms Foundation Player of the Year, and received the Walter Camp Trophy. Curt Merz was a first team All-America end, and fullback John Nocera was the team captain. Congratulations and thanks to the 1958 coaches and players from the National Iowa Varsity Club and Hawkeyes fans everywhere!
IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is playing its first of two opponents ranked in the AP poll. Wisconsin is ranked No. 18. The Hawkeyes travel to No. 11 Penn State Oct. 27.
These are Iowa’s most recent wins versus nationally-ranked opponents:
Home: 55-24 over #3 Ohio State, 11/4/17
40-10 over #15 Nebraska, 11/25/16
14-13 over #2 Michigan, 11/12/16
Road: 40-10 over #20 Northwestern, 10/17/15
10-6 over #18 Wisconsin, 10/3/15
38-28 over #24 Michigan, 10/16/10
Neutral: 27-24 over #12 Missouri, Insight Bowl, 12/28/10
24-14 over #9 Georgia Tech, Orange Bowl, 1/5/10
30-25 over #11 LSU, Capital One Bowl, 1/1/05
HAWKEYE HISTORY
Iowa has played 1,236 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 644-553-39 (.537). That includes a 403-219-16 (.643) record in home games, a 241-334-23 (.421) record in games away from Iowa City, a 324-374-25 (.465) mark in Big Ten games and a 287-184-15 (.607) record in Kinnick Stadium.
6 THROUGH THE AIR
QB Nate Stanley has three touchdown passes this season, raising his career total to 29. He is one shy of tying Brad Banks for 10th all-time in program history. Two of Stanley’s touchdown passes this season have gone to Noah Fant. He and Fant have connected for touchdowns 13 times over the last 16 games.
Stanley threw 26 touchdowns last year, one shy of tying the single-season record held by Chuck Long (27, 1985). Of those 26 touchdown passes, Fant caught a team-high 11 touchdown passes, followed by Nick Easley (4). In total, 20 of Stanley’s 26 touchdown targets return in 2018. TE T.J. Hockenson caught three touchdowns from Stanley in 2017, and WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette pulled in two touchdown receptions.
Stanley threw for a season-high 309 yards (second career 300-yard game) in Week 3’s win against Northern Iowa. He became the 13th player in program history to pass for at least 3,000 yards. His 3,082 career passing yards rank 13th all-time.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN IN FRONT
The Hawkeyes have 12 sacks in the first three weeks of the season, second most in the Big Ten (Penn State, 13) and tied for third in the country.
DE A.J. Epenesa leads the team with four sacks. He is tied for the Big Ten lead and tied for fourth in the NCAA. Epenesa is one of eight Hawkeyes with sacks. DE Parker Hesse has two, and DT Cedrick Lattimore, DT Brady Reiff, DE Anthony Nelson, DT Matt Nelson, LB Nick Niemann, and LB Kristian Welch each have one.
EPENESA NAMED B1G CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
DE A.J. Epenesa was named Big Ten Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week following Iowa’s 13-3 win over Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series on Sept. 8. Epenesa was also named the league’s defensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness.
The Big Ten honor was the first of Epenesa’s career. The native of Glen Carbon, Illinois (Edwardsville HS), recorded a career-best two sacks against Iowa State, causing a fourth quarter fumble that was recovered by teammate Chauncey Golston. Epenesa had five tackles in the game, and added a pass break-up.
NO POINTS FOR YOU
The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank second in the country in scoring defense (8.0). The Hawkeyes have allowed 24 points through three games, their lowest total to start the season since surrendering eight points through the first three games in 2008. Iowa’s point differential (60) is also the highest since 2008 (97).
NO YARDS FOR YOU
Iowa has allowed a total of 25 rushing yards over the last two games, and leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the country in total defense (209.0 yards per game). The Hawkeyes limited Iowa State to just 19 yards rushing in Week 2, and held Northern Iowa to six rushing yards in Week 3. That total ranks second all-time in the Ferentz era (20 years).
Iowa is second in the Big Ten and NCAA in rushing defense (42.0). Iowa’s pass defense (167.0) ranks fourth in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes allow just 1.5 yards per carry, second in the Big Ten (Michigan State, 1.3) and third in the country.
Iowa has allowed just 40 first downs, fewer than any other Big Ten team and tied for sixth fewest in the country.
YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE
TE Noah Fant has 14 career touchdown receptions, more than any other tight end in program history and tying Clinton Solomon for ninth all-time in program history.
Thirteen of Fant’s touchdown receptions have come from QB Nate Stanley over the Hawkeyes’ last 16 games. His first career touchdown reception came from QB C.J. Beathard (5 yards, at Purdue on Oct. 15, 2016).
His 14 career touchdowns have come from near and far, listed in chronological order: 5, 2, 27, 23, 7, 45, 25, 3, 6, 4, 69, 8, 1, 5.
