Iowa Hawkeyes Battling With Hated Big Ten Rival for Compelling Recruit

The Iowa Hawkeyes are competing with a fierce Big Ten rival for the same recruit.

Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; General view of an Iowa Hawkeyes helmet during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

There may not be a single team that the Iowa Hawkeyes hate more than the Minnesota Golden Gophers, which is why the two Big Ten rivals compete for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy every season.

There is no love lost between these two schools, not on the gridiron nor on the recruiting trail. And as luck would have it, Iowa and Minnesota are competing for the same prospect.

The Hawkeyes are pursuing three-star linebacker Braylon Hodge and will be meeting with the Englewood, Co. native on June 20, via Brandon Huffman of 247 Sports.

Here's the problem, though: Hodge also has a visit scheduled with the Golden Gophers on June 13. He will also be meeting with another Big Ten squad — the Michigan State Spartans — on May 30.

The 6-foot-3 defender is part of the class of 2026 and would definitely fill a major need for Iowa after it lost its entire starting linebacking corps this offseason, including stars Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson.

Of course, Hodge would not be able to play for the Hawkeyes for another couple of seasons, but if they are able to land him, it would at least provide some long-term insurance.

Hodge is the 95th-ranked linebacker in the country and the 11th-ranked prospect in the state of Colorado, per 247 Sports.

Meanwhile, Iowa has largely dominated its rivalry with Minnesota in recent years, winning nine of the last 10 matchups. This past season, the Hawkeyes defeated the Golden Gophers by a score of 31-14 back in September.

Let's see if Iowa can capture another victory over Minnesota in a different arena when it comes to Hodge.

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