**2026 Iowa Football Season Thread**

[Hawk&Balls]

The other two of the same class can also be ass kickers on special teams.

 

[Monster]

it’s gonna be Buffington and Montgomery. After listening to several interviews, Wallace and Phil fucking love Montgomery. I don’t love that, especially when it comes to coverage, but have begrudgingly come to terms with it. Buffington will be fucking awesome.

I've been a YUGE Weiskopf guy since he won the state title in the high jump at 6'8 and threw 180 in the discus and 53 and change in the shot. That is rare athleticism for a kid who weighed about 220. I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting at some point.

 

[cloudhawk]

For the track team?

 

[Monster]

For the track team?

As far as I know, a football game doesn't have the high jump, discus, or shot put.

 

[Geese]

I've been a YUGE Weiskopf guy since he won the state title in the high jump at 6'8 and threw 180 in the discus and 53 and change in the shot. That is rare athleticism for a kid who weighed about 220. I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting at some point.

Yeah but does he come from a good honest family?

Kidding obv

 

[HerkyHopeful]

I've been a YUGE Weiskopf guy since he won the state title in the high jump at 6'8 and threw 180 in the discus and 53 and change in the shot. That is rare athleticism for a kid who weighed about 220. I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting at some point.

That does sound like the makings of a good decathlon guy for track

 

[Monster]

That does sound like the makings of a good decathlon guy for track

You're somethin else.

 

[Thrawn II]

Wasn't he a NASCAR driver back in the 90s?

He was a Gus Driver!

 

[ChipHilton]

I don't know that the young talent can overcome the inexperience and overall lack of physical maturity, so I'm in the "7-5 and better in '27" camp- assuming the 3-game stretch doesn't decimate the starting lineup . Has there been a great Iowa team starting so few seniors? I think Lee, Myslinski, Hubert and Gaffney are the only 5th year guys. Only one of them is a sure starter. There are four very good 4th year starters.

2009 didn't have many seniors, but 5 of the 7 (plus Terry Strauss as a nominal starter) were 5th year guys, the team as a whole was quite veteran and the QB had a year under his belt. There was a pro DL, an All-American LB and pros at OLB, corner and safety.

You may 'bow when ready...

 

[brantshawks]

Trey?

 

[hawkeyealum]

Terry was his less heralded brother

 

[Gushawk]

I don’t think experience/age matter as much as they once did, Chip. I think this team will decent leadership from Lutmer, Montgomery (I think that’s the biggest reason he starts), and several of the OL. I do think they need one of the QBs to seize the reins and be the dude à la Drew Tate in the conference title season, and I think we all know which one is more likely to have that in him.

 

[kmurp]

They gave up well over 200 yards rushing twice last year and nearly three times. I see no reason to think the team won’t be worse at rush defense this year, so I’m with Chip on the season outcome.

 

[KitKatApples]

I don’t think experience/age matter as much as they once did, Chip. I think this team will decent leadership from Lutmer, Montgomery (I think that’s the biggest reason he starts), and several of the OL. I do think they need one of the QBs to seize the reins and be the dude à la Drew Tate in the conference title season, and I think we all know which one is more likely to have that in him.

I know he doesn’t have the size we like to see but Montgomery is a sure tackler which will definitely be important up the middle this year

 

[Shawneemicks]

I know he doesn’t have the size we like to see but Montgomery is a sure tackler which will definitely be important up the middle this year

I think it’s coverage that’s concerning

 

[Stu Beagle]

Tough schedule with a lot of unknowns. I’m expecting a noticeable downgrade in Special Teams.

 

[douglasbader]

Fuck all of you cowards.

 

[Debit One]

My completely unbiased breakdown

NIU W
ISU W
UNI W
at Mich 50/50
OSU L
at Wash 50/50
at Minn W
Wisc W
at NW W
Purdue W
at Illinois W
Neb W

Mark me down for 10-2

The list of things that would have to go right for this to occur seems improbably long. Hopefully I'm mistaken.

Put me down for 7 - 5.

 

[StinkyMcFadden]

No asskickers on D spells doom unless the offense is better than average (for a real team, not us).

 

[douglasbader]

No asskickers on D spells doom unless the offense is better than average (for a real team, not us).

Defense will have plenty of ass kickers.

 

[Hawk&Balls]

Lutmer and Buffington, at a minimum

 

[Hawk&Balls]

God damn it


Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz confirmed with the Quad-City Times on Tuesday at Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago that she and Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard have spoken and are working toward finalizing a deal.

The sides have discussed a four-year extension running through 2031, which would keep Cy-Hawk in week two of the football season and continue the home-and-away pattern the series is on.

