From the stands of Kinnick Stadium located in the heart of Iowa City – home of the Hawkeyes – tens of thousands of fans attend weekly football games throughout the fall season.
Starting off their 2021-2022 regular season extremely strong, the men’s football team has a 5-0 record, defeating their opponents by a margin of 10+ points a game. As the season has progressed, the Hawks were voted the number three team in the nation on both the AP and coaches poll.
Following an outstanding performance against the Maryland Terrapins last week, Iowa’s defense corralled a grand total of six interceptions, setting a new single-game record for the Ferentz era. The Hawkeyes now have 12 interceptions so far this season, three more than any other team in FBS. Not only does this statistic speak volumes about Iowa’s defensive strength, but it also represents the depth of the Hawkeye bench.
Senior and Iowa fanatic Jack Streepy explained why the Hawkeyes have found so much success in the beginning of their season. “I personally think that Iowa’s defense plays a large role in their success as a team along with the atmosphere that the program resides in,” he said. “Every football program has their own skill sets and strengths, and Iowa has shown their full potential so far this season.”
While Iowa has a workhorse of a program, college football is much more than the performance of individual teams. Future Hawkeye commit Caden Crawford explained the experience of attending an Iowa game. “The atmosphere at Kinnick was unreal. I’ve been to a few college football games at a few different stadiums, but they were nothing like this,” he said. “The crowd was electrifying whenever there was a big play. The highlight for me was watching the players come out of the tunnel and hearing the crowd go crazy.”
Hype is one way to express fans’ feelings toward Iowa football on Saturday afternoons. Hawkeye fan and PV student athlete SJ Brecht explained his personal experiences on college football gameday cheering on the Hawks. “I truly feel energized when watching Iowa football. Every touchdown, big hit, or interception makes my heart skip a beat whether I am watching the game on TV or at Kinnick stadium, the end result is the same,” he stated.
Off to a hot start this season, Iowa’s football program, along with their large fanbase, have a very bright future ahead of them. Hoping to advance to the CFB playoffs, the Hawkeyes aspire to have one of their best seasons in the last decade of Iowa sports.
