Iowa
Iowa players share wild interactions with Nebraska coach Matt Rhule
The annual Iowa-Nebraska game doesn’t get the same hype as Alabama-Auburn and some other other college football rivalries, but emotions run high in the battle for the Heroes Cup. And things got wild Friday night.
The hijinks started even before the game. Iowa linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson shared some surprising anecdotes with reporters after the Hawkeyes’ thrilling 13-10 win on a walk-off field goal.
Higgins revealed that before the game, the Nebraska team captains made no effort to shake hands, “so that was a little weird,” he said. Then, Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walked through Iowa’s pregame warmups.
“So we immediately knew what type of game this was,” Higgins said.
After sharing all that, Higgins deadpanned, “Any questions?” That drew laughter from reporters.
Jackson joined him at that point, and Higgins had more to share.
“So the first series, we were on their sideline, and I got a little close to their head coach,” Higgins said. (The way he referred to Rhule as “their head coach” in every instance is funny.)
“And I said, ‘Probably not a good idea to not shake our hands,” Higgins continued. “He goes, ‘Who are you?’”
Then Higgins and Jackson wondered aloud if Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz would ever act like Rhule.
“Would KF, would … Kirk Ferentz ever do that?” Higgins asked.
“Nah,” Jackson said.
“That’s just amazing,” Higgins said.
“Come to Iowa,” Jackson said.
“Come to Iowa, come be a Hawk,” Higgins echoed.
“Be a Hawk, you see the difference,” Jackson said.
Jay Higgins shares that the Nebraska captains didn’t shake hands before the game and Matt Rhule walked through Iowa’s warmups pregame.
Interchange with Nick Jackson: “Would Kirk Ferentz ever do that? Never. Come to Iowa.” pic.twitter.com/ytncpAScW2
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) November 30, 2024
While Rhule might have thought his tough-guy image set the tone for the game, the Hawkeyes had the proverbial last laugh, as Drew Stevens booted a 53-yard field goal as time expired for the win.
Iowa’s Drew Stevens kicks a game winning 53 yard field goal against Nebraska… but viewers on NBC miss the ball actually going through the uprights. pic.twitter.com/ooC3ENmeCs
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2024
Higgins had the perfect end to the night after that winning kick.
“So after the game,” Higgins said, “because they didn’t want to shake our hands before the game, I went up to their head coach and shook his hand and told him, ‘Good game.’”
[Eliot Clough]
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 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
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!
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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