Iowa

Iowa’s Two Keys To Victory vs. Penn State

Published

4 months ago

December 27, 2025

Iowa’s Two Keys To Victory vs. Penn State

Sitting at 10-2 (1-0), the Big Ten grind starts now. Head coach Jan Jensen knows her Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off an extremely embarrassing loss, but at the end of the day it was to the No. 1 team in the nation.

Iowa has dropped two of their last three which contributed to them falling to No. 14 in the AP Top 25. They were previously as high as No. 11, but their 74-69 loss to No. 10 Iowa State didn’t help as they tried to enter the Top 10.

With a win over No. 7 Baylor earlier in the year, Iowa knows they have what it takes to get the job done. Now, they just need to take care of business against a Penn State school that is 7-5 (0-1).

ESPN Analytics is on Iowa’s side as the Hawkeyes are given a 96.8% chance to win. Seeing as this game is played at Carver, it certainly helps their chances of getting back on track with an extremely difficult schedule ahead of them.

1. Limit Turnovers

Dec 20, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Taylor Stremlow (1) dribbles the ball against UConn Huskies guard Azzi Fudd (35) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

As simple as it sounds, Iowa turned the ball over 26 times against the Huskies. Seeing as this was their most recent game played, even though it was back on December 20, that is a number that continues to be brought up.

Jensen and company were extremely disappointed with their performance, but there’s no reason to lose hope after losing to the Huskies. That was their fourth Top 25 win of the year as they’re one of the most dominant No. 1 seeds in quite some time.

Now, Iowa just has to recover. They are about to enter the gauntlet that is their B1G schedule and they can’t let a pair of losses get to them. AP voters kept them ranked for a reason, and on paper, Iowa should have no issues taking control of this game against the Nittany Lions.

2. Get Everybody Involved

Dec 20, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; UConn Huskies forward Sarah Strong (21) and Iowa Hawkeyes guard Journey Houston (8) compete for the ball during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Pamela Smith-Imagn Images | Pamela Smith-Imagn Images

Iowa is at their best when everyone is contributing. No matter how good Ava Heiden or Hannah Stuelke are, this is still a team game. Neither are ball-hogs, far from it, but the Hawkeyes seem to put together complete performances when four or more girls end the game with double digits.

So far this season, Heiden has struggled against top opponents. She’s only a sophomore, so it isn’t too alarming to see her minutes dip significantly against Iowa State and UConn. That said, it would sure be nice to see her lead the way against PSU and drop 20+ for the third time this season.

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

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Iowa

Iowa football 2026 NFL Draft recap

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2026

Press Room

The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, but not without the Iowa Hawkeyes once again sending a healthy group to the next level. Iowa saw another class of NFL prospects hear their names called and find out where their new homes will be.

As is the norm for Iowa, this draft class was headlined by offensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive line talent, which is fitting. This is how Iowa wins so many games under Kirk Ferentz, and it is a direct correlation to this program’s ability to mold and develop talent into NFL stars.

While this class of draft prospects gets set to make their way to their new NFL homes, check out the recap of where each player is headed, along with where they were taken in this year’s draft.

Logan Jones

Oct 11, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Logan Jones (65) celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ross Harried-Imagn Images

Team: Chicago Bears

Round: 2

Pick: 57

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Seahawks Select Iowa Guard Beau Stephens With 148th Overall Pick | 2026 NFL Draft

Published

14 hours ago

April 25, 2026

Press Room

Seahawks Select Iowa Guard Beau Stephens With 148th Overall Pick | 2026 NFL Draft

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and president of football operations John Schneider met with media following day one of the NFL draft and discuss the decision to stay and pick at 32, what makes running back Jadarian Price special, how Price will fit into the offense and more at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

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Steelers Land Fan Favorite Iowa OL With Third-Round Pick

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2026

Press Room

Steelers Land Fan Favorite Iowa OL With Third-Round Pick

The Pittsburgh Steelers continue beefing up their offensive line in the 2026 NFL Draft after previously taking Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round.

After trading picks No. 99 and 216 to the Seattle Seahawks for No. 96, the Steelers selected Iowa’s Gennings Dunker.

Dunker was a right tackle for the Hawkeyes, where he was a huge part of helping the team win the Joe Moore Award in 2025 as the nation’s top offensive line.

As for how he projects to the next level, however, Dunker is likely to move inside for the Steelers at 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds and could compete with Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman for the starting job at left guard.

Dunker is a better run blocker than pass protector, but he is feisty in all facets of the game and possesses a ton of strength while also being rather technically sound.

A fan-favorite with his mullet and contagious personality, Dunker should fit right in with Pittsburgh.

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Gennings Dunker (67) warms up before a football game against the Indiana Hoosiers Sept. 27, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

James Campen Offers Thoughts on Dunker

Speaking with reporters after the pick was made, Steelers offensive line coach James Campen listed some of the traits that drew him to Dunker.

“He is an aggressive kid,” Campen said. “Good football player. They’re so well-coached at Iowa. They come out and have established pad level and footwork. I’ve got a lot of respect for that football program, and the people who run it, but to be able to get a guy like him, a big, powerful kid that has position flexibility and has shown leadership in his play, his play style is really unique.”

While confirming that he is slated to primarily line up at guard, Campen also shared that Dunker’s Senior Bowl participation allowed his leadership to shine through.

“You always look for guys that are first in line doing things that are challenging or different like he did at the Senior Bowl. He was first in line to go and do new drills and things like that. So I’m sure there’s some leadership qualities there too.

“But we’re very excited to have him and to add to the O-line room. We’ll get him in here and take a look at him. I think at this point he’ll be at the guard position, and tackle will be his second position. But again, when you get players like this, you can always try to figure out which way he’s going to go. So, competition is good in those areas. So, he’ll probably end up playing a little bit of both, but primarily guard.”

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