Iowa

Former ADM Star Helps Iowa State Snap Losing Skid

Published

4 months ago

November 9, 2025

Former ADM Star Helps Iowa State Snap Losing Skid

A former Iowa high school football standout played a major role in helping Iowa State football end a tough losing skid.

Aiden Flora, who shined in several different ways at ADM High School, returned a punt 79 yards Saturday for the game-winning points in a much-needed 20-17 victory for the Cyclones at TCU.

79-YARD PUNT RETURN TD 😤
Aiden Flora takes it ALL THE WAY for @CycloneFB ‼️ pic.twitter.com/a5PUfETK33
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025
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With the win, Iowa State snapped a four-game losing skid and improved to 6-4 on the season.

After the Cyclones had cut the deficit from 17-6 to 17-12 on a short touchdown run by Carson Hansen, the defense – playing with several key starters – forced a quick three-and-out by the Horned Frogs.

From there, Flora took over the game, darting his way to the end zone on the ensuing punt with Hansen adding the two-point conversion for the final score.

Flora, a redshirt freshman who is listed as a running back on the official Iowa State roster, has already been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week once this year.

As a true freshman for Iowa State last season, Flora saw action in six games. The walk-on ran 11 times for 53 yards with a touchdown, adding a six-yard receptions. He scored his rushing touchdown against Arkansas State and had a key 12-yard run and six-yard catch in the Pop-Tarts Bowl win over Miami.

While guiding ADM to success at the high school ranks in Iowa, Flora was a dual-threat, throwing for 1,124 yards and rushing for 1,932 during his senior season, helping the Tigers reach the Class 4A Iowa high school football state playoff quarterfinals. He threw 13 touchdown passes and ran in 27, earning multiple all-state honors in the process.

Flora racked up 1,773 yards passing with 19 touchdowns and ran for 1,662 yards and 17 more scores during his junior season. He averaged over 11 yards per carry that year. As a sophomore, he had 212 yards rushing and caught 10 passes for 108 yards with five total touchdowns.

Flora selected the Cyclones over offers from Air Force and Army.

Iowa State has a week off before returning home to host Kansas on Saturday, November 22. They conclude the regular season the following weekend at Oklahoma State.

The win over TCU has the Cyclones bowl eligible for a third consecutive season, the first time that has happened since 2017-19.

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Iowa

The One Game That Will Define Iowa’s 2026 Season

Published

9 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

The One Game That Will Define Iowa’s 2026 Season

When it comes to the Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 football season, it doesn’t get much bigger than Ohio State coming to Kinnick Stadium.

No one knows at this stage where the Buckeyes will be come Oct. 3, but Iowa has a chance to make an early impression against a team that is no stranger to winning the big one.

Iowa’s B1G schedule couldn’t get off to a worse start as they head to Michigan and then welcome the Buckeyes to Kinnick.

Hopefully for Iowa’s sake, their first three games against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa are enough to get them prepared. If not, things could get ugly.

ESPN Believes Ohio State is Iowa’s Biggest Opponent in 2026

The helmet of Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith sits on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan game will certainly be a test, but hosting the Buckeyes is a different animal. That gives the Hawkeyes an advantage like no other, and if there was ever a time to give OSU a run for their money, it’s in Iowa City on Oct. 3.

“The Hawkeyes haven’t faced Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium since 2017, when Nate Stanley threw five touchdowns as they stunned the Buckeyes 55-24. An early October win over Ohio State could propel Iowa into the Big Ten title and playoff conversations,” Jake Trotter wrote.

To put things into perspective, Indiana and Oregon were the other two teams that had the Buckeyes listed as their defining game in the 2026 season. Shockingly, Iowa was actually selected against a team, that being Minnesota. Seeing as that’s for the Floyd of Rosedale, it makes complete sense.

Iowa Can’t Let Regular Season Opportunities Go To Waste

Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski (10) throws a pass during warmups before a college football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions Oct. 18, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year was seemingly the Hawkeyes’ first time to actually make the College Football Playoffs. They came up short as their losses to No. 16 Iowa State, No. 11 Indiana, No. 9 Oregon and No. 17 USC all added up. Sure, those were by a combined 15 points, but that doesn’t matter, as it’s bad enough that a three-loss team made the playoffs.

Iowa ended with a bang as they took down No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 34-27. Now, all eyes are on either Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown. One of those men will have a chance to make their first B1G start at the Big House in Michigan.

It doesn’t get any tougher than that, as Iowa is immediately putting their new QB into deep water. They’ll have three games prior to that to get up to speed, but other than that, it’s go time as OSU awaits after their trip to Michigan.

Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

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Iowa

Kee High School remembers legendary coach Gene Schultz

Published

21 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Kee High School remembers legendary coach Gene Schultz

MANCHESTER, Iowa — The state of Iowa lost a titan of the prep coaching world this week. Former Kee High School baseball coach Gene Schultz died on Monday at the age of 80.

Schultz spent 45 seasons as the baseball coach at Kee, helping turn the program into an Iowa dynasty. He won 9 State championships (not counting 2 fall titles, which the IHSAA doesn’t recognize in the record books), and took the Hawks to 19 State tournaments, which is also the most in Iowa history.

His 1,754 wins are not only the most in Iowa history, but the most of any high school baseball coach in the country.

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Iowa

Judge calls state response to comments about Charlie Kirk ‘deeply troubling’

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Judge calls state response to comments about Charlie Kirk ‘deeply troubling’

“A licensing authority’s enforcement apparatus should not be mobilized in response to political pressure to suppress disfavored commentary on a public figure’s death — and this record raises serious questions about whether that is precisely what occurred here,” a federal judge wrote.

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