Iowa Hawkeyes Star Reveals Bold Claim After Massive Performance

The Iowa Hawkeyes got a bit of a scare against the Troy Trojans on Saturday, but they ultimately pulled out a 38-21 victory in Week 3.

Iowa’s win was thanks much in part to the heroic efforts of running back Kaleb Johnson, who carried the ball 25 times for 173 yards and a couple of touchdowns.

It was just the latest monster performance for Johnson, who is on his way to making Hawkeyes history.

After the game, Johnson made a rather bold claim, saying he went into the 2024 campaign envisioning himself as a top-five halfback in the country, via Adam Jacobi of The Hawkeye Beacon.

Based on what Johnson has accomplished thus far, it’s hard to argue with that.

Through three games, the 21-year-old has racked up 479 yards and six scores on the ground while averaging an incredible 7.9 yards per carry.

Johnson is on pace to score finish with over 1,900 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns on the season, which would shatter the records of 1,850 and 20, respectively, set by Shonn Greene back in 2008.

Had it not been for Johnson, Iowa’s offense would have surely struggled mightily against Troy.

The Hawkeyes found themselves behind 14-10 at halftime and were only leading 24-21 heading into the fourth quarter. They then outscored the Trojans 14-0 in the final period, which included a 33-yard touchdown run by Johnson.

Iowa amassed 462 yards of total offense on the day, which was certainly a major step up from last week’s loss to the Iowa State Cyclones.

The Hawkeyes will start Big Ten conference play next Saturday when they take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers.