Northwestern’s Rise Against Iowa | Iowa Hawkeyes Football News

The Iowa-Northwestern football rivalry returns in 2026 after a three-year hiatus, with the Wildcats riding a wave of momentum under new head coach David Braun. After a breakout 2025 season with seven wins and two bowl appearances, Northwestern returns key talent including running backs Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon III, star receiver Griffin Wilde, and top tackler Robert Fitzgerald. They’ve also added offensive firepower with Chip Kelly as OC and transfer QB Aidan Chiles, who nearly upset Iowa last year. But with a brutal schedule featuring Iowa, Oregon, and Ohio State, most experts predict just five or six wins — meaning the Wildcats will need to pull off some big upsets to make another bowl game. 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/a7d1307c47cd40d8