Iowa had its annual rivalry game with Iowa State in Week 2. The Hawkeyes started off the season at 1-0 after beating Utah State in the opener 24-14.

The Hawkeyes opened the game with a 17-0 lead through two quarters. The defense looked dominant as ever as the team went into halftime up 17-3.

Cade McNamara didn’t play his best game, but Iowa was still able to end up in the win column once again. While the defense almost allowed the Cyclones to come back, the unit came through when it mattered.

Iowa held on for a 20-13 win, avenging last season’s loss in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes are back home in Week 3 against Western Michigan.

Player of the Week: Jaziun Patterson

Patterson averaged 8.6 yards per carry in the win. He capped off the rivalry win with 86 yards rushing and 1 touchdown on 10 carries. Patterson appeared in two games for Iowa last season and has already surpassed his rushing total from a year ago when he had 47 yards rushing. The redshirt freshman stepped up after Kaleb Johnson and Leshon Williams struggled on the ground.

Patterson bounced back after finishing with -2 yards rushing in the season opener. The depth in the Iowa running back room is starting to emerge as the season continues. Iowa fans will be relieved to know that the running game can carry the load if McNamara and the rest of the offense struggle.

Freshman of the Week: Deshaun Lee

Redshirt freshman defensive back Deshaun Lee is now up to 15 total tackles in two games for Iowa. He finished second on the team on Saturday behind veteran DB Cooper DeJean. While Lee has shown he can be consistent as a tackler, he also has 2 pass deflections so far.

Lee had a career-high 6 total tackles in the season opener and followed that up with 9 total tackles in Week 2. It’s early, but Lee is already starting to emerge as a star on the Iowa defense.

Biggest Suprise: Allowing 13 points

After heading into halftime with a 17-3 lead, the Iowa defense struggled to contain Iowa State in the second half. The offense stalled out in the second half, but the defense almost allowed the Cyclones to come back. A late touchdown in the fourth quarter made things interesting.

The offense is not usually something fans think of when it comes to Iowa, but the defense is what Kirk Ferentz is known for. It’s very early into the season, but not being able to close out games could catch up to the Hawkeyes deeper into the year.

Iowa may not be able to get by with this kind of play against B1G teams.

Biggest Concern: Inconsistent play at QB

Cade McNamara looked fine in his Iowa debut against Utah State. Game two was a different story. The Michigan transfer completed 12-of-22 passes for 123 yards passing and 1 interception. Luckily, it’s only the second game of the season and there is time for McNamara to find his rhythm.

One thing to watch is if the running game will be able to take the pressure off if the Iowa QB has another game similar to this down the line. It’s worth noting that McNamara wasn’t at 100 percent as he was recovering from a quad injury. However, there was still more to be desired out of his play.

McNamara showed during his time at Michigan that he is able to step up in big games. He led the Wolverines to a B1G Championship and College Football Playoff appearance in 2021.

Developing Trend: TE U still in Iowa City

Luke Lachey has led Iowa in receiving yards in two straight games. With Sam LaPorta in the NFL, Lachey has taken over the tight end position for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is known to many as “TE U” and Lachey is trying to keep it that way with how he’s played through two weeks.

Lachey has not scored a touchdown yet but has 131 yards receiving heading into Week 3. McNamara and the Iowa TE are starting to form a connection in Iowa City. If Lachey keeps this up, he will be revered like George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson, and LaPorta for Iowa.

Key Stat: 0 Penalty Yards

After being penalized seven different times in Week 1, Iowa looked much more composed on that front in a hostile environment. Iowa State had two penalties for 24 yards in the 20-13 loss.

It’s impressive that Iowa was able to not be penalized since it was a road game for the Hawkeyes. If the Hawkeyes can stay composed once B1G play begins, that could pay off for them.

First Impression about WMU: Broncos are Iowa’s last chance to improve before B1G play

Before going on the road to Happy Valley in Week 4, Iowa has one more chance to iron things out. The Hawkeyes head back home to Iowa City to take on Western Michigan.

Conference play won’t start off with an easy opponent for Iowa, so the Hawkeyes will need to bring their best game with them to Penn State.

The last time that Iowa and Penn State played, Sean Clifford was still the quarterback. Even though there’s a new face under center in Drew Allar, the Nittany Lions have still looked dominant through their first two games.

If Iowa wants this Penn State game to be a repeat of what happened in 2021, it will need a solid showing in all phases.