The Nebraska football team is shifting its focus to Iowa after a disappointing loss to Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania, Saturday night.
Nebraska lost 37-10 to Penn State, with the Nittany Lions dominating the game from the start. Offensively, Nebraska struggled to get any traction, with only 318 yards of total offense. Defensively, it had its worst game yardage-wise, giving up 412 yards of total offense, the first allowing more than 400 yards all season, with 231 of those yards coming on the ground.
Now, the Huskers have to put that game behind them with Iowa coming into town on Friday.
“My focus is just purely on this game,” Coach Matt Rhule said Monday afternoon. “I can just tell you this. My focus has been on every game each week, but for this week, we play Iowa every year, and I have not yet as the head coach here produced a win. So, I’m focused on that.”
Last season, Iowa beat Nebraska 13-10 in a controversial game in which Nebraska’s captains did not shake the Hawkeyes’ hands before the game. The Huskers lost on a last-second field goal from Iowa senior kicker Drew Stevens. Nebraska is now looking to take back the Heroes Trophy for the first time since 2022.
“Two years in a row now, I’ve watched them kick a field goal to win it and walk off the field, and watched them celebrate and tell us, ‘Hey, have a merry Christmas,’” Rhule said. “Because they knew we weren’t going to a bowl, so to the victor belongs the spoils. I respect them, I respect the way they play and respect their coaches.”
Nebraska will honor 19 seniors Friday, the program’s senior day. That includes wide receiver Dane Key, offensive linemen Turner Corcoran and Teddy Prochazka, corner Ceyair Wright and linebackers Javin Wright Marques Watson-Trent, just to name a few.
“There are a lot of amazing stories, and a lot of guys that I’m proud of,” Rhule said. “But, most importantly, I think they’ve helped establish a program that I’m proud of and that is relevant nationally, and that is relevant recruiting-wise nationally. It’s the players who came before them, and it’s them.”
Coming into Friday’s contest, Iowa is sitting at 7-4, the same as Nebraska. Offensively, it operates with a run-first offense featuring junior quarterback Mark Gronouski leading the way. He has seven passing touchdowns with five interceptions, while leading the team with 13 rushing scores and 370 rushing yards.
“Going back to Coach’s time as an offensive line coach, probably one of the premier outside zone teams in football over the years,” Rhule said. “They’ve added a quarterback run element. The quarterback, he’s got like seven passing touchdowns, 13 rushing touchdowns; he’s accounted for like 20 of their touchdowns. He’s done a very nice job. They’ve got four losses — four losses by a total of 15 points though. They’ve played some elite level teams. They’re a great team.”
Defensively, the Hawkeyes have a strong defense led by defensive coordinator Phil Parker. They rank No. 8 in overall defense (allowing 267.9 yards per game), No. 9 in scoring (15.1 points per game), No. 12 in passing (166.3 yards) and No. 14 in rushing (101.6 yards per game).
“This is the one defense in the Big Ten that holds everyone under their scoring average consistently,” Rhule said. “There’s not a lot of relief, there’s no mercy. They’re doubling people, they’re playing two-man, they’re challenging you. They’ve got a great defensive line. There are a lot of things there.”
Iowa’s special teams unit has been very productive this season, featuring junior wide receiver Kaden Wetjen. The reigning Jet Award Winner honoring the best returner in the nation is a finalist again this season with 16 punt returns for 391 yards and two scores and 11 kickoff returns for 338 yards and another score touchdown.
“Kaden is an amazing player,” Rhule said. “He’s ridiculously fast, and that’s the one thing that you see. Obviously, we’ve played against him before, but you see against Michigan State he’s fearless and he’s fast …
“Our guys have to play their best football. There is no coaching trick against Iowa.”
Nebraska will continue to prepare for Iowa with hopes of bringing the Heroes trophy back to Lincoln.
“This game coming up this Friday means the world to us,” Rhule said. “It means the world to me.”
Nebraska will welcome Iowa into Memorial Stadium on Friday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on CBS.