Fant was one of 10 conference players named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List. He had 30 receptions last season, including a team-high 11 touchdowns, tied for most in the country among FBS tight ends and the most by a Hawkeye since Marvin McNutt caught 12 touchdown passes in 2012. Fant led Iowa and all FBS tight ends with 16.5 yards per catch in 2017.
FOSTER INHERITS FRESH LEGS
Running backs coach Derrick Foster is in his first season on Iowa’s staff in charge of a position group that graduated 75 percent of its rushing yards in 2017, and entered 2018 with one combined career start (Toren Young).
RB Ivory Kelly-Martin made his first career-start and had a team and career-high 16 carries for 62 yards and one touchdown in Week 1. He missed Weeks 2-3 with an injury.
Young got the start in Weeks 2 and 3 rushed for a team-high both games. He is Iowa’s top rusher with 43 carries for 234 yards.
RB Mehki Sargent rushed 12 times Week 1, and 11 times Week 2, and set career highs in rushing attempts (15), rushing yards (72), rushing touchdowns (2), and receiving yards (48) in Week 3.
The committee has combined for six rushing touchdowns, three by Sargent, two by Young and one by Kelly-Martin.
The Hawkeye do not have a junior or senior among the position group. Sophomores Kelly-Martin, Sargent, and Young are the elder statesmen of the group. Henry Geil is a true freshman (15 carries, 37 yards).
Iowa graduated running backs Akrum Wadley (1,109 yards) and James Butler (396 yards) in 2017. The duo combined for 1,505 rushing yards in 2017.
NEW FACES IN THE CROWD
In the first three games of the season, five different Hawkeye linebackers have made their first career starts. The Hawkeyes have started a different set of linebackers each week.
Week 1 starting linebackers Amani Jones, Kristian Welch, and Nick Niemann started for the first time in their careers in Iowa’s 33-7 win over Northern Illinois.
Niemann started Week 2 alongside Jack Hockaday and Djimon Colbert in Iowa’s 13-3 win over Iowa State.
Welch returned to the lineup in Week 3, starting alongside Niemann and Hockaday. Niemann is the only linebacker to start each game. Welch has led the team in tackles in both of his starts (11, 8). Welch and Hockaday share the team lead in total tackles (18).
The 2018 season is the first in Kirk Ferentz’s 20 years that the Hawkeyes opened the season without a linebacker with a single career start.
The five linebackers entered the season with a combined 40 career tackles, 832 fewer career tackles than Iowa’s three starting linebackers in 2017 (Josey Jewell 437; Bo Bower, 234; Ben Niemann, 201).
The last time Ferentz had this little starting experience at the linebacker position was in 2014. That year, Quinton Alston, Bo Bower, and Reggie Spearman were Iowa’s starting linebackers in the season opener. Only Alston had a previous career start (2012 at Michigan).
In Ferentz’s first season in 1999, the opening day starting linebackers — LeVar Woods, Aaron Kampman, and Derrick Davison — had two career starts combined. Both starts belonged to Kampman, who started the final two games in 1998.
FERENTZ BECOMES IOWA’S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH, MOVES UP BIG TEN CHARTS
Head coach Kirk Ferentz (146-97) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144th win as Iowa’s head coach, one more than his predecessor, Hayden Fry (143-89-6). Fry coach Iowa for 20 years (1979-98). Ferentz is in his 20th season.
Ferentz’s 146 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. Iowa has at least eight wins in three straight seasons and owns a 31-12 mark since 2015.
Ferentz has 86 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach. The 86 conference wins rank sixth among the conference’s all-time winningest coaches in Big Ten games.
Both Ferentz (146, 86) and Fry (143, 96) rank in the top six in overall wins and Big Ten wins. Only Iowa and Michigan have two coaches ranked in the top 10 of both win categories (Bo Schembechler 194, 143; and Lloyd Carr 122, 81).
Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
FERENTZ TOPS IN LONGEVITY
Kirk Ferentz is in his 20th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football. Ferentz was named Iowa head coach on Dec. 2, 1998. Gary Patterson of TCU is No. 2 in coaching tenure. Patterson’s first year with the Horned Frogs was 2001. Among Big Ten coaches, only Pat Fitzgerald (2006) and Mark Dantonio (2007) have been at their current schools for 10 seasons or more. Iowa is the only school to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
Defensive coordinator Phil Parker and strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle are also in their 20th seasons on Iowa’s staff. Defensive line coach Reese Morgan joined the staff in 1999 and is in his 19th season. Quarterbacks coach Ken O’Keefe was on Ferentz’s original coaching staff before he left for the NFL following the 2011 season. He returned to Iowa in 2017 to coach Iowa’s quarterbacks.
