Rivalry games are where heroes are born, legacies are defined, and moments are made that will last forever. For Iowa's second-year kicker Caden Buhr, that rings especially true.
Buhr etched his name into Cy-Hawk history on Saturday night when he booted a 42-yard field goal to give the Hawkeyes a 16-13 lead with 15 seconds to play. It was the third field goal of the night for the Bettendorf, Iowa, native. Entering the 2026 season, he hadn't attempted a single collegiate field goal.
Now he has a moment that fans will remember forever.
For bragging rights đź‘Š@CadenBuhr x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/mvfx4gzjR0
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) September 13, 2026
After the game and the on-field celebrations, Buhr took a few minutes to reflect on what just happened. He broke down all the emotions that come
with being the hero of a heated rivalry matchup.
"Yeah, it was unbelievable," Buhr said. "That was really, really cool. You can’t really put words to it. Words can’t describe that feeling when you’re out on the field, you’re with your teammates, you’ve dreamed of this your whole life and you get the opportunity. It was pretty cool.
"Winning with your teammates and the guys that you practice with everyday and the people that support you is truly unbelievable. That was a true team win out there. Offense, defense, and special teams. To be able to do it with my team was awesome."
Caden Buhr on his game-winning kick vs. Iowa State: “Yeah, it was unbelievable. That was really, really cool. You can’t really put words to it. Words can’t describe that feeling when you’re out on the field, you’re with your teammates, you’ve dreamed of this your whole life and… pic.twitter.com/mrux806qq7
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) September 13, 2026
Buhr's season got off to a rocky start after he missed his first extra point and field goal attempt of the year. After those misses last week, he mentioned that it was his father who reached out and reminded him to keep his head high. Those words of encouragement seemed to work wonders, as Buhr was a perfect 3 for 3 in the Cy-Hawk game.
Living up to Drew Stevens' legacy is a lot to ask. But on Saturday night, Buhr made his former teammate proud and picked up a signature moment in the process.
The Cy-Hawk Trophy is back in Iowa City, and Iowa's young kicker is a huge reason why.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Caden Buhr reacts to game-sealing FG in Iowa football's Cy-Hawk win
