Iowa Football Stock Report: The Hawkeyes Are Becoming a Problem Again

Kirk Ferentz, you have done it again. Just when it looked like the Iowa Hawkeyes might be on the verge of some struggles or signing their invitation to the Music City Bowl, you rallied the Hawkeyes.

Iowa walked into Husky Stadium on a drizzly night in Seattle and downright dominated the Washington Huskies 41-24 to move to 5-1 on the season with a statement victory that saw the Hawkeyes win it their way with a strong run game, pressure, and turning things into an avalanche.

Going into a stress-free college football Saturday and bye week, Iowa's stock is ticking up as this team looks like it might be a serious problem.

Stock Up: Jeremy Hecklinski

What more could you have wanted from Jeremy Hecklinski in his first start? This was fantastic. He threw for three touchdowns and avoided any turnovers, but he looked in complete control of the offense. He was audibling, making checks at the line, and getting Iowa into good looks.

Could we see more of him? That's a question we are going to get sick of during this bye week.

Go DJ. That’s our DJ 🕺@JHecklinski ➡️ @dj_vonnahme pic.twitter.com/Xz2cTyH8An
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) October 10, 2026

Stock Down: Noise around a QB controversy

What would an Iowa win be without it creating some drama, right? That's what Iowa does.

Who does Iowa go with at quarterback out of the bye week? Hank Brown got Iowa to a 4-1 start. You can't forget that. Jeremy Hecklinski looked like a seasoned veteran on the road against Washington. You can't dismiss that, either. This quarterback competition never ended. It just went dormant.

Stock Up: Running the ball

Finally. Finally, Iowa got the ground game going against a Power Four team. It was noisy all week around the running backs and offensive line. Against Washington, a statement was made, running for 263 yards at seven yards a pop.

That's what Iowa is built on. If this run game stays churning, this team is very, very hard to deal with.

A clinical rush for the TD 💨@HulkMoulton # #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/RsuHCsQHSO
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) October 10, 2026

Stock Down: Where's all the turnovers?

I'm being a little bit harsh on the defense here, but where are all the turnovers that Iowa has so often forced? The Huskies dropped back and threw it 51 times last night. That's a lot of opportunities for Iowa to get its hands on the ball. If this unit has one area to improve, it's finding a way to get the ball.

Stock Up: Xavier Styles

In his first significant action, Xavier Styles really played well, in my opinion. He led Iowa with nine tackles, showing a fearlessness in sticking his nose in the mix. He was also aggressive in attacking the ball when it was in the air, which created some incompletions.

I expect him to see more action after this standout performance.

Stock Up: College Football Playoff dreams

I've been intentionally hesitant to start talking about the Iowa Hawkeyes and the College Football Playoff. I'm not sure if it's a subconscious way of protecting myself from pain or what, but I think it's time we have the discussion.

There's evidence that saying you have a goal or want to do something helps it become a reality. I think at 5-1, it's time to say that the College Football Playoff has gone from a dream to a reality that the Hawkeyes control.

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