Category: Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa offensive is a massive wildcard in early Big Ten football power rankings reveal

The Iowa Hawkeyes are an extreme dark horse in a revamped Big Ten conference in 2024. Their offensive improvement is the key to competing.

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement. 

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begins. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Coming in at No. 3 were the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, who are in a bit of a transition period. 

At No. 4, we unveiled the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are returning a lot of talent from their 2023 roster. That makes way for the old reliable, the Iowa Hawkeyes. 

There is nothing flashy about the Hawkeyes, and there won’t be as long as Kirk Ferentz is their head coach. He has created a tough and physical program that is relentless. The overall talent may not stack up to some of the other programs in the Big Ten but Iowa is consistently in the top group from a record perspective because of their mentality and player development. 

On both sides of the football, Iowa brings back a good amount of experience. That includes on defense with players like linebackers Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson. As long as Phil Parker is the defensive coordinator, you can expect the team to have a stellar defensive unit. 

On offense, the Hawkeyes are in a bit of a much-needed transitional period. They welcomed former Western Michigan head coach and Green Bay Packer assistant Tim Lester as their new offensive coordinator. The team also welcomed Freshman All-American left tackle Kadyn Proctor after he transferred from Alabama this offseason. 

The quarterback position, which should be a battle between Cade McNamara, Deacon Hill, and Marco Lainez should determine whether this is your typical Iowa team that is good but not quite good enough offensively, or one that could potentially push for the conference. Offensive growth will be the key. 

Full Big Ten Rankings

  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. Oregon Ducks
  3. Michigan Wolverines
  4. Penn State Nittany Lions
  5. Iowa Hawkeyes 
  6. TBD
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Iowa’s Caitlin Clark makes history, what’s next?

Caitlin Clark is now chasing the Hall of Famer, “Pistol” Pete Maravich.

Unless you were sleeping under a rock yesterday, you saw or heard about the history-making performance by Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark.

Clark was only eight points away from history and of course, it was a three-ball from way downtown that set the record. It happened in under three minutes into the game. She wasn’t done as the Iowa native poured in another 41 points in the contest. Clark recorded a double-double as she dished out 13 assists as well. Iowa took care of business in the 106-89 victory over Michigan.

Caitlin Clark officially stands alone as the all-time scoring leader in NCAA women’s basketball history. That number will only continue to grow as the Hawkeyes have four more games in the regular season.

As for what is next, Clark has her eyes on the men’s all-time record set by the Hall of Famer, “Pistol” Pete Maravich. His mark of 44.2 points per game is clearly out of reach, but she can pass his mark for career points. The mark sits at 3,667.

Currently, Clark has 3,569 points which is just 98 behind Maravich. Given that she averages 32.8 points per game, she should certainly be able to break that mark before the regular season comes to a close on Mar. 3.

Even though the women’s crown now belongs to Caitlin Clark, we will all have our eyes on one of the records we thought would never be broken.

Caitlin Clark is 103 points from the all-time record

Only one name left to pass for Caitlin Clark in the chase for 3,527

Very few players have achieved rockstar status like Caitlin Clark has in a short time. Especially in a sport that hasn’t been on the same level as their male counterparts, until now.

Millions of people tuned in last season for an epic showdown between Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes and Angel Reese’s LSU Tigers. Almost 10 million viewers tuned in for the game and it peaked at 12.6 million viewers making the national championship the most-watched women’s game on record.

This season, whether at home or on the road, fans are selling out arenas to get a chance to watch history in the making. Caitlin Clark now sits at No. 2 all-time behind former Washington basketball star Kelsey Plum. Clark is just 103 points away from tying the all-time mark. Given that the Iowa star is averaging 32.1 points per game, the math says roughly over three games.

Over the last five outings, Clark has been on fire averaging 36 points per game. Against the Wildcats, she was able to score 35 points to go with 6 rebounds and 10 assists. Clark passed Jackie Stiles (3,393) and Kelsey Mitchell (3,402) to put herself firmly in the No. 2 spot.

Iowa’s upcoming schedule:

At the very latest, Clark should set the all-time mark against the Wolverines at home the day after Valentine’s.

Ohio State vs. Iowa was most watched regular-season women’s basketball game since 2010

Impressive numbers for the Lady Bucks win over Iowa last weekend. #GoBucks

It was one whale of a game, and now we know that many were tuned in to see it all unfold.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team hosted No. 2 Iowa this past weekend and won in exhilarating fashion in overtime to move to just 1/2 game behind first place in the Big Ten and start to make a push for national recognition.

And it wasn’t just Buckeyes and Hawkeyes that seemed to tune into the thrilling matchup. According to NBC Sports PR, OSU vs. Iowa was the most-watched regular season women’s college basketball game since 2010. If you’re doing the quick math, that’s 14 years of games (on any network), which is mighty, mighty impressive. The game drew a whopping 1.93 million viewers on average.

Things peaked at 3.9 million viewers when the game went to overtime and saw the Buckeyes take control thanks to a 17-9 scoring margin to put the game away.

The Lady Bucks will now try to corral this momentum and take it on the road against Illinois on Thursday.

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Caitlin Clark run over by fan storming the court after Ohio State upsets Iowa

Caitlin Clark was run over by an Ohio State fan storming the court following the Hawkeyes’ overtime loss.

Caitlin Clark and No. 2 Iowa faced No. 18 Ohio State this afternoon in a game that did not disappoint. Ohio State upset the Hawkeyes in an overtime thriller by the final score of 100-92. However, the main story of this game became an event that happened after the final buzzer.

