The Iowa Hawkeyes opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion.
No. 22 Iowa shut out Northern Illinois 40-0 Saturday at Kinnick Stadium, controlling the game from the opening whistle and giving Hawkeye fans plenty to be excited about. Iowa finished with 507 total yards, while Northern Illinois managed just 110.
Kamari Moulton Takes Over
The biggest offensive star of the afternoon was running back Kamari Moulton.
Moulton exploded out of the gates, rushing for 132 yards, including touchdown runs of 50 and 37 yards in the first quarter. He reached 132 yards in just the opening 11 minutes of the game, setting the tone for Iowa’s rushing attack.
Iowa’s ability to consistently create explosive runs made it extremely difficult for Northern Illinois to slow the Hawkeyes down.
Quarterback Competition Continues
Iowa’s quarterback situation remains one of the biggest storylines coming out of the opener.
Hank Brown got the start and threw a touchdown pass to Tony Diaz, while Jeremy Hecklinski also saw significant action and connected with Xavier Williams for a touchdown. Both quarterbacks made strong cases as Iowa continues to sort out the position.
The competition will be something to watch as the Hawkeyes move deeper into the season.
The Defense Delivers a Shutout
While the offense produced 507 yards, Iowa’s defense was arguably just as impressive.
Northern Illinois managed only 110 total yards and four first downs, never finding any consistent offensive rhythm. The shutout allowed Iowa to cruise through the second half with the game already firmly in hand.
Iowa led 33-0 at halftime before adding one more touchdown in the third quarter.
Iowa Sends a Message
The Hawkeyes couldn’t have asked for a much better start.
A 40-0 victory, more than 500 yards of offense and a complete defensive shutout give Iowa plenty of momentum heading into next week’s massive rivalry game.
Iowa will host Iowa State on September 12 in the annual Cy-Hawk Series matchup.
Iowa didn’t just win its season opener the Hawkeyes dominated from start to finish and immediately put the rest of the Big Ten on notice.
