Iowa Football is officially back!
The Hawkeyes took the field at Kinnick Stadium for their first game of the 2025-2026 season against Albany, and it took them a while to get going against an inferior Great Danes squad.
Iowa had high expectations heading into the season with a revamped quarterback room and talent across the offensive and defensive line.
In typical Iowa fashion, the Iowa defense and running game were as advertised, and the passing attack struggled in the 34-7 win.
Here are the three big takeaways from Iowa's week one victory over Albany.
Xavier Williams is here to stay
The Iowa running back room is deep this season, and they have four running backs that they are confident will make an impact this season.
After Iowa released the first depth chart of the season, Kamari Moulton was listed as the starter, with Terrell Washington Jr., Jaziun Patterson, and Xavier Williams listed as backups with a high chance to enter the game.
Moulton started the game, but was quickly outshined by the talented freshman, Xavier Williams.
The Iowa offense struggled in the early stages of the first half, with Williams as the lone bright spot. He had multiple explosive runs and finished the game as Iowa's leading rusher in the backfield.
Williams finished the game with 122 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts, averaging 11.1 yards per rush.
With the depth of the group, Iowa went with the hot hand, but Williams quickly showed why he has the potential to be a breakout star for the Hawkeyes backfield this season.
The passing attack was extremely underwhelming
Newly-named starting quarterback Mark Gronowski made his highly anticipated Iowa debut with uninspiring results.
Gronowski showed off his dual-threat ability, rushing 11 times for 39 yards and a touchdown, but struggled in the passing game.
Gronowski went 8 for 15 for 44 passing yards and a touchdown, but he looked timid in the backfield and failed to connect on any downfield throws.
He showed flashes in the short passing game, but did not connect on any deep throws.
Gronowski also had an injury scare late in the third quarter after running up the middle for a touchdown.
He was slow to get up and eventually made his way to the sidelines. He did not return to the game, but it was revealed that he was suffering from cramps, and benching him for the remainder of the game was a precautionary measure.
Gronowski's health will be something to monitor ahead of a huge matchup next week in Ames, Iowa, against Iowa State.
The defense was stout, but did not force any turnovers
A Phil Parker-coached defense will always play well, and that was the case against Albany. The Iowa defense gave up one extended drive early in the game, during which the Great Danes scored a touchdown, but it was solid after that.
The defense was able to harass Albany quarterback Jack Shields for most of the game, racking up two sacks and five tackles for loss, but did not force any turnovers.
The unit was also able to hold Albany under 200 yards of total offense (177) and did what they were supposed to do.
The stakes will be much higher next week against rival Iowa State in Ames, and the defense must find a way to force some turnovers to upset the Cyclones at home.
Final analysis
The Hawkeyes took care of business against an Albany team they were expected to beat, but the lack of a passing attack is very worrying.
Gronowski showed his ability to run, but was very underwhelming in the passing game. He only attempted 15 passes, but he looked very uncomfortable when he dropped back to pass.
It could be a combination of the play calling and first-game jitters, but flashes of the old Iowa offense creeped in, scaring Iowa fans.
The running game was a bright spot, but the Hawkeyes' offense must put the ball in the air effectively next week if they want to have any chance of knocking off Iowa State.