There's no question about it: The Cy-Hawk game was a major disappointment for Hawkeye fans everywhere. From bad special teams plays to a lackluster offense to even some lapses on defense, that game was an all-around poor performance.
The good news? There's a long season ahead with lots of opportunities to improve.
That improvement starts this week against UMass. The Minutemen are 0-2 this season, losing to Temple 42-10 in Week 1 and last week to FCS Bryant 27-26. With the Hawkeyes favored by over 30 points, expectations are for a blowout victory.
However, before conference play, there are definitely things to watch for and things that are still needed to win this game. Here are three keys to victory.
1. The wide receivers need to create space and get open
Mark Gronowski has taken a lot of heat from not only fans but also the media for his play in the first two weeks. However, if there was one thing that really stood out over the past two weeks, it was the lack of separation and getting open from the wide receiver corps.
There were several plays the past two weeks where Gronowski had time in the pocket, but he needs to run around for a while for the receivers to get open. That has to change going into this game.
Jacob Gill had a solid game against ISU last week, catching five passes for 52 yards. However, the next highest receiver only had 12 yards. With the news that broke out earlier this week that starting TE Addison Ostrenga is out for the season, the wide receivers' production must improve.
It starts with getting open and getting separation quicker. If we can see even a slight improvement in that in this game against UMass, that could build momentum for the rest of the season.
2. Offensive line dominates the line of scrimmage right away
The poor performance from the Cy-Hawk game didn't exclude the offensive line. They gave up three sacks in the last game, which caused wasted possessions, especially when driving down the field.
The offense also rushed nearly 40 times but only for 131 yards. People can point their finger at the running backs for being too selective of their gaps, but it can be fully seen that the offensive line did not give the running backs enough gaps to have long runs.
With two offensive linemen receiving early praise and buzz, the expectations for the offensive line are as high as ever. The success of the offense runs solely through the offensive line. If they can give Gronowski enough time in the pocket, he will make plays.
If they can give the running backs space to work, they will go for deep runs. If we can see improvement from the offensive line, it could cause a positive ripple effect for the remainder of the season.
3. Punting team goes back to its usual ways
Over the past few years, the Hawkeyes have coined the phrase "punting is winning." This is a reputation that they have kept afloat for a long time.
A big reason for Iowa's success despite the lack of offensive production is the ability to change field position. The punters will pin the team inside the 20, the defense will force a 3 and out, and the offense will have good field position to at least try to get a field goal. That is the Hawkeye way.
However, the Cy-Hawk game was not the best performance from Rhys Dakin. He averaged 47 yards per punt, which is under his average, and also had a muffed punt that went only 33 yards. That muffed punt set up an Iowa State field goal that could very well have been the difference in the game.
Dakin is bound to improve and should go forward. He is essential to this team's success, so hopefully we can see that improvement right away.
If the Hawkeyes lose this game, they have a lot bigger problems than we all thought. This game should be all about building up every position group's confidence going into conference play.
A bounce-back game is due for the Hawkeyes, and I think the defense steps up in a big way.
Final score prediction: Iowa 30, UMass 3