Iowa Hawkeyes ‘Drive to 325’ Cracks 100 With Win Over Spartans

My favorite college football story going into the 2023 season is Iowa’s “Drive to 325."

It has all the elements of a good story. There’s a plot, a conflict, multiple characters, and an absurd theme in Iowa City this fall. This is reality TV at its best, with 12 episodes over 13 weeks, which we follow and keep track of weekly.

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Last Week (Week 5) – 26 Points vs. Michigan State State

Thanks to a 70-yard punt return by stellar CB Cooper DeJean–which gave Iowa a 23-16 fourth-quarter lead–the Hawkeyes bettered 25 points for the second time this season.

Already down their best offensive weapon, TE Luke Lachey (expected to miss the season), and their top two running backs, the Hawkeyes lost starting quarterback Cade McNamara in the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night. On Monday, Kirk Ferentz revealed what we all feared, that McNamara suffered a season-ending knee injury. 

Backup Deacon Hill was 11 of 27 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Hill was better than his numbers because, by my count, there were at least six drops by Iowa, primarily by Hawkeyes receivers. Tight end Erick All Jr., who came over with McNamara from Michigan, had a good game with four receptions for 67 yards and Iowa’s only offensive touchdown. 

Kicker Drew Stevens drilled four field goals. Three of them were short (34, 36, and 40 yards), so Iowa did leave points on the field. That’s one way to look at it. Another way is to consider they had 222 total yards, 15 first downs, averaged 2.3 yards per rush, and 5.0 yards per pass. Pretty bad. 

Iowa Points Scored (5 Games)

Through five games, the Hawkeyes have scored 112 points, which keeps Brian Ferentz behind the pace (25 points per game) at 22.4 PPG.

Iowa Points Needed (8 Games Remaining)

The Hawkeyes need to score 213 points over their next eight games (including the bowl game) to reach 325, which is 26.6 points per game.

Iowa Hawkeyes Odds (FanDuel)

Wager	Odds
National Championship	+50000 (last week +40000)
Win Total	OTB
Big Ten	+2500 (last week +1900)
Make the Playoffs	n/a (last week +4000)
Week 5 – vs. Michigan State	-2.5 (-120)

2023 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule

Date	Opponent	SP+ Defensive Rank	2023 Record	Points
Sept. 2	vs. Utah State	No. 113	2-3	24 Points
Sept. 9	@ Iowa State	No. 16	2-3	20 Points
Sept. 16	vs. Western Michigan	No. 127	2-3	41 Points
Sept. 23	@ Penn State	No. 3	5-0	0 Points
Sept. 30	vs. Michigan State	No. 31	2-3	26 Points
Oct. 7	vs. Purdue	No. 66	2-3	29.6 PPG
Oct. 14	@ Wisconsin	No. 17	3-1	19.8 PPG
Oct. 21	vs. Minnesota	No. 28	3-2	21.6 PPG
Nov. 4	@ Northwestern (Wrigley)	No. 70	2-3	28.8 PPG
Nov. 11	vs. Rutgers	No. 43	4-1	12.8 PPG
Nov. 18	vs. Illinois	No. 39	2-3	30.6 PPG
Nov. 24	@ Nebraska	No. 41	2-3	23.8 PPG

What is the Drive to 325?

After leading arguably the worst offense in college football, Iowa Hawkeyes offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who made $900,000 in 2022, had to take a $50,000 pay cut. The university also added a clause to Ferentz’s contract that the Hawkeyes would have to average at least 25 points per game and win seven games in 2023 for Brian to keep his job.

Do Offensive & Defensive Touchdowns Count?

Short answer: yes. 

Who is Brian Ferentz?

Brian Ferentz is a former Iowa offensive lineman who was an honorable mention All-Big Ten as a senior. After going undrafted, he spent the 2006 season on the Atlanta Falcons practice squad.

Ferentz started coaching with the New England Patriots, where he was eventually promoted to tight ends coach in 2011. From there, he returned to Iowa as the offensive line coach in 2012. The title of running game coordinator was added to his duties in 2015 before Ferentz was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2017.

Brian is also the son of Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz.

How Did Iowa Get Here?

Over the past few seasons, the younger Ferentz has come under heavier scrutiny. Iowa’s offense, never known for being explosive, had regressed. They hit rock bottom (fingers crossed in Iowa City) last season, which led to the call for Ferentz’s job and increased the volume on the cries of nepotism.

The 2022 Hawkeyes averaged 17.7 points per game, which was 123rd out of 131 FBS teams. That included six touchdowns scored by the defense! The offense managed 19 touchdowns in 13 games and averaged 15.8 PPG.

Their 251.5 yards per game were last in the Big Ten and 130th overall. The Hawkeyes averaged 2.92 yards per carry and 5.8 yards per pass. Iowa quarterbacks threw seven TD passes and seven interceptions, with Ferentz taking on a more significant role with the passers. And they still almost won the Big Ten West.

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