Iowa did all the right things against Washington on a short week, earning win No. 5 this season.
The Hawkeyes had a tough three-game stretch at Michigan, vs. Ohio State, and at Washington before a much-needed bye week, and they went 2-1. Before the season started, that stretch worried multiple people, but Iowa got through it. The offense has played just well enough to get the job done, even without a consistent rushing attack. Iowa has traditionally relied heavily on the run, and despite finally waking up against Washington, one underlying issue remains.
The rushing attack isn't producing enough explosive plays
Kamari Moulton's career-high 208 rushing yards led Iowa's offense to 263 total rushing yards against Washington, something we hadn't seen since week three against Northern Iowa. Iowa State held Iowa to 93 rushing yards in week two before an explosion in week three against Northern Iowa. Xavier Williams (151 yards), Braeden Jackson (125 yards), and Nathan McNeil (111 yards) guided Iowa to 422 rushing yards in week three, before another cold spell against Michigan and Ohio State.
Despite games with 289 rushing yards (week one), 422 rushing yards (week three), and 263 rushing yards (week six), the rushing attack has failed in one specific area that could be a massive issue if it continues.
-Iowa came into Week 6 No. 120 in rushing success rate (36.1%) and No. 115 in explosive rush rate (4%)
— Josh Yourish (@JYourish3) October 11, 2026
-In Week 6, Iowa posted a 53% rushing success rate with 263 rushing yards, but just a 3% explosive rush rate
Even a 41-point outburst doesn't erase Iowa's underlying issues
The Iowa offense has put up massive numbers in three of six games this season, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. According to FanSided college sports staff writer Josh Yourish, the Hawkeyes' rushing attack rarely hits big runs. Entering the Washington game, Iowa ranked No. 115 overall in explosive rush rate at just four percent, and even though its rushing success jumped to 53 percent in week six, it still had only a three percent explosive rush rate. The numbers suggest Iowa runs a lot, and although it has racked up big overall rushing totals in multiple games, it hasn't been explosive in the run game.
An explosive run is any run over 10 yards, and Iowa has consistently failed to break off 10-plus-yard runs all season. Iowa's explosive rushing percentage took a hit against Iowa State, Michigan, and Ohio State, where the offense combined for 190 total yards across those three games. When Iowa runs the ball successfully, the offense is drastically better than when it doesn't, and it could be a major issue if that doesn't improve over the bye week. Opponents will stack the box even more to stop the run, forcing Iowa to pass more than it wants.
Washington hasn't lived up to its preseason hype, and Iowa exposed them in week six. We have seen the good and the bad with the Iowa rushing attack, and another test comes in week six against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers had a horrible game against Purdue in week six, allowing a whopping 305 total rushing yards in an inexcusable loss to the Boilermakers, and they will look to get back on track. Iowa will try to establish the run, and if it can't regularly hit more big runs, the offense could be in trouble.
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