After an admittedly lackluster debut against Albany, the Hawkeyes find themselves on the road this weekend in the belly of the beast. Preparing for a Cy-Hawk game is never easy, especially one hosted in Ames, and the Hawks seemingly have their backs against the wall. Coming into Ames as a three point underdog, the Hawkeyes are facing an Iowa State team expected to be better than any previous unit ever fielded by the Cyclones (save for last year’s unit, of course). Coming off of two exciting wins,
one of which being a shootout against former #17 Kansas State in Ireland, Iowa State looks to be a strong playoff contender this year, coming into this game as the #16 team in the country. Iowa remains unranked after a 34-7 victory over the UAlbany Great Danes.
It’s no secret that Iowa’s performance against Albany left much to be desired, especially in the passing game, as transfer QB Mark Gronowski threw for only 44 yards and 1td that night, paired with another score on the ground. I stated in my preview last week that it was imperative for the Hawkeyes to come out swinging against Albany, and in parts they most certainly did. Iowa had 310 yards on the ground, with true freshman Xavier Williams impressing massively in his debut. Iowa State, however, is a far cry from UAlbany, and this Cy-Hawk game seems to hold more importance than any of the last few combined. This is a make or break moment for the Iowa Hawkeyes. A win proves that they can compete, potentially sends them into the top 25, and dispels the worries surrounding Gronowski’s performance. A loss puts the rest of the season into question, throws Gronowski on the hot seat, and worst of all: it’ll make Cyclone fans absolutely INSUFFERABLE on X for the next month. (Also, it’ll make me look like a total moron for my 11-1 prediction. Don’t screw this up for me, Gronowski).
THE OFFENSE
Can Mark Gronowski hack it?
Iowa’s murky history with QB play was seemingly set to continue last Saturday, as Gronowski provided little evidence to sway the nonbelievers. Put concisely by my esteemed colleague Jerry Scherwin in his Monday Musings article, “I truly don’t know what to tell you outside of, it wasn’t good enough and it better get cleaned up fast and if it doesn’t this coaching staff needs to move on to ensure we can build some continuity at a position that has been well below average for way too long.” Gronowski looked strikingly uncomfortable in his debut with the Hawkeyes. He misfired on multiple open receivers, missed a wide open touchdown because the ball was short, spent too long in the pocket, hesitated to pull the trigger, etc etc. While Gronowski’s performance certainly did not live up to expectations, it wasn’t all bad. Gronowski had multiple long, athletic runs, and proved his play-extending capabilities. As Gronowski prepares for his second start with the Hawkeyes, it’ll become imperative for his future (not only as a Hawkeye, but as an NFL prospect) that performs at a level expected of a 2x national champion and Walter Payton award recipient.
Can SOMEBODY get open??
Although most of the blame for last Saturday’s offensive woes fall squarely on Gronowski’s shoulders, he was not without help. Iowa’s receivers failed to create adequate separation for most of the night, keeping Gronowski in the pocket too long and forcing moments of improvisation. Whether a matter of simply being outplayed, miscommunication between the QB and receivers, or any other factor, the WR room must play better against ISU, full stop. Against this Becht led Cyclone offense, Iowa cannot hope to rely solely on their defense to keep them in the game. The offense needs to move the ball down field, and they need to do it effectively. While it’s clear the Hawks will have absolutely no issue doing this on the ground, especially against an incredibly weak run defense like Iowa State’s, the passing game needs to catch up.
THE DEFENSE
Tight End-U…jr?
For whatever reason, entirely unbeknownst to the average mortal mind, Iowa State has some really solid tight ends this year. Benjamin Brahmer likely needs no introduction, as the 6’7 Junior earned the TE1 spot coming into the 2025 season. With 2tds in two games, Brahmer represents a major threat to this young linebacker core. Although Iowa’s midfield is packed with Senior talent, with all three starting linebackers (Harrell, Sharar, and Rexroth) being 5th year seniors, they are all 5th year seniors starting for the first time. This defense is incredibly green, and despite a really strong performance against Albany (barring the touchdown drive), Iowa State poses massive offensive challenge. If Becht can reliable utilize his TEs in the pass game, their offense will be nigh impossible to stop.
Rock Rocco!
Rocco Becht is quickly proving himself to be one of the best QBs in the Big 12, and potentially one of the best in the country. Two games, 5 passing touchdowns, almost 500 yards through the air. Becht poses a massive threat to this defense, as both a passer and an athlete. So, if Becht can beat you in the pocket, and he can beat you on the run, and he can beat you in play action, and he can beat you in RPOs, how do you beat him? Simple. Smack the shit out of him. Kansas State sacked Becht 4 times in their 24-21 loss to the Cyclones, and although K-State failed to capitalize, their performance offers a few glimmers of hope for the Hawkeyes. Against the Wildcats, Becht only completed 50% of his passes and finished the game with a QBR of 79. So long as the Hawkeyes can keep Becht on his toes and force him to make off-platform, improvised throws, the Hawks have a chance at finally stopping this Cyclone offense.
There’s a lot riding on this El Assico. With bated breath, an entire fanbase waits impatiently for answers. Answers to questions like, “Is Gronowski another Cade?”, “Are we ever going to have a QB?”, and “What the hell was that BHGP writer thinking when he said we were gonna go 11-1?”. As we draw closer and closer to Saturday morning in Ames, there’s only one thing on my mind. Pride. This game is more than just a rivalry. This is Iowa’s chance to finally correct decades of nepotism, poor coaching, even worse scouting, and general mockery of the art of Quarterbacking. This isn’t for a trophy. It’s for a program. For a stadium full of fans who have waited, year after year, for just a glimpse of good QB play.
This one is for all the marbles.
Thank you for reading, and as always,
GO HAWKS!
