Iowa City, Iowa witnessed a strong performance by No. 25 Iowa as they dominated Illinois State 40-0 in their season opener on Saturday. Cade McNamara, stepping up in the second half, threw three touchdown passes to secure the victory for the Hawkeyes. This game marked the first time in 26 seasons that coach Kirk Ferentz was absent, serving a one-game suspension due to a recruiting violation under NCAA investigation. Assistant coach Seth Wallace effectively led the team in Ferentz’s absence.
McNamara, who was sidelined for the final nine games last season due to a knee injury, showcased his talents by connecting with Reece Vander Zee and Jacob Gill for crucial touchdown passes. Kaleb Johnson also made an impact with 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to seal Iowa’s victory.
Under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, Iowa’s offense showed promising signs of improvement from last season’s struggles. The team recorded a total of 492 yards of offense, a significant upgrade from their previous performances.
Defensively, the Hawkeyes held Illinois State to a mere 189 yards and sacked their quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse four times. Rittenhouse managed only 119 passing yards on 10-of-20 attempts.
Despite the win, questions lingered about Iowa’s offense and McNamara before the game. However, their strong second half against Illinois State provided some reassurance and a promising start to the season. Up next, Iowa will face off against Iowa State while Illinois State will play North Alabama.
