NOTES: Floyd of Rosedale at Minnesota

1ST & 10
• Iowa has won 10 of the last 11 and 20 of the last 25 games against Minnesota. The Hawkeyes have won five straight over the Gophers in Minneapolis, dating back to 2016.
• Floyd of Rosedale is on the line Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium. Iowa is currently in possession of all four traveling trophies – Cy-Hawk, Floyd, Heartland and Heroes. Iowa is 33-11 in its last 44 rivalry trophy games.
• Iowa has won 14 consecutive games against unranked opponents.  
• The Hawkeyes posted their first regular season win on the West Coast since 1965 with its Week 6 road win at Washington.  
• Third-year quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski completed 14-of-19 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns at Washington. He is the fourth QB in the Ferentz era to have three TDs in his debut, joining Jon Beutjer (4) in 2000, Ricky Stanzi (2008) and Nate Stanley (2008).  
• RB Kamari Moulton, who is leading the Big Ten in rushing, had a career-high 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 6 at Washington, including a 56-yard touchdown run. They were the most yards by a Hawkeye in a road game since 2011 (Marcus Coker at Minnesota).
• The Hawkeyes have scored 40+ points three times in the first six games – a first for the program in 15 years.
• Iowa’s offense finished with 465 yards of total offense against the Huskies – the most in a Big Ten game under OC Tim Lester.  
• Iowa’s defense limited Washington to (-3) rushing yards in Week 6 – the second-fewest yards allowed under Kirk Ferentz and the fewest since 2004.
• Iowa’s offense has 500+ yards in two 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 (40-0), Week 3 vs. UNI (55-0). The Hawkeyes are the only team in the country to have multiple 40-point shutouts in 2026. The unit is eighth in the nation in scoring defense (14.5) and 22nd in total defense (293.3).
• Iowa’s offensive line has allowed five sacks in its first six games (10th in FBS), while the rushing attack averages 180.2 yards per contest, ranking 35th nationally. The Hawkeyes have three new starting offensive linemen.
• Iowa has 11 shutouts since 2018, the most in FBS over that timeframe.
• Iowa is 24-1 in games televised on FS1.
• The Hawkeyes are +2 in the turnover battle in 2026.
• WR Reece Vander Zee had a 16-yard reception as time expired to give Iowa a 20-19 road win at Michigan in Week 4. It was the Hawkeyes’ first walk-off touchdown since 2009 (Marvin McNutt, Jr., at Michigan State).

FLOYD OF ROSEDALE
As a result of a bet between the governors of the two states in 1935, possession of Floyd of Rosedale is at stake Saturday. The trophy currently resides in Iowa City. Iowa leads the series 46-43-2 with Floyd of Rosedale on the line. Iowa has won 20 of the last 25 meetings.

HANK & HECK
Iowa’s quarterback competition began in January and spilled into the season between fourth-year Hank Brown and third-year Jeremy Hecklinski.  Brown started the first five games, leading the team to four victories in five starts, before missing the Week 6 road game at Washington because of injury.  Hecklinski stepped in and dazzled in Seattle, leading the offense to 41 points and 465 yards of total offense -- the most against a Power 5 opponent under OC Tim Lester.

HECK OF A START
Third-year quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski led the Hawkeyes to a Week 6 road victory at Washington in his first collegiate start. The Marietta, Georgia, native completed 14-of-19 passes, including his final 12 passes, for 202 yards and three touchdowns – a season high by a Hawkeye QB this season.
• Hecklinski is the fourth Iowa quarterback in the Kirk Ferentz era to have three touchdowns in his debut, joining Jon Beutjer (4) in 2000, Ricky Stanzi (2008) and Nate Stanley (2017).  
• He is the fourth player under Ferentz to win their first career start on the road, joining Jason Manson (2006 at Syracuse), C.J. Beathard (2014 at Purdue) and Jackson Stratton (2024 at Maryland). He was also the first player to beat Washington at Husky Stadium in his first career start since 2005.
• Iowa is 8-1 since 2006 in games where its back-up QB makes a first career start – Jason Manson (2006), Jake Christensen (2008), C.J. Beathard (2014), Alex Padilla (2021), Joey Labas (2022), Deacon Hill (2023), Jackson Stratton (2024) and Hecklinski (2026).  
• Hecklinski, who earned Manning Award Star of the Week honors in Week 6, is 32-of-51 for 410 yards and four touchdowns in 2026.

