NOTES: Big Ten Opener at No. 18 Michigan

1ST & 10
• Saturday’s game in Ann Arbor is the Hawkeyes’ first trip to the Big House since 2019 and just the third since 2012. Head coach Kirk Ferentz has two career wins at Michigan (2002, 2010).
• The Hawkeyes are 3-0 for the first time since the 2023 season and for the 11th time under Ferentz.
• Iowa has won two straight and four of its last five Big Ten openers. The Hawkeyes won on the road at Minnesota in 2024 and at Rutgers in 2025.
• Iowa’s last road win over a ranked opponent came in 2021 at No. 9 Iowa State (27-17); the team’s last Big Ten road ranked victory came in 2015 at No. 20 Northwestern (40-10).
• Saturday’s game pits the two longest-tenured coaches in college football – Ferentz (28th) and Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham (22nd). Both coaches have 11 career bowl victories.
• Iowa had three 100-yard rushers (Xavier Williams, Braeden Jackson, Nathan McNeil) for the first time since 1983 in Week 3 vs. UNI. The team’s top two backs – Kamari Moulton and L.J. Phillips – missed the game because of injury.
• The Hawkeye offense had 640 yards of total offense (20th-most in the NCAA this season) and 32 total first downs in Week 3. The 32 first downs are the most in a game under Ferentz, while the yardage is second-most under Ferentz.
• Iowa’s offense has 500+ yards in two of three games this season; it is the first time since 2006 that the team has had multiple 500+ yard games in a single season.
• Iowa’s defense has posted two shutouts – Week 1 vs. NIU, Week 3 vs. UNI – this year, which leads the nation. The unit is leading the nation in scoring defense (4.3 points) and total defense (176.7 yards per game). The unit has allowed one touchdown in three games (12 quarters).
• The defense has allowed 13 points in three games – the fewest in the first three weeks since 2022. The unit has held two of its three opponents under 200 yards of total offense and two opponents under 100 yards rushing.
• Third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has a team-high 27 tackles and has led the team in tackles in all three games. He made a career-high 15 stops against Iowa State – the most in a game by a Hawkeye since Jay Higgins in 2024. He is 21st nationally (fourth in Big Ten), averaging nine tackles per game.
• Iowa’s offensive line has allowed one sack in its first three games, while the rushing attack averages 268 yards per contest, ranking 10th nationally. The Hawkeyes have three new starting offensive linemen.
• Iowa has 11 shutouts since 2018, the most in FBS over that timeframe.
• Third-year receiver Tony Diaz has 17 receptions (on 27 targets) for 201 yards and one touchdown in 2026. 
• Iowa has sold-out 31 consecutive games in Kinnick Stadium.

HOW 'BOUT THE O!
Iowa’s offense finished with 640 yards of total offense in the Week 3 victory over UNI. The Hawkeyes finished with 422 rushing yards – the seventh-most in program history – and the most by the program since 1990.  
• The 640 yards are the 10th-most in a single game in Iowa’s history, dating back to 1889.
• The Hawkeyes scored touchdowns on their first five possessions for the first time since the 2019 Holiday Bowl victory over USC. The offense finished with 42 first-half points -- the most for the program since 2005 (49 vs. Ball State) and the most in a game since 2017 (42 at Nebraska).
• Iowa had 418 yards in the first half with 24 first downs. It is believed to be the first time the program has had 400+ first-half yards since 1995 vs. New Mexico State (401 yards).
• The Hawkeyes finished with 34 first downs in the game – the most in Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeye tenure.

500+
Iowa’s offense has accumulated 500+ yards of total offense in two of their three games this season, which are the top two offensive outputs under Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester. 
• It is the first time since 2006 that the Hawkeye offense has had 500+ yards in multiple games in a single season.
• The Hawkeyes are averaging 37 points and 477 yards of total offense this season. The team is 30th in FBS in total offense and 47th in scoring offense.

HAWKEYE SHUTOUTS
• Iowa’s defense posted shutouts in two of the first three games of the 2026 season. They are the 19th and 20th shutouts of the Kirk Ferentz era. Iowa’s two shutouts are leading the nation.
• The Hawkeyes have 11 shutouts since 2018, the most in the nation in that span.
• In Week 1 with eight new starters, Iowa limited Northern Illinois to 120 yards and seven total first downs en route to a season-opening shutout. Iowa held the Huskies to 22 yards in the first quarter and 24 in the first half. NIU didn’t pick up its initial first down until the 4:10 mark in the third quarter (which came via penalty).  
• The 120 yards are tied for the sixth fewest allowed under Ferentz, while the seven first downs are tied for the seventh fewest.
• In Week 3 against UNI, Iowa allowed 155 yards of total offense (53 on ground, 102 through air) and nine first downs.