Ferentz is the only Division I coach to coach three sons. Brian Ferentz, a former Hawkeye letterman and captain (2003-05), is in his seventh season on Iowa’s coaching staff. James Ferentz was a three-year starter on the Hawkeye offensive line and a team captain before graduating in 2013. Steven was an offensive lineman and letterwinner in 2015 and 2016.
TIGERHAWK ADDED TO WATER TOWER
For the second time in as many years, a Tigerhawk has found a home at Kinnick Stadium. In June 2018, a Tigerhawk logo and block IOWA lettering were added to the water tower that sits outside the northeast corner of Kinnick Stadium.
The Tigerhawk faces southwest, overlooking Kinnick Stadium, and stretches 24 feet wide and measures 15 feet, 5.75 inches in height. The block IOWA lettering is on the northwest side of the water tower and measures 24 feet by 9 1/8 feet. The height of the water tower tank is 70 feet.
The images were added one year after a Tigerhawk logo was placed at midfield at Kinnick Stadium.
FILLING HOLES IN TAKEAWAYS
Iowa had one interception in its 33-7 win against Northern Illinois Week 1 (Amani Hooker) and one by Michael Ojemudia in its 38-14 win against Northern Iowa in Week 3. The Hawkeyes led the nation with 21 interceptions in 2017. The Hawkeyes return nine of the 21 thefts, led by safeties Jake Gervase (3) and Hooker (2). Returners DE Parker Hesse, S Geno Stone, LB Kristian Welch, and DL Brady Reiff also recorded interceptions last season. Iowa lost the nation’s leader in interceptions, Josh Jackson (8), and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Josey Jewell (2), to the NFL. Both players were consensus All-Americans.
Iowa has at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of the last 10 seasons, and 15 of the last 17 seasons.
IOWA LEADERSHIP GROUP
The University of Iowa football program has 12 players among its 2018 Leadership Group. The group includes six seniors, five juniors, and one sophomore. The Leadership Group votes on the weekly game day captains, is involved in team decision-making throughout the season, and provides feedback to the head coach. Players were selected by team vote.
The group consists of seniors WR Nick Easley, DB Jake Gervase, DE Parker Hesse, LB Aaron Mends, DL Matt Nelson, and OL Keegan Renders, juniors DB Amani Hooker, LB Amani Jones, DL Anthony Nelson, FB Brady Ross, and QB Nate Stanley, and sophomore RB Toren Young.
BACK ON CAMPUS
Four former players are on the University of Iowa football staff in 2018. Brian Ferentz, a three-year letterman from 2003-05, is in his seventh year on staff, his second as offensive coordinator.
LeVar Woods, a three-year letterman from 1998-2000, enters his 11th year on the Iowa staff. Woods was named Special Teams Coordinator in 2017. He coached tight ends from 2015-17 and linebackers from 2012-14. He rejoined the program as an administrative assistant in 2008.
Kelvin Bell joined the Iowa program as a defensive lineman in 2000, but had his career cut short due to injury. He returned to the program as a graduate assistant and served as director of on-campus recruiting from 2012-13, before being named recruiting coordinator and defensive assistant coach in February, 2016.
Broderick Binns, a four-year letterman from 2008-11, was named director of player development in April, 2016. Binns previously served as a graduate assistant in 2014 and 2015, working with Hawkeye special teams.
HAWKEYE LEGACIES
Iowa has six players on its roster whose father played for the Hawkeyes: TE Drew Cook (Marv in 1985-88), DL A.J. Epenesa (Epenesa in 1997), WR Henry Marchese (John in 1985), DE Anthony Nelson and DE Nathan Nelson (Jeff in 1990-92), and QB Ryan Schmidt (Rick 1984-85).
Iowa has four sets of the brothers on the team: DL Jack Kallenberger and OL Mark Kallenberger, DL Anthony Nelson and DL Nathan Nelson, OL Landan Paulsen and OL Levi Paulsen, and TE Ben Subbert and LS Jackson Subbert.
Iowa has two players whose brothers played at Iowa: LB Nick Niemann (Ben in 2014-17) and DL Brady Reiff (Riley in 2008-11). Both older brothers are currently playing in the NFL.
LS Austin Spiewak is the grandson of Gary Grouwinkel, who played for Iowa in the 1957 and 1959 Rose Bowl Games.
OL Trey Winters is the son of James Winters, a former All-Big Ten basketball player who led the Hawkeyes in scoring in 1994.
LB Dillon Doyle is the son of head strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle.
SEEING DOUBLE
Junior offensive linemen Landan and Levi Paulsen are the sixth set of twins to play football at the University of Iowa. The offensive linemen from Woodbury High School in Northwest Iowa join the company of Leo and Lloyd Jensvold (1929-30), Harold and Herbert Shoener (1946-47), Kent and Kevin Ellis (1977-80), Aaron and Evan Kooiker (1992), and Shane and Shaun Prater (2008).
