It will be hard for everyone involved, but the best thing everyone can do is move on after an ugly loss like that.
Saying Iowa didn't play well against Minnesota in week eight is an understatement, and it was a strange game overall. It was a sloppy, turnover-filled game, including three interceptions and a fumble, and it could have been even worse. Iowa put the ball on the ground four times, but luckily recovered three. Overall, it was a rough day for the squad, with a clear winner and some losers.
Winner: Iowa defense
The Iowa defense was an obvious choice after an exceptional performance against Minnesota. The unit did everything it could to keep the game close, but the squad couldn't take advantage. Bryce Hawthorne, Cam Buffington, and Zach Lutmer led the defense, combining for 29 total tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss, and the unit shut down Minnesota's offense overall. Iowa's offense coughed up the ball four times, giving Minnesota good field position. Without that, the defense would have easily pitched a shutout.
Deshaun Lee also picked up his third interception of the year, but Iowa was still -3 in the turnover battle. The defense held Minnesota's offense to 209 total yards, which is good enough to win most games. Iowa's defense looked especially good in the passing game, limiting Drake Lindsey to 137 passing yards and an interception. Iowa's defense held up its end of the deal, sadly, they were the only ones.
Loser: the quarterbacks
In another obvious choice, both quarterbacks played against Minnesota, and both played poorly. Jeremy Hecklinski started, but had an extremely short leash. Kirk Ferentz pulled him with about four minutes left in the second quarter, subbing in Hank Brown for the rest of the game. Hecklinski completed eight straight passes before a costly red-zone interception, and was pulled shortly after. When asked about the decision, Ferentz said, "It wasn't going well," and the coaching staff believed bringing Brown in was the best move to help them win.
The decision to pull Hecklinski was questionable, but he also did little to help his case. He finished 9/16 for 62 yards and an interception. Brown came in to spark the offense, and he failed to do it. He threw two interceptions, and aside from a game-tying, 94-yard touchdown drive, the offense still didn't get anything going. Brown did slightly better than Hecklinski thanks to that long drive, but neither one played well enough to lock up the job.
It will be interesting to see who is under center in week nine.
Loser: the Iowa offense
Iowa's offense outgained Minnesota's 288 to 209, but that doesn't mean it played well. Three of Iowa's running backs fumbled, including Braeden Jackson, L.J. Phillips, and Nathan McNeil, and the offense lost Jackson's fumble. Brown and Hecklinski also combined for three interceptions (Brown 2, Hecklinski 1). The offense also struggled with penalties, with two uncharacteristic red-zone false starts by veteran Trevor Lauck. Tim Lester's poor playcalling was also a major issue, leading to a clunky, disorganized performance.
After bouncing back against Washington, the rushing attack had another subpar performance, especially after Kamari Moulton exited with an injury. Moulton's return timeline is unclear, but he wasn't listed on the initial week nine depth chart for the Wisconsin game. If Moulton misses significant time, Iowa has a talented running back room, but they'll have to play much better than last weekend.
Loser: Iowa's College Football Playoff hopes
Before the bye week, Iowa was primed to make a run to its first College Football Playoff, especially with only one remaining ranked team on the schedule. That all came crashing down after a 13-10 loss to the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis. While it isn't impossible, 11-1 would have nearly guaranteed Iowa a CFP spot, while 10-2 is a lot trickier. Wisconsin and Northwestern are now ranked, but neither is a guaranteed win. Wisconsin is coming off a major upset against USC, and Northwestern has played extremely well, especially at home.
Iowa's CFP hopes are shaky at best, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Iowa's second-half schedule was never a layup, but starting with a flat performance against Minnesota isn't good. If Iowa knocks off No. 25 Wisconsin at home, they'll have a much better chance to get back in the rankings and make a run at it. There is no more room for slip-ups, and it starts in week nine against Wisconsin. If Iowa beats Wisconsin at home in week nine and Northwestern on the road in week 10, there is still hope.
It isn't over, but the chances of Iowa making the field took a major hit last weekend.
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