As No. 20 Iowa (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) heads into the final month of the 2026 regular season hoping to make the College Football Playoff, fourth-year offensive linemen Trevor Lauck and Kade Pieper have been named 2026 Lombardi Award semifinalists.
The Lombardi Award, named after legendary Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi, is given annually to the lineman or linebacker who best exemplifies character, discipline, and excellence on and off the field.
Lauck at left tackle and Pieper at right guard anchor the Hawkeyes' offensive line and have started together in the last 21 consecutive games since the start of last season. The two have been foundational pieces to the Hawkeye offensive line's nomination to the 2026 Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor
Roll, which Iowa hopes to claim for the second consecutive year.
Two of the nation's best up front 🏆@lombardi_award x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/vonjukzejX
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 4, 2026
Thanks to the stellar performances by Lauck and Pieper, Iowa’s rushing attack is averaging 174.3 yards per game over the first eight contests of the 2026 season, including 298 yards in Week 1 against Northern Illinois, 422 yards in Week 3 against UNI, and 263 yards in Week 6 at Washington.
As the college football season nears its end, the Lombardi Award finalists will be announced in December.
Up next for the Hawkeyes is a trip to Evanston, Ill., to take on the Northwestern Wildcats (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) at the new Ryan Field on Saturday, Nov. 7. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Fox.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football duo named 2026 Lombardi Award semifinalists
