NOTES: Halloween Homecoming vs. No. 25 Wisconsin

1ST & 10
• Saturday will be the 100th meeting all-time between Iowa and Wisconsin with the Badgers leading 49-48-2. Iowa has won four straight in the series, outscoring the Badgers, 118-26, during that stretch.
• The Heartland Trophy is on the line Saturday in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa is 33-12 in its last 45 rivalry trophy games.
• QBs Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski split game reps in Week 8 at Minnesota. The duo has thrown for 1,440 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2026.
• DB Zach Lutmer has a team-high 37 tackles in four Big Ten games, averaging 9.3 tackles per contest. Lutmer, Cam Buffington and Jayden Montgomery have combined for 104 tackles in league action.
• The Hawkeyes have six Wisconsin natives on the 2026 roster, including three starters – OT Jack Dotzler, LB Jayden Montgomery and TE Addison Ostrenga.
• Over the last month, QB Hank Brown has twice engineered 90-yard fourth-quarter touchdown drives while trailing. At Michigan, Brown and the Hawkeyes went 91 yards on 11 plays in 1:46 to score a game-winning touchdown as time expired. Last week at Minnesota, Brown directed a 98-yard, four-play drive in 1:58 for a game-tying touchdown. 
• 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 (14.3) and 14th in total defense (281.3).
• Iowa’s offensive line has allowed six sacks in its first seven games (10th in FBS), while the rushing attack averages 179.1 yards per contest, ranking 47th nationally. The Hawkeyes have three new starting offensive linemen.
• Iowa has 11 shutouts since 2018, the most in FBS over that timeframe.
• 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).
• Third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has a team-high 62 tackles and has led the team in tackles in three games. He has three 10+ tackle games, including a career-high 15 stops against Iowa State – the most in a game by a Hawkeye since Jay Higgins in 2024. He is leading the Big Ten (31st nationally), averaging 8.9 tackles per game.
• Iowa has sold-out 32 consecutive games in Kinnick Stadium.

THE HEARTLAND TROPHY
Inaugurated in 2004, the Heartland Trophy goes to the winner of the football battle between Iowa and Wisconsin. The trophy was designed and crafted by artist and former Iowa football player Frank Strub.  
• Iowa leads the series, 8-7, since the inception of the Heartland Trophy in 2004. The trophy has resided in Iowa City since 2022.

HAWKEYES ON HOMECOMING
Iowa has won 12 of its last 16 Homecoming games dating back to the 2009 season. The Hawkeyes are 63-45-5 all-time on Homecoming with a 6-3 record against Wisconsin.
• It is the first time Iowa has hosted the Badgers for Homecoming since 1988 – a 31-6 Hawkeye victory.
• The Hawkeyes are 19-7 on Homecoming under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

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 has started the last two contests, including stepping in and dazzling 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 41-of-67 for 472 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.
• In Week 8 at Minnesota, Iowa limited the Gophers to 209 yards of total offense, including just 72 yards on the ground.  

BUILDING BLOCKS
• Iowa has allowed 255 or fewer yards in four games this season and under 200 yards in two contests. 
• Through seven games, Iowa’s defense is fifth in the nation in rushing defense (82.9), sixth in first down defense (106), eighth in sacks (3.14) and scoring defense (14.3), 14th in total defense (281.3) and 17th in third-down defense (.311).
• Iowa is leading the Big Ten in first down defense and is second in the league in sacks and rush 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 82.9 yards in seven games – fifth fewest in the nation -- and the defense has allowed just two rushing touchdowns on the season.

EVERYWHERE CAM
Third-year linebacker Cam Buffington has a team-high 62 tackles in six games, averaging 8.9 stops per game to lead the Big Ten (and rank 31st nationally). He has 36 solo tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
• Buffington, who has led the team in tackles in three games, has three 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, 11 stops in Week 4 at Michigan and 10 in Week 8 at Minnesota. 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.

SACK-R-US
Iowa tied a season-high with six sacks in Week 6 at Washington with four different players registering a sack. Linebackers Cam Buffington and Preston Ries each had two sacks apiece, while LB Jayden Montgomery and DL Bryce Hawthorne also registered sacks.
• Fourteen different Hawkeyes have tallied a sack in 2026 with Joseph Anderson leading the way with four sacks, while Hawthorne and Ries have 2.5 sacks apiece.
• Iowa is second in the Big Ten (and eighth nationally), averaging 3.14 sacks per game.

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 19 players nationally to return a kick for a touchdown.
•  Jackson is averaging 45.3 yards on three returns this year.  

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 17 returns for 221 yards, averaging 13 yards, which ranks 17th in FBS (third in the Big Ten).
• James, who is on the Jet Award Midseason List, is one of 40 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 10-of-12 field goals this season, including nine straight from under 50 yards. He is 1-of-1 from 20-29 yards, 3-for-3 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 eight weeks.

AUSSIE HAWKEYE
Second-year punter Boston Everitt is averaging 43.7 yards on 33 punts in his first seven games as a Hawkeye. He ranks 37th in the NCAA and fifth in the Big Ten in punting average.
• The Aussie has 20 punts downed inside the 20, including four in Week 2 against Iowa State. He has had 12 punts fair caught and seven travel 50+ yards, including a career-long 60-yarder in Week 8 at Minnesota.  
• 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.