Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker says better tackling will help the Hawkeyes begin to limit explosive plays. The Iowa defense is giving up just under 16 points per game in a 3-2 start to the season but missed tackles were a major factor in a 20-15 loss to 11th ranked Indiana.

Parker says there are tackling fundamentals they work on but it can be difficult to work on in season.

Parker says the first key is to get defenders to the ball.

The Hawkeyes are in the midst of their bye week. They return to action October 11th at Wisconsin.

Cincinnati coach Scott Satterfield says the Bearcats face a tough challenge as they get ready to host 14th ranked Iowa State. Cincinnati is 3-1 overall and opened Big 12 play with a win at Kansas.

Former ISU assistant Tyson Veidt is The Bearcat’s defensive coordinator and they run the same type of defense as the Cyclones.

A year ago in Ames, Iowa State limited Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby to 66 yards of passing in a 34-17 Cyclone victory.

Satterfield says this will be a much different matchup.

Individual*

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The Hawkeyes will return to action Monday, Oct. 6-7, traveling to Hutchinson, Kansas, for the Prairie Dunes Invitational.

Western Iowa Conference 

Riverside – 3 vs Missouri Valley – 1

Treynor – 3 vs Audubon – 1

Underwood – 3 vs AHSTW – 0

Logan-Magnolia – 3 vs Tri-Center – 2

Rolling Valley Conference 

Exira/EHK – 3 vs Boyer Valley – 1

CAM – 3 vs Paton-Churdan – 0

Glidden-Ralston – 3 vs Ar-We-Va – 0

Coon Rapids-Bayard – 3 vs Woodbine – 0

Corner Conference 

Sidney – 3 vs Griswold – 0

East Mills – 3 vs Bedford – 0

Fremont-Mills – 3 vs Hamburg – 0

Fremont-Mills – 3 vs Stanton – 0

Stanton – 3 vs Hamburg – 0

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

Red Oak – 3 vs Shenandoah – 0

St. Albert – 3 vs Clarinda – 2

Kuemper Catholic – 3 vs Glenwood – 0

Creston – 3 vs Harlan – 0

Pride of Iowa Conference 

Mount Ayr – 2 vs Nodaway Valley – 0

Southeast Warren – 2 vs Nodaway Valley – 0

Central Decatur – 2 vs East Union – 1

Lenox – 2 vs Central Decatur – 1

Lenox – 2 vs East Union – 1 

Mount Ayr – 2 vs Southeast Warren – 1 

Southwest Valley – 2 vs Wayne – 0

Martensdale-St. Marys – 2 vs Wayne – 0

Southwest Valley – 2 vs Martensdale-St. Marys – 0

West Central Activities Conference 

Interstate 35 – 3 vs Madrid – 2

Pleasantville – 3 vs Ogden – 2

Woodward-Granger – 3 vs Des Moines Christian – 1 

Van Meter – 3 vs Earlham – 0

West Central Valley – 3 vs Panorama – 2

Denison-Schleswig Meet

1. Harlan – 32 points
2. Tri-Center – 65 points
3. Ridge View – 78 points
4. Abraham Lincoln – 107 points
5. Denison Schleswig – 136 points
6. Storm Lake – 153 points
7. Kuemper Catholic – 163 points
8. Missouri Valley – 197 points
9. Boyer Valley – 251 points

Individual Results

The Griswold Football team has just three games on the regular season schedule and are looking to finish the 2025 season strong. The Tigers sit at 1-5 with a 28-20 week one win over Stanton. Head Coach Seth Lembke says the adjustments they are making week in and week out, are improving his team especially on the offensive side of the football.

Griswold comes off a 70-32 loss to Exira-EHK. A game that Lembke saw several positives in despite the short outcome.

The Tigers have split time between Senior Wyatt Silk and Sophomore Dain Laverty at quarterback. A scheme that has put both players in a more comfortable setting according to Lembke.

On the defensive side of the ball, Junior Alex Rasmussen has been a performer on the field and a vocal leader.

Griswold continues the season with a road matchup at Ar-We-Va before heading home to Griswold.

Denison-Schleswig Meet

1. Storm Lake – 51 points
2. Kuemper Catholic – 95 points
3. Abraham Lincoln – 110 points
4. Woodbine – 127 points
5. Denison Schleswig – 133 points
6. Boyer Valley – 158 points
7. Ridge View – 163 points
8. Harlan – 165 points
9. Tri-Center – 204 points

Individual Results

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht was named to the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year watch list Tuesday, which includes 67 of the nation’s top leaders in college football. The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field.

Becht is one of the top quarterbacks in the country but also makes his presence felt in the community.

In 2024, Becht hosted a camp for the Perry (Iowa) community after tragedy struck the community. He donated $7,500 to Perry Youth Football as well.

More recently, Becht donated Xbox gaming consoles to the Mary Greeley Medical Center pediatric unit in Ames, so every room has a console for patients to use during their stay.

Becht is also a positive force in the life of Dash Burr, a 9-year-old Cyclone fan who received a new heart and spent more than a year in the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. More about Becht and Dash’s special relationship can be found in this story from NBC.

Twenty semifinalists will be selected by a by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee and announced on Tues., October 14. Three finalists will then be named for the award on Monday, December 15. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on April 16, 2026.

Becht and the No. 14 Cyclones return to action Saturday at 11 a.m. against Cincinnati on ESPN2.

Mums the word at Iowa on the status of starting quarterback Mark Gronowski. He suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 20-15 loss to 11th ranked Indiana.

That’s offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who had a bye week news conference in Iowa City. With Gronowski sidelined Hank Brown finished the game against the Hoosiers.

Lester hopes receiver Reece Vander Zee will be back when the Hawkeyes visit Wisconsin a week from Saturday. He has been out since suffering a foot injury prior to the season opener.

Lester is hopeful that Gronowski will return but the bye week gives them a chance to work with Brown and Wake Forest transfer Jeremy Hecklinski.