What to watch when Washington faces Iowa
Here are the key players and three things to watch when Washington (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) takes on Iowa (3-2, 1-1).
Kickoff: 9 a.m. Saturday
Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
TV: Fox 28
Latest Line (via ESPN Bet): Iowa -2.5, Total 40.5
UW key players
QB Will Rogers: 73.6% completions, 1,625 pass yards, 131 completions, 178 attempts, 12 pass TD, one INT
WR Denzel Boston: 492 receiving yards, 35 catches, eight receiving TDs
LB Carson Bruener: 36 tackles, two TFL, one INT, three PBU
EDGE Voi Tunuufi: 17 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble
Iowa key players
QB Cade McNamara: 63.9% completions, 686 yards, 78 completions, 122 attempts, three pass TD, 3 INT
RB Kaleb Johnson: 771 rush yards, 97 carries, 10 rush TDs, 7.9 yards per rush, nine catches, 31 receiving yards
LB Jay Higgins: 48 tackles, one TFL, one sack, two INT, two PBU, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles
DB Sebastian Castro: 23 tackles, one TFL, one INT, one PBU, one forced fumble
Turnover battle
Defense has been Iowa’s calling card for a long time, and the Hawkeyes have maintained their high standard through five games this season.
They rank in the top 25 for scoring defense and total defense this season, and have nine turnovers, including six interceptions.
The Hawkeyes have also forced five fumbles, recovering three. Senior linebacker Jay Higgins, the Big Ten’s leading tackler in 2023, has two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His 48 tackles rank 13th in the country.
The Huskies, however, have been excellent at taking care of the ball. Washington has three turnovers this season – tied for No. 8 nationally – and both of its lost fumbles were committed by quarterbacks. Of the 28 teams with three turnovers or less this season, only Georgia Tech, South Alabama, No. 15 Texas A&M and Washington have played six games.
Fifth-year quarterback Will Rogers threw his first interception of the season against No. 24 Michigan last week. It was Rogers’ first interception since Sept. 30, 2023, when the veteran quarterback was playing for Mississippi State against Alabama.
Washington has to continue avoiding turnovers if it wants to leave Kinnick Stadium with a win.
Coleman vs. Johnson
UW has received a full dose of Big Ten running backs through three conference games.
The Huskies have seen Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai, the 2023 Big Ten leading rusher, along with Michigan’s Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards. This time, UW faces another one of the nation’s top tailbacks: Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson.
A 6-foot, 225-pound junior, Johnson is the second-leading rusher in the country with 771 yards on 97 carries through five games. He’s also scored 10 touchdowns this season, and has more yards on the ground than Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara has through the air.
The Huskies will hope to counter Johnson with junior running back Jonah Coleman. The 5-9, 229-pound tailback has 601 yards and five touchdowns on 90 carries this season, and leads the nation with 31 plays from scrimmage for 10 yards or more and 24 rushes of 10 yards or more.
Yards vs. points
Iowa’s offense is better than it was a year ago. During the 2023 season, the Hawkeyes under former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz – coach Kirk Ferentz’s son – ranked No. 129 in scoring offense, averaging 15.4 points per game. Their 234.6 offensive yards per game was literally last among all FBS teams.
Somehow, Iowa won 10 games.
This season, under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, the Hawkeyes are averaging 363.4 yards and 27 points per game, ranking No. 90 and No. 84 in the country, respectively. It’s a step in the right direction.
One team Iowa is notably outscoring this season is Washington.
The Huskies rank 21st nationally in total offense through six games, racking up 462.7 yards per game. Their red-zone troubles have meant they’re only averaging 25.5 points per game, No. 92 in the country. UW has scored 18 offensive touchdowns this season. No other team that’s played six games has scored less than 22 offensive touchdowns.
Washington appeared to fix some of its red-zone struggles against No. 24 Michigan, converting five of its six trips inside Wolverines territory. They’ll need to continue that trajectory against Iowa.
Andy Yamashita’s prediction
Few places in the Big Ten are as difficult to win in than Kinnick Stadium. Iowa’s only losses this season include a 20-19 defeat against No. 11 Iowa State and a blowout against No. 2 Ohio State. The Hawkeyes also probably have the special teams advantage in what should be a close game.
Washington can feel confident coming off a statement win against Michigan, when its red-zone offense and penalty problems may have turned a corner. No matter who wins, this feels like it will be a classic Big Ten game with lots of defense and punting.
Prediction: Huskies 17, Hawkeyes 13