Two Keys for Iowa to Win vs. Rutgers

Through three games, the Iowa Hawkeyes have impressed with two blowout victories on either side of a close yet arguably acceptable loss against a ranked, in-state rival on the road. Now at 2-1, Iowa City's team has a leg-up entering conference play in the B1G, with their first head-to-head on the docket slated for this weekend in New Jersey, against Rutgers.

The Scarlet Knights, currently 3-0, have made relatively easy work of their trio of unranked, out-of-conference opponents to this point, save for a curiously close matchup with the Ohio Bobcats in their first game of the season. A closer look at that discrepancy specifically reveals a weakness that Rutgers suffers right now.

That is, despite having a strong offense themselves, their defensive front clearly allows momentum to a capable scoring unit on the other side of the ball. This blind spot in the Scarlet Knights' thus far flawless record presents the perfect pain point for Iowa to gain an advantage.

Versatile Offense

Of two predominant elements of Hawkeyes football that need to be maintained and built in order to secure a win this weekend, ensuring the offense remains versatile is perhaps chief among them. Efficiency in the run game has never been a big question for an Iowa football team under Kirk Ferentz; yards through the air, on the other hand, has often left a lot to be desired.

Although there is hope yet for the Hawkeyes, given QB Mark Gronowski's potential breakout passing performance last week against the UMass Minutemen. In an effort that statistically eclipsed his combined throwing metrics from the first two games, Gronowski threw for multiple touchdowns, nearly 200 yards and no interceptions, leading his team to a convincing 47-7 victory at home.

Sep 13, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) is tackled by Massachusetts Minutemen defensive lineman Tim Grant-Randall (11) during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Quality of opponent aside, if Iowa can split the difference and move the ball both in the air and on the ground, they should be able to put up enough points and then some on a Rutgers defense that has, again, already exhibited a fair sense of leniency in previous matchups against perceivably weaker opponents.

Playmaking Defense

While the Hawkeyes' defense has forced virtually no turnovers through three games so far this season, they've also allowed no more than one touchdown in each matchup, respectively. Phil Parker's defense consistently gets stops, but has yet to turn the key and flip the field for a momentous offensive takeover.

Plays like those have the potential to separate Iowa from similarly tough, grit-and-grind B1G opponents looking to win in the margins. Rutgers, projected for the time being to end up towards the bottom-half of the conference's standings, should serve as a solid litmus test for an Iowa team looking to make a splash in the B1G this year specifically.

A great team's offense serves their defense, and vice versa. It's a double-edged sword that, given a proper balance, could elevate the Hawkeyes to a 3-1 (1-0) record to kick off their most important stretch of scheduling this season.

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