Buckeyes fans in attendance stormed the court following the upset. In the mass hysteria on the hardwood, Caitlin Clark was run over by an Ohio State fan, causing her to fall and remain on the floor for an extended amount of time.

The 2023 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year was immediately surrounded by her coaching staff and teammates while the Buckeyes and their supporters celebrated the victory at half-court.

Luckily for the Hawkeyes, Clark was able to get back to her feet and exit the court. She then talked to the media about the situation and how she was doing. Clark stated that it was a “scary situation that could have caused a serious injury.”

Fortunately, Clark said that it just knocked the wind out of her and that the Ohio State athletic department had already come to apologize and check on her. Clark, who put up 45 in the loss to the Buckeyes, will have until Saturday, Jan. 27 to rest, when the Hawkeyes try to bounce back from this loss against Nebraska at home.

Best photos of Ohio State women’s basketball’s win over Iowa

The Ohio State women’s basketball team took down No. 2 Iowa in Columbus on Sunday. Here are some of the best photos from the game.

Well, that was fun.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team welcomed in No. 2 Iowa and star Caitlin Clark on Sunday and Value City Arena was hopping with the anticipation of a potential upset.

An upset it was, as the Buckeyes used a late surge in overtime to get by the visiting Hawkeyes by a score of 100-92. With the win, Ohio State moves to 15-3 overall and 6-1 in the conference, just 1/2 game behind both Iowa and Indiana.

It was a sold-out crowd and the environment made for some pretty amazing pictures and we pulled out some of the best ones to share with you. From start to finish, it was probably one of the best environments the Schottenstein Center has seen in quite some time.

Even better was the result. Check out the scrolling gallery.

 

How to buy Iowa vs. No. 2 Purdue college basketball tickets

Want to watch the Hawkeyes host the No. 2 team in the country? Tickets still remain for Iowa vs. No. 2 Purdue for as little as $11.

Don’t look now, but the Iowa men’s basketball team has won three Big Ten games in a row.

Even with all the fanfare surrounding Monday’s win at Minnesota, a fourth-consecutive win might be more important given the caliber of opponent.

Iowa hosts No. 2 Purdue on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

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If you want to be a part of the action in person, tickets still remain to watch Iowa host the top team in the conference.

At the time of publication, the cheapest ticket available for the game is just $11.

If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, the most expensive ticket to Saturday’s game will cost you $286.

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Alabama star freshman tackle to transfer with Iowa listed as a school to watch

Kadyn Proctor, the top offensive tackle and a top-5 overall recruit from the class of 2023, started every game for the Crimson Tide in 2023.

The mass exodus from Tuscaloosa continues in the wake of Nick Saban’s retirement, and this one might be the most damaging loss.

Freshman Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to a Wednesday report from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Proctor announced the decision himself on social media around the same time.

Proctor started every game for the Crimson Tide as a true freshman in 2023, and he was named to the Freshman All-American team. He was the top offensive tackle, the second-highest non-quarterback, and a top-five overall prospect in 247Sports’ Class of 2023 rankings.

Zenitz included that Iowa would be a name to watch in Proctor’s recruitment, with 247Sports’ Chris Hummer and David Eickholt already dropping Crystal Ball predictions that Proctor would end up with the Hawkeyes.

Proctor immediately becomes the best offensive lineman and one of the best overall players to hit the portal this cycle. His announcement comes hours after star defensive back Caleb Downs, another impactful 2023 freshman, announced he’d leave the Crimson Tide.

How to buy tickets to watch Caitlin Clark, No. 3 Iowa vs. No. 14 Indiana

Want to watch Caitlin Clark and the No. 3 Iowa Hawkeyes take on No. 14 Indiana in person this weekend? Tickets as low as $75 still remain.

Caitlin Clark can do no wrong.

She’s putting up triple doubles, earning award after award, climbing the all-time scoring list, and even has her own breakfast cereal available in stores now.

Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes enter Saturday’s game 16-1 and No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

However, Iowa hasn’t played a ranked team since November, so the competition should stiffen this weekend when the Hawkeyes host No. 14 Indiana on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. EST.

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If you want to be a part of the action in person, tickets still remain for this Big Ten matchup between ranked teams.

At the time of publication, the cheapest ticket available for the game is $75.

If you’re looking for a better view, perhaps even a courtside experience, the most expensive ticket to Saturday’s game will cost you a whopping $1,490.

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Iowa’s Caitlin Clark climbs to No. 5 on the women’s all-time scoring list

It won’t be long until Caitlin Clark sets the new standard.

The 2023-24 women’s college basketball season is expected to be historic. South Carolina, UCLA, Iowa, North Carolina State, and LSU were ranked No. 1-5 in last week’s women’s coaches poll. The five schools are a combined 72-3.

On an individual level, all eyes are on No. 22 for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Caitlin Clark is posting the best numbers of her career and she is closing in on a historic mark. Clark is just 309 points behind Kelsey Plum’s all-time record of 3,527 points.

Given that Clark is currently averaging 31.3 points per game, it isn’t hard to see that she could set the new standard by mid-February. Iowa still has 14 games left in the regular season. This means by season’s end there will be a new scoring champ in women’s college basketball. The Iowa star could even return next season to exponentially grow the all-time scoring mark.

Clark currently trails Kelsey Plum of Washington (3,527), Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State (3,402), Jackie Stiles of Missouri State (3,393), and Brittney Griner of Baylor (3,283) on the all-time list.

With the popularity of women’s college basketball continuing to grow thanks in large part to the efforts of Clark, Iowa, and last year’s national championship game, plenty of eyes will be on No. 22 as she continues to chase history.

For more on Caitlin Clark and Iowa women’s basketball coverage, check out Hawkeyes Wire.