Hawkeyes Face First Test | Iowa Hawkeyes Football News

College football kicks off with the Hawkeyes facing Northern Illinois, and despite only eight returning starters, expectations are sky-high for the No. 22 ranked team. The biggest question remains at quarterback, with Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski battling for the starting role—Coach Ferentz plans to let both play two to three possessions to settle the race. On offense, they’ve lost three key linemen but have solid depth, with Cael Winter earning the center spot and Leighton Jones and Jack Dotzler stepping into key guard and tackle roles. Defensively, it’s a young front seven replacing all four starters from last year, but stars like Iose Epenesa and Kenneth Merrieweather are poised to make an impact. If this new defensive line can generate pressure early, it could turn the tide—and set the tone for the season. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a56e17cb49d7c780