After a monstrous performance in Iowa's 55-0 rout of Northern Iowa (2-1) on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, running backs Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil spoke afterwards about what led to the overall success of the ground game against the Panthers.
As a team, Iowa (3-0) rushed for a staggering 422 yards and six touchdowns. Williams led the backfield with 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns, followed by McNeil with 111 yards and two scores, and Braeden Jackson added 125 yards and a rushing touchdown. Jackson had a 24-yard touchdown reception, too. Those were the first touchdowns of McNeil and Jackson's Hawkeye careers.
"They make our job really easy. I think our O-line is second to none. We wanted to control more work last year, and I haven't
seen much of a fall-off at all. So they make our jobs really easy," Williams said.
"I think our running back room is second to none in the country, and we kind of have that mentality going into every game, and it's really all about your opportunity. We knew we were going to get an opportunity today, and we were all very excited, and we stepped up, so it was good."
"Before the game, we were ready, we were prepared. So, it's just like we went out there and played and did our best that we could, and that's the best way, " McNeil said. "Everybody in the running back room is capable of doing even better than today. So it's like, the depth in the room is really deep. So it's just like whoever's in is gonna make a play."
Iowa faces its toughest test of the season this week as they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., for their Big Ten opener against No. 18 Michigan(3-0) on Saturday, Sept. 26. Similar to the Hawkeyes, the Wolverines have a formidable defense that could pose challenges to Iowa's offense at the Big House.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football RBs discuss monster day vs. UNI