The last brothers to start in the same game for the Hawkeyes were James and LeShun Daniels. James was Iowa’s starting center in the 2016 season opener against Miami (Ohio), and LeShun was Iowa’s starting running back.
The last twins to start for the Hawkeyes were SS Kent Ellis and CB Kevin Ellis in 1980.
HAWKEYES AT NIGHT
Saturday’s 7:35 p.m. (CT) kickoff is the latest in the history of Kinnick Stadium, and the Hawkeyes’ second night game at home this season. Iowa defeated Northern Iowa, 38-14, on Sept. 15. Iowa has hosted 17 night games in Kinnick Stadium’s history, holding an 12-5 record in those contests. Below is a list of night games in Kinnick Stadium:
Date Opponent Result Start Time
Sept. 5, 1992 #1 Miami, FL L, 24-7 7 p.m.
Sept. 18, 1999 N. Illinois W, 24-0 5 p.m.
Sept. 14, 2002 Iowa State L, 36-31 5 p.m.
Sept. 20, 2003 #16 Arizona St. W, 21-2 5 p.m.
Sept. 30, 2006 #1 Ohio State L, 38-17 7 p.m.
Sept. 8, 2007 Syracuse W, 35-0 7 p.m.
Oct. 10, 2009 Michigan W, 30-28 7 p.m.
Oct. 2, 2010 #20 Penn State W, 24-3 7 p.m.
Oct. 15, 2011 Northwestern W, 41-31 6 p.m.
Oct. 20, 2012 Penn State L, 38-14 7 p.m.
Sept. 19, 2015 Pittsburgh W, 27-24 7 p.m.
Nov. 14, 2015 Minnesota W, 40-35 7 p.m.
Sept. 10, 2016 Iowa State W, 42-3 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 12, 2016 #2 Michigan W, 14-13 7 p.m.
Sept. 23, 2017 #4 Penn State L, 21-19 6:42 p.m.
Oct. 28, 2017 Minnesota W, 17-10 5:35 p.m.
Sept. 15, 2018 Northern Iowa W, 38-14 6:40 p.m.
ANF GAME DAY SATURDAY
Saturday will serve as the eighth annual ANF Game Day as the Iowa Farm Bureau celebrates America Needs Farmers. The University of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau will recognize the newest member of the ANF Wall of Honor, which salutes former University of Iowa football players who exemplify the tenacity, work ethic, and character of the Iowa farmer. Previous recipients include Casey Wiegmann (2012), Jared DeVries (2013), Bruce Nelson (2014), Robert Gallery (2015), Dallas Clark (2016), and Chad Greenway (2017).
ANF was launched during the Hawkeyes’ 1985 Rose Bowl season by head coach Hayden Fry, when the Farm Crisis of the 1980’s was hitting the Heartland exceptionally hard. A gold ANF decal on the Hawkeye helmets is the effort’s signature. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of ANF, a longstanding tribute to America’s farmers and program connecting Iowa’s farm families to consumers to learn more about the production of food, fuel, and fiber.
ALL ABOARD TO KINNICK STADIUM!
The Hawkeye Express, the passenger train that transports fans from Coralville to Kinnick Stadium, is in its 15th season in 2018.
Adults can ride the train for $15, round trip, while children (12-and-under) ride for free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the UI Ticket Office or on game day (cash only on game day) at the Hawkeye Express depot located near the boarding ramp. The trip to Kinnick Stadium is approximately 10 minutes. Media credentials are accepted, as well.
Free parking is located in lots near the Comfort Suites and Coral Ridge Mall. Fans can begin boarding the train three hours prior to kickoff. Return trips begin at the start of the fourth period and run 90 minutes after the game.
The Hawkeye Express is owned by the Iowa Northern Railway Company and operates on the Iowa Interstate Railroad.
REINVENTING THE STADIUM WAVE
The University of Iowa football program received the prestigious 2017 Disney Sports Spirit Award after launching a heart-warming tradition at its home games last season that touched the lives of scores of young patients at the University’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
In a tradition that started at the 2017 season opener, fans inside Kinnick Stadium and patients and families inside the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital exchange waves at the end of the first quarter of each home game.
The UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital opened in 2017. It is connected to the south end of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and overlooks Kinnick Stadium from the southeast grandstands. During Iowa football home games, patients and their families can watch the game from the top floor (Level 12), one of the highest vantage points in Iowa City.
HAWK TALK WITH KIRK FERENTZ
Head Coach Kirk Ferentz is featured on “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz” each week during the regular season. The radio call-in show is hosted by Gary Dolphin, the play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes. The show airs live each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from Carlos O’Kelly’s in Iowa City. The first show is Aug. 29. There is no show during the Hawkeyes’ by week (Wednesday, Sept. 26).
