The Iowa football team lost the 2022 Cy-Hawk game to Iowa State, 10-7, Saturday afternoon at Kinnick Stadium. The Cyclones snapped their six-game, eight-year losing streak against the Hawkeyes and laid claim to the Cy-Hawk trophy. Following the Hawkeyes’ loss, Daily Iowan Pregame Editor Austin Hanson graded their performance in all three phases.

Offense — F

While Iowa’s offense performed marginally better this week, the Hawkeyes’ showing still deserves a failing grade. 

In its 7-3 win over South Dakota State during Week 1, Iowa’s offense gained 166 yards and scored a field goal. The Hawkeyes’ defense scored Iowa’s other four Week 1 points via two safeties.

In their 10-7 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones this week, the Hawkeyes doubled their offensive scoring, finding the end zone for their first touchdown of the season. Though, Iowa did find a way to gain fewer total yards with 150.

The Hawkeyes’ special teams unit blocked two punts Saturday, and as a result, Iowa started two drives inside the Iowa State 30-yard line. The Hawkeyes yielded just seven points from those two opportunities.

Iowa’s defense forced four turnovers and held Iowa State to just 10 points. Still, that wasn’t enough to push the Hawkeyes’ anemic offense to victory.

Defense — A

Iowa’s defense did just about everything it could to help the Hawkeyes win on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

The Cyclones gained 313 yards of offense, but only scored 10 points. The Hawkeyes produced two red zone turnovers. First, Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather forced Iowa State running back Jirehl Brock to fumble into the Iowa end zone for a touchback in the first quarter. Then, Hawkeye defensive back Cooper DeJean picked off one of Cyclone QB Hunter Dekkers’ passes in the Iowa end zone for another touchback.

The only reason Iowa’s defense doesn’t get an A+ grade this week is because it let up one 99-yard drive. After Hawkeye fullback Monte Pottebaum fumbled at the Cyclone 1-yard line, Iowa State proceeded to put together a go-ahead, 99-yard scoring drive that started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth. In all, the drive ate up nearly 14 minutes of game clock.

Special teams — B

Iowa had an up-and-down week on special teams.

Defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness tied a school record by blocking two punts in a single game Saturday. Both of his deflections gave Iowa’s offense the ball inside the Iowa State 30-yard line. Despite that, Iowa’s offense only scored just seven points on the day.

Still, at the end of the game, Iowa’s special teams unit did have a chance to bail the Hawkeyes’ ailing offense out. Sophomore kicker Aaron Blom failed to convert a 47-yard field goal attempt as the game clock expired. His kick would’ve tied the game had it gone through the uprights.

In Blom’s defense, the odds were stacked heavily against him, as he was kicking into the wind during a torrential downpour. He was also at the top end of his range with a six-game winning streak against the Cyclones on the line.

Punter Tory Taylor was exquisite again this week, downing two of his six kicks inside the 20-yard line. Four of Taylor’s punts traveled 50 yards or more. Taylor has downed nine of his 16 punts this season inside the 20-yard line.