#97 Iose Epenesa Season 2025-26

2026 Honors -- Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Watch List... 2026 -- Started all seven games at defensive end... has 12 tackles (six solo, six assists), including 1.5 tackles for a loss of two yards, and two QB pressures on the season... recorded a career-high three tackles (one solo, career-high two assists) and one QB pressure in 10-13 loss at Minnesota... collected a career-high two solo tackles, including one tackle for a loss of one yard in 41-24 win at Washington... recorded a career-high two assisted tackles in 20-19 come-frome-behind win at #18 Michigan... collected two tackles (one solo, one assist), including 0.5 tackles for a loss of one yard, in 16-13 win over Iowa State... recorded two tackles (one solo, one assist) in 14-31 loss to #5/6 Ohio State... recorded his first career QB pressure in 55-0 shutout over UNI.

2025 -- Played in four games... recorded his first career solo tackle for a loss of one yard in 41-3 win over Minnesota.

High School Honors -- First-team all-state honoree as a senior, earning honorable mention all-state honors as a junior and pre-season All-America honors as a sophomore... four-time first-team all-conference... three-time team lineman MVP, earning team offensive MVP honors as a freshman... four-time all-state and all-conference honoree in track and field... team captain senior year. Career -- Lettered four years in football, playing defensive end, tight end, and long snapper... helped team to four playoff appearances, posting a 10-2 record junior year... set school QB sack record... recorded 51 tackles, including seven QB sacks, forced one fumble and blocked one field goal senior year... collected 46 tackles, including seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss, forced three fumbles and blocked two field goals as a junior... recorded 58 tackles, including six QB sacks and 14 tackles for loss, and blocked three field goals sophomore year... caught 11 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns, and recorded 18 tackles, including two sacks, as a freshman... lettered three years in basketball, playing center, and lettered four years as a thrower in track and field.

Personal -- Born 2/5/2007... exercise science major... parents are Eppy and Stephanie Epenesa... has three siblings... father and two brothers (A.J., Eric) played football at Iowa... A.J. currently is on the Buffalo Bills... his sister (Sam) Ryan played volleyball at Purdue... high school coach was Kelsey Pickering.