‘Something Is Wrong With That Offense’: CBS Analyst Calls Out Iowa Attack While Predicting Cy-Hawk Shock [Watch]

The Iowa Hawkeyes opened the 2025 season with bated breath about their offense, a unit that has been the punchline of college football for years through its middling production.

Following decades of riding good defense and special teams, the program recruited transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski from South Dakota State with hopes his dual-threat abilities would kind brought a permanent solution under second-year offensive coordinator Tim Lester.

The opener against Albany last week was supposed to be the ideal platform on which to unveil the new-attack package, but what transpired at Kinnick Stadium left everyone, including fans and commentators, amazed.

Iowa rolled up 34-7, but the passing attack was awful, with just 48 yards on passes the whole day. Gronowski was just 8 of 15 for 44 yards and a touchdown, many times indecisive and leaving open receivers downfield.

This lackluster opening provoked feathers at recent CBS Sports interview, where analyst Gary Danielson never had any problem sharing his opinion regarding the Hawkeyes’ sluggish-starting offense heading into their in-state showdown with Iowa State.

Danielson contended, “Something’s not right with that offense,” reflecting on the season-long problems that have haunted Iowa even though the offseason overhaul.

“Something’s wrong with that Iowa offense!”@CoachNeuheisel thinks No. 16 Iowa State will take care of business at home vs. Iowa on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/Jw7BCdAYWX

— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 3, 2025

He proceeded to forecast an upset victory in the Cy-Hawk game by suggesting that the Cyclones might record a dominating home victory.
Danielson’s remark is actually pointing out how Iowa’s failure to develop sustained passing threats would be their undoing against a better-balanced Iowa State team.

For perspective, Iowa’s offense was almost at the bottom of FBS teams in total yards and scoring last season, averaging less than 18 points per game.

The signing of Gronowski, who had a 49-6 record as a starter at his last destination and threw for more than 3,000 yards in 2023, was intended to correct those weaknesses.

Complemented by a solid ground game that gained 310 yards on Albany, led by freshman Xavier Williams’ 122 yards, were glimmers of hope. he was the first Iowa freshman to gain more than 100 yards in a debut since 2005, and it became a beacon of hope in the darkness.

But passing ineffectiveness was a concern, particularly with mounting injuries.

Wide receiver Reece Vander Zee has nagging complaints, running back Kamari Moulton is sidelined for a minimum of a few weeks, and offensive lineman Bryce George also won’t play, leaving the depth chart to be thin on those key positions.

Iowa State’s Momentum Grows as Hawkeyes’ Defense is Tested in Key Rivalry Rematch

Carrying over to the opposite side of the pitch, Iowa State comes into the game with momentum from a 2-0 beginning, which features a highlight victory over then-No. 17 Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland.

Quarterback Rocco Becht has been steady, 19-for-20 for 278 yards and three touchdowns in their most recent contest against South Dakota.

That sort of precision is an immediate challenge to Iowa’s secondary, which limited Albany to seven points but will be tested more. The defense of the Cyclones has been tough, keeping opponents in check with low scores and forcing turnovers.

The Hawkeyes still resent last season’s home defeat as a late field goal ended it. Hosting Ames, where they have won six in a row, adds another level of interest.

Ferentz’s offense will employ its ground game, which averaged more than six yards per rush in the opener, but holding drives together without solid passing attacks threatens to tire the defense over four quarters.

Iowa special units have been labeled by analysts as an equalizer, and return specialist Cooper DeJean-esque plays are expected from current units. The limitation of the offense, however, was seen in ESPN’s Albany report, as the Hawkeyes accrued only 358 total yards against the one-sided margin.

Gronowski’s 53% completion rate was well below his career numbers, and issues were raised over adjustment time in Lester’s system.

For Iowa State, a victory here gets them on the trajectory toward playoff talk, with their veteran nucleus returning and stability of coaching with Matt Campbell. This rivalry tends to predict season arcs, and with both institutions changing, the win could mean which way each goes in a new college football landscape.