The Iowa Hawkeyes have moved to 1-1 on the season and now have dropped out of the rankings after the Iowa State Cyclones won their matchup.
The Hawkeyes began the 2024 season with a promising with over Illinois State, 40-0, where the offense seemed to finally click. However, the Hawkeyes reverted back to their old selves against the Cyclones and could not pass the ball whatsoever. Quarterback Cade McNamara recorded two interceptions and did not cross the 100-yard passing mark.
Iowa Hawkeyes Again Flop on Offense, Drop Iowa State Cyclones Game
The Iowa Hawkeyes have dropped out of the ranking after losing to the Iowa State Cyclones, 20-19. The Hawkeyes struggled on offense, recording just 99-yards passing and tossing two interceptions along the way. Running back Kaleb Johnson led the offense with 25 carries, 187-yards rushing, and two touchdowns for the Hawkeyes.
Johnson was perfect for the Iowa football team, cutting through the Cyclones defense and picking up big chunk plays when the offense needed it. Quarterback Cade McNamara struggled against the Cyclones and in turn so did the receiving unit. But, Johnson picked up the slack and almost willed the Hawkeyes to a win over the Cyclones, but could not do it himself.
The Hawkeyes previously seemed to click on offense during their warm-up game against Illinois State, scoring 40-points. However, the offense reverted back to their 2023 form when they struggled to score 15-points per game. McNamara turned the ball over often and appeared to be on the wrong page as his receivers were often not in the area.
A solution is going to have to be found for the Hawkeyes offense, whether it be a change at quarterback or a change in strategy. Either way, it is took early to blame the new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who has plenty of offensive success in his background.
What Went Wrong For the Iowa Football Team Against Iowa State?
The Iowa Hawkeyes issues really started and ended with the passing game as they could get nothing going through the air. Quarterback Cade McNamara has had four different offensive coordinators in four years, which can be difficult. However, it is time for McNamara to produce otherwise Iowa will have to turn to a different quarterback.
McNamara recorded 99-passing yards on 13-of-29 passing and also recorded two interceptions against the Cyclones defense. McNamara recorded a 9.7 quarterback rating and averaged just 3.4-yards per pass completion. The quarterback was sacked just once and struggled so much through the air that the offense resorted to solely running the ball.
The offensive line was also to blame for the result for the Iowa football team as the unit allowed eight tackles for loss. McNamara was also sacked once and the Cyclones seemed to consistently find ways into the backfield of the Hawkeyes. Iowa struggled to hold against the Cyclones pass rush in particular and could not block when they were moving backwards.
The Iowa football staff is going to have to key into their issues both during and after their upcoming game against Troy. The Trojans are a team known for taking down better opponents and often playing up to their opponents. The Hawkeyes are going to need to improve their quarterback and blocking against Troy, otherwise they may need to consider making some personnel changes.
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