1. Turnover battle
Turnovers have played a key role in determining the outcome of this rivalry. The Hawkeyes went five years without a turnover in this contest, but the Cyclones forced three in their 2022 victory and Iowa hasn’t escaped a game without one since. The Hawkeyes lost the turnover battle in the 2024 matchup, which allowed Iowa State to come back from 13 down and steal a victory. Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht has been perfect through two games, and he’s bound to make a mistake against the Hawkeyes.
2. Containing Rocco Becht
Becht entered the year with a lot of preseason hype, and he’s lived up to it so far. The third-year signal caller has tossed 461 passing yards and five touchdowns in two games, including a near-perfect 19/20 for 278 yards in Iowa State’s 55-7 win over South Dakota last week. Becht can also make plays with his legs, rushing for 33 yards and a touchdown this season. Iowa struggled to contain Albany quarterback Jack Shields in the first half, allowing the quarterback to scramble for several first downs. The Hawkeyes settled down in the second half, but defensive coordinator Phil Parker will have to figure out a way to generate more pressure and keep Becht in the pocket.
3. Passing game improvement
Mark Gronowski’s highly-anticipated Hawkeye debut did not go as planned. The senior quarterback finished just 44 passing yards against the Great Danes, missing several open throws in the process. But Gronowski is used to the spotlight, having played in and won two FCS National Championship Games with South Dakota State. Playing in front of 60,000 roaring fans at Jack Trice Stadium will be no easy task, but Gronowski’s accountability in his postgame press conference and penchant for winning big games should provide a golden opportunity for a bounce-back performance.
“I’m disappointed in how I played today,” Gronowski said after the Albany game. “But this season, it’s a whole journey. It’s a long journey. Can keep improving every single week. Me and the receivers are going to continue to get better every single week.”
4. Limiting big plays
This goes hand-in-hand with containing Becht, but allowing big plays became an Achilles Heel for Iowa’s defense last year. The Hawkeyes allowed a crucial 75-yard touchdown to Jaylin Noel in last season’s matchup, which played a key role in Iowa’s State’s stunning comeback. That play proved to be a bad omen for Iowa, as its defense struggled in disappointing road losses against Michigan State and UCLA. The Hawkeyes don’t have much of a sample size to go on after playing a bad Albany team, but the Cyclones’ star receivers from the 2024 game – Noel and Jayden Higgins – are now in the NFL.
5. Ferentz chases history
Kirk Ferentz has won a lot of big games in his long tenure on the Iowa sideline, but a win on Saturday may be his most treasured accomplishment. Ferentz’s victory in the season-opener against Albany tied him with legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes for all-time wins by a Big Ten head coach.
Ferentz will break the record with a win in Jack Trice Stadium, a place that he is no stranger to breaking milestones in, having won his 200th career game there in 2023.