With the three nonconference opponents previewed, we now turn our attention to Rutgers’ Big Ten opponents, starting with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa has given the Scarlet Knights fits in previous matchups, with the Hawks leading the all-time series 4-0.
The series began during the 2016 season, when the Hawkeyes visited Piscataway for the first time. After a shocking loss to FCS power North Dakota State, Iowa bounced back to win a defensive contest 14-7. The loss sent Rutgers to 2-2, and the Scarlet Knights
proceeded to lose their next eight games to finish the year 2-10. In 2019, Rutgers made their first visit to Kinnick Stadium, but got shut out 30-0. The Scarlet Knights couldn’t get anything going on offense and once again stumbled to a 2-10 record and were winless in the Big Ten.
More recently, the teams met for the Big Ten opener in 2022, which was the first night game at SHI Stadium in several seasons. There was a lot of hype for the game, with an undefeated Rutgers squeaking by both Boston College and Temple on the road to once again go unblemished in the nonconference slate. However, despite Iowa’s offensive struggles being even more pronounced than Rutgers, the Hawks saw Cooper DeJean return an interception for a touchdown and Kaevon Merriweather return a fumble for a score. The two defensive scores were too much for the Knights, as Iowa won 27-10.
Most recently, Rutgers visited Iowa in 2023, with the Scarlet Knights coming into the game 6-3 and bowl eligible. Despite a competitive showing against the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes the week before, Iowa held the Knights scoreless for the second time in two meetings at Kinnick Stadium. The game was a defensive slugfest, with Iowa taking a 3-0 lead late in the first half and a 6-0 lead in the third quarter. However, the offense finally got going for the Hawks in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 22-0 win for the home team. Rutgers fell to 6-6 after a resounding 6-2 start before defeating Miami in the Pinstripe Bowl to finish the season with a winning record.
This year, Rutgers aims to break that streak, with the game scheduled for Friday, September 19th, at 8:00 PM in Piscataway. The game will be nationally televised on FOX and will receive the annual blackout treatment, making it one of the top games for Rutgers fans to attend, from casual to the most die-hard. Fans are advised to be in their seats by 7:30 for a pregame lights and fireworks show, while the Marching Scarlet Knights and Rutgers Spirit Team plan to deliver another New Jersey-style halftime performance.
On the field, the Hawkeyes will bring a new look to their offense. They will welcome in transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski, who played four seasons with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Gronowski led SDSU to two national championships, winning the game’s MVP twice and the Walter Payton Award in 2023, which is the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. After a 3,000-yard season in 2023, Gronowski threw for 2,721 yards and 23 touchdowns to go with 380 yards and ten rushing touchdowns in 2024.
Gronowski has a career record of 49-6, throwing for over 10,000 yards in his career with the Jackrabbits. Coincidentally, one of those losses came against Iowa in the 2022 season opener by the ugly scoreline of 7-3 (two safeties and a field goal for the Hawks). The Jacks did not lose again until the 2024 season-opening game at Oklahoma State, with the two FCS national championship runs coming in between.
Gronowski will look to bring his FCS dominance to a program that has had major problems at the quarterback position. With quarterbacks such as Spencer Petras, Deacon Hill, and Cade McNamara leading the way, the Hawkeyes struggled to move the football through the air, relying on their stout defense and ground game for a surprising number of wins, although it tended to fall apart against the conference’s top teams.
However, this season, Iowa will look to activate its dormant passing attack, with all of last year’s top receivers returning. Jacob Gill led the Hawks through the air with 35 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns. The tight end position will continue to be a major fixture in Iowa’s passing game, with Addison Ostrenga and Zach Ortworth expecting a bigger role this season. On the offensive line, having All-Big Ten talents, including Logan Lones at center and Gennings Dunker at tackle, will make sure Gronowski is well protected.
Kaleb Johnson led Iowa and the Big Ten in rushing last year, with 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, but he has traded his Iowa uniform in for another black-and-gold team in the Pittsburgh Steelers. That means the Hawkeyes will turn to Kamari Moulton, who was second on the team with 473 yards and three touchdowns, and Jazium Patterson, who was third in rushing with just over 300 yards and two touchdowns. Although the passing game looks to play a bigger role this season, the ground game will still play a big part, especially for a run-heavy offense like the Hawkeyes.
The Iowa defense projects to be solid once again, even as it lost a lot of its production, particularly in the front seven. The defensive line returns edge rusher Max Llewellyn and tackle Aaron Graves, who tied for second on the team with eight tackles for loss each. Ethan Hurkett will anchor the line, leading the Hawks with 6.5 sacks last season, while the defense will add tackles Jonah Pace and Bryce Hawthorne, who were standouts at Central Michigan and South Dakota State, respectively.
Jaden Harrell and Karson Sharar will look to take over the starting linebacker spots held by Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, who combined for nearly 900 tackles in their careers. In the secondary, the cornerback duo of TJ Hall and Deshaun Lee will be solid, and they will be backed up by Xavier Nwankpa and Koen Entringer at the safety positions. All four are strong tacklers, but the Iowa defense doesn’t have a Cooper DeJean-level ballhawk lurking in the open field this season.
Iowa benefits by having its strongest competition come to Kinnick Stadium with home games against Indiana, Penn State, and Oregon. Its toughest road game is likely against USC, although the in-state battle against Iowa State for the Cy-Hawk Trophy is always a classic. The nonconference schedule sets up nicely for the Hawkeyes, with the road date at the Cyclones sandwiched between easier tests against UAlbany and UMass.
Rutgers fans will get a good look at where Iowa stands after Week 2’s in-state clash. Iowa State is coming off a 10-3 season and a Big 12 Championship loss, having defeated the Hawkeyes 20-19 in Iowa City last year. The game will be a noon game on FOX, likely the site for Big Noon Kickoff on September 6th, with Rutgers not kicking off against Miami (OH) until 3:30 PM that day (Peacock).
There is a large parallel between the Scarlet Knights and Hawkeyes, with both squads having been historically reliant on exceptional special teams and strong defenses, as well as good rushing attacks to offset their issues in the passing game. Iowa traditionally has had an even stronger defense and sometimes an even weaker offense than Rutgers, which has resulted in the ugly losses for the Scarlet Knights in the past. However, behind returning quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and a wide receiver trio of Ian Strong, KJ Duff, and transfer DT Sheffield, the Rutgers passing attack should continue its upward trajectory, making this clash look a bit different than we may have seen in years past.
Iowa has been a painful measuring stick game for Rutgers, with the Scarlet Knights unable to match them despite their strides on the football field. The Hawkeyes have been a tier better than Rutgers, while still being outmatched by the top of the conference themselves. With anticipation high for matchups in 2022 and 2023, Rutgers not only failed to win the games but also failed to come close, losing 27-10 under the lights in Piscataway and 22-0 in Iowa City a year later.
This year, with a better defense bolstered by transfers and a complementary offense that excels in both the pass and run game, the Scarlet Knights have the chance to close that gap. A victory over the Hawkeyes in the thrilling blackout environment at SHI Stadium would not only likely get Rutgers to 4-0, but it would also announce their presence in the top half, maybe even third, of the Big Ten. With tough road games coming up against Minnesota and Washington after, finally defeating Iowa would go a long way in the trajectory of the program for years to come.
