10 Husky Football Facts For Dealing With Visiting Iowa

A lot has happened since the University of Washington and Iowa football teams met on a sunny but brusk fall day in Iowa City almost exactly 24 months ago.

The Huskies have put together almost an entirely new starting lineup after losing 40-16 to the Hawkeyes in Jedd Fisch's seventh game the as the UW coach.

Fisch said he has long admired Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, now in his 28th season in leading the Hawkeyes.

"I have the utmost respect for coach Frerentz -- I think he's a phenomenal person," Fisch said. "It's always tough at home this week, because I think coach Ferentz is my wife's favorite coach in the Big Ten. Above me. It's always been a little bit of a challenge there. She's always said that about coach Ferentz, the fact he's been there for 28 years and the stability he's shown."

Following are 10 facts related to this intersectional and now mutual Big Ten football match-up that began 89 years ago with a game in Seattle, when Husky Stadium was 17 years old but the first upper deck was still 13 seasons from being built.

In no particular order, consider the following:

1. TWO STARTERS -- The Huskies have just a pair of starters returning from that 2024 Iowa road game in right offensive tackle Drew Azzopardi and Landen Hatchett then at left offensive guard, with the latter now a center and hoping to return on Friday night after missing nine games over two seasons with a broken wrist.

2. HATCHETT DEBUT -- The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Hatchett made his first career start that day at Iowa, would next open four times at right offensive guard and shift to center for the Sun Bowl against Louisville. Altogether, he has 15 starts at all positions.

3. FIRST TD -- Wide receiver Rashid Williams caught his first career touchdown pass at Iowa in 2024, pulling in a 2-yard toss from Demond Williams Jr. to close out the scoring. He has 3 scoring receptions since, all coming this season.

4. HAWKEYE TESTED -- Just nine current Huskies overall played in the 2024 Iowa game. Besides the aforementioned Hatchett, Azzopardi and two Williamses, edge rushers Jacob Lane and Isaiah Ward, tight end Decker DeGraaf, offensive tackle Soane Faasolo and kicker Grady Gross took part. Ward chipped in 2 tackles and a sack in his outing.

5. ENEMY LINES -- The UW had a former Iowa player on the roster last season in defensive tackle Anterio Thompson, who spent the 2023 season with the Hawkeyes. He played in seven games and blocked two punts. Thompson currently is on injured reserve for the Atlanta Falcons with a non-football related issue.

6. TEST RUN -- Demond Williams received his first extended Husky playing time against Iowa, leading the team for much of the fourth quarter. He completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards and that scoring toss to Rashid Williams. He entered the game having thrown no more than 5 times in an outing.

Huskies wide receiver Rashid Williams (3) scores on his first career touchdown reception against Iowa in 2024. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

7. THE SERIES -- The Huskies and Hawkeyes have met seven times -- twice in Seattle, twice in Iowa, twice in the Rose Bowl and once in the Sun Bowl -- with the Midwest team holding a 3-4 series advantage. The Huskies won the first game between these teams, 14-0, in Montlake in 1937.

8. HAWKEYES BLACK EYE -- The most memorable UW outing against Iowa was in the 1982 Rose Bowl when freshman running back Jacque Robinson came off the bench to rush for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 28-0 victory and was named Most Valuable Player.

9. NO SUN SCREEN -- The most lackluster Husky outing against Iowa came in the 1995 Sun Bowl, when Jim Lambright's team came off a two-year bowl ban, reportedly was hung over from pregame festivities and hardly put up a fight in a 38-18 loss. Eventual UW co-defensive coordinator William Inge was a starting Iowa linebacker that day.

10. SLIPPERY SEATTLE -- The last time these teams met in Montlake was in 1963 when the Huskies had more first downs (16 to 11) and more total yards (269 to 237), but lost four of six fumbles in a light drizzle and fell 17-7 to the Hawkeyes. The game was tied entering the fourth quarter, but Iowa went on an 11-play, 83-yard drive for the deciding points. Night rain is not in the forecast, nor are a half-dozen fumbles.

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