HAWKEYE SHUTOUTS
• Iowa’s defense posted shutouts in two games in 2026. They are the 19th and 20th shutouts of the Kirk Ferentz era.
• 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.
• In Week 6 at Washington, the Hawkeyes limited the Huskies to 109 first-half yards (14 in the first quarter). UW didn’t go over the 100-yard mark until its final possession of the first half.

BUILDING BLOCKS
• Iowa has allowed 255 or fewer yards in three games this season and under 200 yards in two contests. 
• Through six games, Iowa’s defense is sixth in FBS in sacks (3.17), seventh in rush defense (84.7), eighth in scoring defense (14.5) and first down defense (95), 19th in first down defense (71) and 22nd in total defense (288.6).
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in first down defense.

STOPPING THE RUN
Iowa’s rush defense in Week 6 was stout and that might be an understatement. The Hawkeyes limited Washington to (-3) rushing yards in the 41-24 victory – the second-fewest yards allowed in a game in head coach Kirk Ferentz’s tenure.  
• Washington’s running backs had 12 carries for 19 yards in the game and that total was wiped out and then some thanks to six Hawkeye sacks for 22 yards.  
• Iowa’s rush defense is allowing 84.7 yards in six games and the defense has allowed one rushing touchdown on the season.

EVERYWHERE CAM
Third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has a team-high 52 tackles in six games, averaging 8.7 stops per game, ranking 29th nationally and second in the Big Ten. He has 28 solo tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks.
• Buffington, who has led the team in tackles in three games, has two double-digit tackle games this season. He had a career-high 15 tackles, including nine solo stops, in Iowa’s Week 2 victory over Iowa State and 11 stops in Week 4 at Michigan. 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.
• Buffington made eight tackles in Week 6 at Washington and he tallied the first two sacks of his collegiate career.• Lutmer had his second straight 10+ tackle game in Week 5 against Ohio State, while Montgomery finished with a career-high 11 stops.
• Iowa has had four different players make 10+ tackles in a game this season.

BRAEDEN TO THE CRIB
Second-year RB Braeden Jackson went untouched for 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter of Iowa’s Week 4 road win at Michigan.
• The 99-yard touchdown return ties for the seventh longest in program history.
• Iowa has had a kick return for a touchdown in three consecutive seasons. The team has returned both a punt and kickoff for a touchdown in three straight seasons. 
• The return was the first kickoff return for a touchdown allowed by Michigan since 2019.
•  Jackson was the first player in the Big Ten to record a kickoff return for a touchdown in 2026. He is one of 17 players nationally to return a kick for a touchdown.
•  Jackson is averaging 45.3 yards on three returns this season and Iowa’s 41.5 team average is leading the nation.

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 Northern Illinois, averaging 36 yards per return. 
• The Florida native has 12 returns for 176 yards, averaging 14.7 yards, which ranks 15th in FBS (second in the Big Ten).
• James, who is on the Jet Award Midseason List, is one of 37 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 was a perfect 2-for-2 in Week 5 against Ohio State, connecting from 43 and 48 yards and he made two field goals in the Week 6 road win at Washington, including a career-long 51-yarder. It was his first career make from 50+.
• Buhr has made 9-of-11 field goals this season, including eight straight from under 50 yards. He is 1-of-1 from 20-29 yards, 2-for-2 from 30-39, 5-for-5 from 40-49 and 1-for-3 from 50+. He is 27th nationally, averaging 1.4 field goals per game through the first seven weeks.

AUSSIE HAWKEYE
Second-year punter Boston Everitt is averaging 43 yards on 27 punts in his first six games as a Hawkeye. He ranks 38th in the NCAA and sixth in the Big Ten in punting average.
• The Aussie has 17 punts downed inside the 20, including four in Week 2 against Iowa State. He has had 10 punts fair caught and five 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 214 career victories.
• Ferentz has 135 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.