 

[Shawneemicks]

Just moronic

 

[KitKatApples]

God damn it

 

[Gushawk]

I hate this news. It's just an unnecessary subsidy for a program that we have a direct interest in failing whether we play them or not. If ISU gets even one Iowa high schooler we'd like to have, that's a direct detriment to our beloved Hawkeyes.

 

[newsbreaker]

We should regard them as the second-tier program they are.

 

[Laplace]

I hate the people that say Iowa playing Iowa State or UNI is good for the state. Why is that, exactly?

 

[KitKatApples]

I hate the people that say Iowa playing Iowa State or UNI is good for the state. Why is that, exactly?

It isn’t. At all. Literally does nothing

 

[Monster]

No one wants to be the first school to end the series and look like pussies.

 

[Stu Beagle]

I hate the people that say Iowa playing Iowa State or UNI is good for the state. Why is that, exactly?

It’s good financially for ISU and uni. Little to no benefit for Iowa

 

[BillyBob]

Beth is flaccid

 

[cloudhawk]

I would have ended it and blamed Jamie's retirement

 

[Verbal]

No one wants to be the first school to end the series and look like pussies.

All things being equal, I would certainly have preferred a scenario where Iowa had the opportunity to end the series without having first spent the better part of three fucking decades winning barely more than half the time. But that shouldn't be an impediment to moving on.

 

[Thanksgiving Dinner]

Jamie's always been a jealous, disrespectful goober turd and this was the perfect opportunity for Iowa to stamp his legacy with a pwning and send him off with a lasting reminder of his impotence, at least by dramatically restructuring the series in Iowa's favor

 

[BBK]

3 game winning streak, 3 game losing streak, 6 game winning streak, bowl game that ends with Kirk getting doused with mayonnaise.

I want Kirk to get Mayoed so bad

 

[KitKatApples]

All things being equal, I would certainly have preferred a scenario where Iowa had the opportunity to end the series without having first spent the better part of three fucking decades winning barely more than half the time. But that shouldn't be an impediment to moving on.

They feel bad for ISU. It doesn’t matter that Iowa is one of the very few potential marquee matchups for them in everything and beating Iowa in as many sports as often as possible is the only thing to keep their fan base. Zero killer instinct in the Iowa athletic department

 

[RazHawk]

 

[Gushawk]

That greases my gears, Kirk.

 

[Thomas Wolsey]

That greases my gears, Kirk.

That is the most complimentary I can ever remember him talking about a WR.

 

[Geese]

Don't do this to me Kurt

 

[newsbreaker]

It isn’t. At all. Literally does nothing

It does nothing competitive, and creates no additive revenue for Iowa.

It does give chubby Kathy in accounting and excuse to plan a Friday potluck.

Sports is ultimately marketing and entertainment. You can make an argument having the game provides an entertainment product to the state, but if that’s the argument, then the state should be paying some of the bill. But it isn’t. And it shouldn’t. And to the majority of actual fans, the game fucking sucks and the alternative would be better.

 

[Debit One]

Are we supposed to know what UTRGV stands for?

I can figure it out, but come on, Eliot!

BTW, one L Elliots are most assuredly the lesser variety.

 

[douglasbader]

Are we supposed to know what UTRGV stands for?

I can figure it out, but come on, Eliot!

BTW, one L Elliots are most assuredly the lesser variety.

Yes, you actually should know by now. University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

That greases my gears, Kirk.

that is the best compliment I’ve ever heard him give anyone, let alone a newcomer

 

[L. Wade Childress]

It does nothing competitive, and creates no additive revenue for Iowa.

It does give chubby Kathy in accounting and excuse to plan a Friday potluck.

Sports is ultimately marketing and entertainment. You can make an argument having the game provides an entertainment product to the state, but if that’s the argument, then the state should be paying some of the bill. But it isn’t. And it shouldn’t. And to the majority of actual fans, the game fucking sucks and the alternative would be better.

pic?

 

[jd10]

That is the most complimentary I can ever remember him talking about a WR.

That has to be the most he has ever praised any player yet to take a snap for Iowa, and probably by a considerable margin.

 

[KitKatApples]

I’m feeling rigid

 

[Shawneemicks]

They’ve made the actual decision in the past to keep this series instead of playing Notre Dame.
It’s not just Barta. They think so small

 

[ChipHilton]

That has to be the most he has ever praised any player yet to take a snap for Iowa, and probably by a considerable margin.

IIRC, in 2000 he mentioned that unheralded freshman Demond Sanders was really making an impression and that he actually went by the name Bob.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

I would personally like to see Iowa State get fucked right in Diaz.