Under coach Kirk Ferentz Iowa has been known as a program that is able to bounce back from tough losses and that is where the Hawkeyes are getting ready for Saturday’s game againnst Troy. Iowa is 1-1 after a second half collapse in a 20-19 loss to Iowa State.

Ferentz says there is no time to dwell on what happened.

Ferentz remains confident in quarterback Cade McNamara, who struggled in the second half of the loss to the Cyclones.

The offense has been sporadic but through two games the run game has shown significant improvement over last year. The Hawkeyes are averaging 222 yards on the ground.

Ferentz says the Hawkeyes had too many negative plays near the goal line. Twice in the opening half Iowa had the ball inside the five but was forced to settle for a field goal.

Iowa players say they have moved on from a second half meltdown that resulted in a 20-19 loss to Iowa State. The Hawkeyes close out nonconference play Saturday by hosting Troy. Sophomore safety Koen Entringer.

Entringer on the response this week.

Hawkeye guard Connor Colby says coach Kirk Ferentz does a great job of helping the team move on.

Fullback Hayden Large says they have shifted their focus to Troy.

Linebacker Kyler Fisher says this is an important week for team leadership.

Troy coach Gerad Parker says the Trojans are focused on run defense as they get ready for Saturday’s visit to Iowa. The Trojans are giving up 212 yards on the ground per game in an 0-2 start after losses to Nevada and Memphis.

Parker says improved tackling and being gap, sound will be crucial against the Hawkeyes.

Parker says preparing to play in Kinnick Stadium is a focus this week.

For the Trojans it will be the second straight road game in which they are a substantial underdog.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State kicker Kyle Konrardy has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

The redshirt freshman from Dubuque, Iowa connected on two crucial field goals in the fourth quarter in a 20-19 come-from-behind victory at No. 21 Iowa on Saturday. His biggest kick was a game-winning 54-yarder with six seconds remaining to give Iowa State its second consecutive victory inside Kinnick Stadium.

The Cyclones trailed 13-0 at the half and 19-7 with 4:47 left in the third quarter. Konrardy, who had no field goal attempts in Week 1 against North Dakota and missed a 41-yard attempt on the first half’s final play against Iowa, was instrumental in the comeback against the Hawkeyes, adding a 46-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

Konrardy’s 54-yard field goal tied Grant Mahoney (2009) for longest field goal by a Cyclone against Iowa.

Iowa State is off with a bye this weekend but returns to Jack Trice Stadium against Arkansas State on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State defensive back Darien Porter has been named the East-West Shrine Bowl’s Co-Breakout Defensive Player of the Week, given weekly to an all-star game eligible defensive player that displayed the most NFL traits that week.

Porter had a big day in Iowa State’s 20-19 road victory over the No. 21 Hawkeyes, snagging the first two interceptions of his career to became just the third player in ISU history to have two interceptions in a game against Iowa (Larry Crawford, 1980; David Sims, 2009). He is one of seven FBS players nationally, and the only Big 12 player, with two interceptions in a game this season.

Porter’s first interception came at the ISU 25-yard line to prevent a Hawkeye score in the third quarter while the second came on Iowa’s Hail Mary attempt to end the game.

The Bettendorf, Iowa native also broke up a pass on a key Iowa two-point conversion in the fourth quarter which eventually allowed Iowa State to win by a point.

Porter finished the game with two tackles.

Iowa State is off with a bye this weekend but returns to Jack Trice Stadium against Arkansas State on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.

Northern Iowa is 21st in the FCS Coaches Poll as the Panthers get ready to visit Nebraska. The Panthers are 2-0 and face a Husker team that enter the national rankings at number 23.

That’s Panther coach Mark Farley. It will be a homecoming of sorts for several players from Nebraska on the UNI roster.

Farley on the opportunity to play the Huskers.

Through two games the Panthers are averaging nearly 300 yards on the ground but just 107 of passing.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule says the Huskers have bigger plans than just being nationally ranked. Nebraska is 23rd in the latest AP Poll after a win over Colorado and take a 2-0 record into Saturday’s game against Northern Iowa.

At the beginning of his second season rebuilding the Husker program Rhule is seeing progress.

After facing two spread teams in the first two games Rhule says the Panthers provide a different challenge.

Rhule says the Panthers will provide a physical test.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has been given one of the Manning Award’s eight Stars of the Week.

College football fans can follow the Manning Award on social media (@ManningAward) to vote for what they think was the best performance from this past weekend. After voting closes on Wednesday at 9 a.m. (Central), the top vote-getter will be announced as the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.

Becht led Iowa State to a 20-19 comeback victory at No. 21 Iowa Saturday. The Cyclones trailed 13-0 at halftime, and 19-7 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter but left with their second consecutive win in Kinnick Stadium.

Becht started the game 11-of-19 for only 72 yards and an interception but finished 12-of-16 for 200 yards and two touchdowns to engineer the comeback. His final stat line read 23-of-35 for 272 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

After Iowa scored a touchdown to take a 19-7 lead late in the third quarter, Becht found Jaylin Noel on the next play for a 75-yard touchdown pass to pull ISU back to within five points. It was Iowa State’s second-longest play against Iowa since 1971.

The Cyclone offense got the ball back one final time trailing 19-17 and the Wesley Chapel, Fla. native delivered a critical 30-yard completion to Noel with 29 seconds to go to set up the game-winning 54-yard field goal.

Iowa State is off with a bye this weekend but returns to Jack Trice Stadium against Arkansas State on Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.

PONTEVEDRA, Spain – University of Iowa wrestler Ben Kueter earned a second-place finish on Sunday evening at the U20 World Championships.

The Iowa City, Iowa, native is now a two-time U20 World medalist having won gold at 97kg in 2022.

Kueter faced Iranian Amirreza Fardin Masoumi Valadi – a four-time age-level World champion – in his finals matchup and lost via a 4-2 decision.

En route to the finals Kueter outscored his opponents, 24-3. He won his opening match against Alikhan Kussainov of Kazakhstan, 7-0. In his quarterfinal matchup with Individual Neutral Athlete Stsiapan Mandryk he needed only 27 seconds to win via fall.

In his semifinal Kueter won by technical superiority over Nambardagva Batbayar of Mongolia, 13-3.

U20 World Championships
Ben Kueter (125 KG) – Second Place
Ben Kueter (USA) VPO Alikhan Kussainov (KAZ), 7-0
Ben Kueter (USA) VFA Stsiapan Mandryk (AIN), 0:27
Ben Kueter (USA) VSU1 Nambardagva Batbayar (MGL), 13-3
Amirreza Fardin Masoumi Valadi (IRI) VPO Ben Kueter (USA), 4-2

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State football team has returned to the national rankings after a resilient come-from-behind win against No. 21 Iowa on Saturday in Iowa City.

The Cyclones are ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press poll, released Sunday. It is ISU’s first time being ranked in the Top 25 since Oct. 25, 2021. The Cyclones are also No. 23 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Cyclones are 2-0 heading into their bye week following the win against the Hawkeyes in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series showdown. Redshirt freshman Kyle Konrardy capped the comeback with a 54-yard field goal that ultimately gave the Cyclones a 20-19 victory, their second-straight on the road in the series.

Iowa State returns to action Sept. 21 when it hosts Arkansas State on Hall of Fame Weekend. ISU will induct six former star athletes into its Hall of Fame that weekend, including football letterwinner and Super Bowl champion Kelechi Osemele.

Tickets for the game are still available for as low as $40. Click here to get into the action!