Rushing offense: A+

Another Saturday, another 200-yard rushing performance for the Hawkeyes. Iowa struggled to get the run game going early, amassing 17 yards in the first quarter and 72 over the first 30 minutes of action. Brendan Sullivan provided a much-needed spark with his mobility, scampering for 41 yards on eight carries. His six-yard touchdown to open up the second half was a thing of beauty – leaving two Wildcat defenders in the dust off a read-option. The combination of Johnson’s powerful rushing style and Sullivan’s quick scrambling ability will be a headache for opposing defenses. 

It’s also worth going back to watch Johnson’s 26-yard touchdown to close out the second half. A splinter stiff-arm. A dizzying spin move. A waltz across the goal line. With 17 total touchdowns and 1,255 yards this season, Johnson’s stiff-arm could be emblematic of a Heisman trophy come this winter. But even without any hardware, his season will be one to remember. 

Passing offense: C+ 

For all of Sullivan’s flash on the ground, the Northwestern transfer put up rather pedestrian numbers in the air against Northwestern. Sullivan finished with 9-of-14 for 79 yards, including a long of 40, but that was more so yards after the catch from tight end Johnny Pascuzzi. Still, shoutout to Sullivan for sprinting up the field and being a lead blocker, something Cade McNamara did back against Illinois State. 

Unlike McNamara, Sullivan didn’t produce any turnovers and that’s all that should matter for the Hawkeyes moving forward. With Sullivan and Johnson pairing as a formidable rushing duo, the passing game won’t be as prioritized but could become even more potent with play-action. If tight end Luke Lachey and wideout Reece Vander Zee do end up missing time with injury, then the Hawkeyes may have trouble down the road. Besides Lachey, three receivers had at least two catches. If junior wideout Seth Anderson, who had an impressive 42-yard snag in the first quarter, keeps improving, then Iowa’s receiving room might have potential. 

Rushing defense: A+ 

Here’s a fun fact: Northwestern finished the day with the same amount of negative rushers as they did positive. Six Wildcat players combined for 43 yards on 24 carries, managing a measly 1.8 yards per attempt. The longest run the Hawkeyes conceded was just 14 yards. With Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson commanding the linebacker positions, Iowa’s run defense will remain one of the best in the nation. And if young defensive linemen like Max Llewellyn can take similar jumps to what Aaron Graves is doing this season, then there’s only more growth on the horizon. 

Passing defense: A+ 

After getting embarrassed by Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles last weekend in East Lansing, the Hawkeyes made mobile Northwestern quarterback Jack Lausch stay in the pocket and forced the Wildcat into difficult throws. A prime example would be safety Quinn Schulte’s interception in the first quarter. Higgins explained that Lausch had to roll out to his left, and as a right-handed thrower, had to sling the ball across his body if he wanted any success. 

With only 62 yards on 10-of-19 passing, Lausch was hardly better than his backup was in garbage time. Northwestern finished the day with 15 completions for 120 yards and two picks. Outside of garbage time, the Hawkeyes conceded just one passing play of more than 20 yards, and it came on the very first play of the game when corner Deshaun Lee missed a tackle that allowed Wildcat wide receiver A.J. Henning to break free for a 21-yard gain. Lee finished tied for third on the team with four tackles. With cornerback John Nestor on the shelf for the foreseeable future, keep an eye on true freshman cornerback Jaylen Watson. 

In his press conference on Wednesday, Iowa linebacker coach Seth Wallace said Watson would be in the mix for getting playing time against the Wildcats. Watson celebrated his 19th birthday on Sunday and less than a week later, earned his third tackle of the season. 

Special teams: B+ 

Anyone donning Black and Gold was happy to see Kaden Wetjen finally — and officially – run one back for a touchdown. His 85-yard sideline tap dance is worth another look. The former Iowa Western Community College standout finished with 111 punt return yards and another 65 on kickoffs. In addition to Wetjen, punter Rhys Dakin had another superb performance, booting eight balls for an average of 44.8 yards per punt and landing four inside the 20-yard line. Dakin’s ability to flip the field assisted the Iowa defense, most notably with the safety. Once again, kicker Drew Stevens was perfect. 

The one glaring blemish that prohibits an A-grade is Northwestern’s Drew Wagner’s 72-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. Granted, a majority of backups were on the field, but two Hawkeyes whiffed on tackles when Wagner caught the ball, ruining what could’ve been another great moment into one of frustration for coordinator LeVar Woods and staff. 

Coaching: A 

Finally handing over the starting reins to Brendan Sullivan was a necessary move for Ferentz. The head coach claimed he would have rotated him in eventually, adding that he stayed in the game partly due to this violent hit McNamara received in the first quarter. I can only imagine how the crowd would respond if McNamara had gotten into the game, but thankfully for fans, they got to witness what Sullivan could do with consistent meaningful reps. So did the Iowa coaching staff. While a decision for next week remains to be seen, there’s now a clear body of evidence for Sullivan as the No. 1 option.