By: Josh Torres
(Photo/Josh Torres-The Mojo Network)
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Hawkeyes opened the 2026 season Saturday shutting out Northern Illinois 40-0 at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa controlled the game from start to finish. The Hawkeyes scored on each of their first three offensive possessions and never gave the Huskies a chance to build momentum.
Iowa finished the afternoon with 507 total yards while holding Northern Illinois to just 120 yards. The Hawkeyes also kept NIU out of the end zone for the first time since 2008.
The biggest offensive performance came from running back Kamari Moulton. The senior exploded for a career-high 183 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. Moulton broke loose for touchdown runs of 50 and 37 yards in the first quarter, helping Iowa take control of the game out the gate.
While the running game provided plenty of excitement, much of the attention surrounding Iowa entering the season was focused on the quarterback position.
Hank Brown got the start and immediately made an impact. He completed 12 of 20 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown, leading Iowa to touchdowns on each of his first three drives.
Jeremy Hecklinski also received significant playing time as Iowa continued to evaluate its quarterback competition. Hecklinski completed 7 of 16 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, but also threw an interception in the second half.
Both quarterbacks showed enough to give Iowa plenty to build on moving forward.
Iowa's defense was very impressive to open the year.
The Hawkeyes held Northern Illinois without a first down in the first half and limited the Huskies to only 120 yards for the entire game. NIU managed just seven first downs and struggled to consistently move the football against Iowa's defense.
Despite offensive struggles, the Huskie defense forced turnovers on two Iowa possessions, including an interception in the end zone by Yassine Falke. However, the early damage had already been done.
Iowa entered halftime with a commanding 33-0 lead.
The Hawkeyes added one more touchdown in the third quarter when Evan James returned a punt 77 yards for a score, putting Iowa ahead 40-0. With the game well out of reach, both teams turned to younger players and backups during the final quarter.
Iowa leaves Kinnick Stadium 1-0 with plenty of momentum. The Hawkeyes showed they can run the football, make plays through the air, and dominate defensively. They showed the entire league that they aren’t playing around this year.