And just like that, Week 1 of the 2026 Iowa football season is over.
The Hawkeyes cruised to a 40-0 victory over the outmatched Northern Illinois Huskies on a sizzling hot afternoon at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday to begin the season on a high note.
There's already been a ton of great content to roll through HawkeyeRoundtable.com on this first Sunday of the season, and it's only getting better. You've read the numbers that stood out, the first edition of The Sunday Synopsis, the grades, and a hockey-esque three stars of the game piece, but we're not done.
We're going to conclude the day with one final analysis piece, and it's called three do's and three don'ts. Like the rest of the slate above, this will be a post-game day staple throughout the season, so here's how it works: we're going to list three things Iowa should carry over into the next week's game (the do's) and three things it should leave behind (the don'ts).
Here we go.
507 total yards: Iowa fans asking their offense to tally over 500 yards of total offense each week is probably a little extreme, but if the Hawkeyes can stay around the 400-500 total yard range each weekend, they're probably going to be in good shape. Iowa's 507 yards against the Huskies were the most it's had in a season opener since 2002. Any Hawkeye fan that is old enough knows what happens in 2002, so it could be a positive sign for this up-and-coming offense.
Evan James at punt returner: Star defensive back Zach Lutmer was expected to take over Kaden Wetjen's punt returning duties in 2026, but he wasn't back there at all against Northern Illinois. Whether it was an injury, heat exhaustion, or Iowa simply wanting to try different things is unclear, but Lutmer may not have a job when Iowa State comes to town next week. Reece Vander Zee was the first man to go back there, but he didn't yield many yards.
His replacement Evan James certainly did, though. The Furman transfer wide receiver showcased some of his potential during the Kids' Day scrimmage on Aug. 15 , and that playmaking ability trickled right into the NIU game. James' shiftiness completely changed the Hawkeyes' return game for the better, and it culminated in a 77-yard punt return touchdown in the second half to close the scoring.
Special teams coordinator Chris Polizzi may just keep James back there from now on, and it seems like it would heavily benefit Iowa in the long run. Three returns for 108 yards will play just fine.
Win the battle up front:The Hawkeyes knew they would have a massive advantage in the trenches, but on paper is one thing. Actually putting it together on the field is another, and this young defensive line showed some promise on Saturday. Bryce Hawthorne led the way with four tackles and 0.5 sacks, but everyone that earned playing time contributed, which resulted in Iowa collecting six sacks on the day. The Hawkeyes will never be a blitzing team under Phil Parker, but the longtime defensive coordinator made sure to throw several blitz packages in there to let his young defensive line make plays. They responded by making those plays, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to discover that style of play fits well in the Big Ten.
Penalties:Iowa is usually one of the most disciplined teams in the nation, having posted just 3.1 penalties per game last season, but the Week 1 jitters were very present on Saturday. The Hawkeyes registered seven penalties for 60 yards, which is something Kirk Ferentz definitely won't be pleased with when they look back at the film today. The main infraction Ferentz and Co. will probably catch on tape was the false start at the goal line that took away a Hank Brown score. Iowa managed to score a touchdown on the ensuing play anyway, but those are the kind of mistakes that can be the difference between winning and losing.
Dropped passes:Dropped passes aren't official statistics, but if you go back and watch every game in Week 1, you'll probably see a high volume of drops from even some of the best receivers in the sport. Tony Diaz and DJ Vonnahme both dropped a few would-be touchdowns on Saturday (the throws could've been better, though), which is something the Hawkeyes can't afford to have happen next weekend.
Missed extra points:Second-year walk-on Caden Buhr earned the starting kicking job, but he's probably already kicking himself for missing his first-ever collegiate kick. No it wasn't a field goal, it was an extra point. Buhr didn't miss another one the rest of the day, so you could probably chalk that one up as a "flush it" moment for the young kicker.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io