BUILDING BLOCKS
• Iowa has allowed 13 points in three games – the fewest through the first three weeks since the 2022 season.
• The unit has allowed 255 or fewer yards in all three games this season and under 200 yards in two of the team’s three contests. 
• Iowa has allowed a total of 25 first downs – 8.3 per game -- in three contests.
• Through three weeks, Iowa’s defense is leading the nation in scoring defense (4.3), total defense (176.7) and first down defense (25), third in team passing efficiency defense (81.83), fifth in passing defense (110.7), 10th in third-down defense (.233) and 11th in rushing defense (66.0).
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in four defensive categories.

EVERYWHERE CAM
Third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has a team-high 27 tackles in three games, averaging nine stops per game, ranking 21st nationally and fourth in the Big Ten. He also has a team-high three tackles for loss.  
• Buffington, who has led the team in tackles in each of the first three games, had a career-high 15 tackles, including nine solo stops, in Iowa’s Week 2 victory over Iowa State. For his efforts, he was named the Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week on Sept. 16.  
• His 15 tackles are the most by a Hawkeye since Jay Higgins in 2024.

TURNOVER TRACKER
Iowa’s defense has forced four turnovers this season – three via interception and one fumble. The Hawkeyes are +3 in turnover ratio on the year.
• Fifth-year Deshaun Lee had the team’s first interception of the season (fourth of his career) in Week 1 against Northern Illinois, while Brice Stevenson forced a fumble. Two second-years – Jacob Wallace and Rashad Godfrey, Jr. -- recorded their first career interceptions in Week 3 against UNI. 
• The Hawkeyes are 77-5 since 2012 when winning the turnover battle.

NO COOP, NO WEJ... ENTER EJ
Second-year wide receiver Evan James showed off his lightning speed in his Hawkeye debut in Week 1, returning a punt 77-yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was the 15th longest punt return for a touchdown in Iowa history.
• James had three punt returns for 108 yards in Week 1 against NIU, averaging 36 yards per return. 
• The Florida native has seven returns for 148 yards, averaging 21.1 yards, which ranks 10th in FBS. He is 25th nationally in combined kick return yards (148).
• James is one of 27 players nationally to return a punt for a touchdown this year.
• Iowa has had at least one punt return for a touchdown in each of the past four seasons.

CLUTCH BUHR
Second-year kicker Caden Buhr was clutch in Iowa’s Week 2 victory over Iowa State, connecting on a career-best three field goals, including a 42-yard game-winner with 15 seconds remaining to give the Hawkeyes the 16-13 Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series win. He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 14 and a Lou Groza Award Star of the Week on Sept. 15.
• It was Buhr’s first career game-winner, and it was the 10th Iowa game since 2015 that the Hawkeyes have won on a field goal in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter.
• Buhr has made 5-of-6 field goals this season, including five straight after missing his first collegiate attempt. He is 2-for-2 from 30-39, 3-for-3 from 40-49 and 0-for-1 from 50+. He is 18th nationally, averaging 1.67 field goals per game through the first three weeks of the season.

AUSSIE HAWKEYE
Second-year punter Boston Everitt is averaging 44.1 yards on 13 punts in his first three games as a Hawkeye. He ranks 20th in the NCAA and third in the Big Ten in punting average.
• The Aussie has nine punts downed inside the 20, including four in Week 2 against Iowa State. He has had eight punts fair caught and three travel 50+ yards.  
• Everitt, a native of Hope Island, Australia, continues Iowa’s Australian pipeline, following Tory Taylor and Rhys Dakin.

ALONE AT THE TOP
Kirk Ferentz is in his 28th season as Iowa’s head football coach, where he is the longest tenured active head coach in college football and all-time winningest coach in Big Ten Conference history. Ferentz broke the record during the 2025 season, passing Ohio State’s Woody Hayes atop the prestigious list. He currently has 212 career victories.
• Ferentz has 133 Big Ten wins, which rank third all-time, trailing Hayes (153) and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (143). 
• Ferentz won his 200th career game at Iowa State in 2023. He is the 27th coach at an FBS institution to reach the 200-career win milestone and the 99th coach across all divisions. Former Hawkeye head coach Hayden Fry finished his career with 236 victories.
• Ferentz has 11 career bowl game victories -- the most as a member of the Big Ten Conference.