Hawk Central Hour

After going 16-4 on the road over a span of 20 games, the Iowa football team has lost three in a row away from Kinnick Stadium. What's going on, especially with the defense? We finally got some clues to simmering issues, and the Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to break it down.

Kirk Ferentz confirmed Tuesday that Brendan Sullivan's ankle injury suffered at UCLA will leave him sidelined for Saturday's game at Maryland. After that, as the Iowa football coach so eloquently put it, everything is "clearly cloudy." Cade McNamara is cleared, but is he actually healthy enough to be effective? Did walk-on Jackson Stratton get enough bye-week reps for a potential victory? And where does Marco Lainez, who's been out with a broken thumb but is returning to practice, fit into the equation? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chaf Leistikow discuss.

It's a bye week for the Hawkeyes football team, so a good chance to take a big-picture look into why this disappointing season has sunk to 6-4. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman start with a defense that is 25% worse than a year ago in terms of yards per play. We also talk Tim Lester plans at quarterback before getting into the men's and women's basketball early-season results.

Jay Higgins got hurt. Brendan Sullivan got hurt. Jackson Stratton took meaningful snaps. Iowa's defense offered little resistance against a pedestrian UCLA squad. All of it equaled another Rose Bowl disaster as Iowa suffered a 20-17 loss to the Bruins. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman sift through the aftermath.

Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register kick off this week's Iowa-UCLA matchup breakdown with a conversation about the Hawkeyes' offensive line. Our "Five Big Questions" segment looks into Iowa's mission to slow UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers and whether playing in the Rose Bowl will be a positive or negative for the Hawkeyes.

With quarterback drama seemingly behind them, the Hawkeyes head west for their first West Coast Big Ten trip. Friday's game at UCLA will see Iowa enter the Rose Bowl on a short week, looking for its second road win this year. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dive into everything ahead of Friday.

With Brendan Sullivan under center, everyone inside Kinnick Stadium seemed rejuvenated for domination under the lights. The Hawkeyes obliged with a 42-10 drubbing of Wisconsin, which marked the most points Iowa has scored in the rivalry since a 45-28 victory in 1975. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman break down all that went right for the Hawkeyes.

Naturally, Brendan Sullivan's introduction as the Hawkeyes' starting quarterback kicks off the conversation, but Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman also take time to evaluate the defense. Has it settled into a November lineup? This week's game preview is a biggie, Iowa vs. Wisconsin. Where do the Badgers have an edge? What type of stats should we expect from Sullivan? What if the forecasted rain comes to fruition?

Clarity on the Hawkeyes' quarterback situation arrived Tuesday. Kirk Ferentz publicly confirmed Brendan Sullivan will remain Iowa's starter under center, while also detailing the concussion Cade McNamara suffered before exiting vs. Northwestern. Ahead of Saturday's big home game against Wisconsin, can Sullivan successfully guide Iowa through its always-pivotal November finish? The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow discuss that and more.

Brendan Sullivan finally got his Iowa chance Saturday, taking over for Cade McNamara in the first half after a pick-six. From there, the Hawkeyes rolled to a 40-14 win over Northwestern under the afternoon sun. Kaleb Johnson delivered another highlight-reel day, and the Iowa defense got back on track with zero points allowed. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dissect the win.

Going podcast-only this week, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the Wednesday comments of assistant defensive coordinator Seth Wallace. What is causing the Hawkeyes' struggles on defense, and can the bleeding be stopped against a pretty bad Northwestern offense? We preview Saturday's game and even talk a little Iowa men's basketball at the end.

Seven games in, it's hard to argue Iowa's quarterback play isn't holding the offense back. Cade McNamara has shown sporadic flashes but has struggled with consistency through a seesawing start. Brendan Sullivan keeps getting his red-zone cameos but nothing more. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dive into what could be done to sure up that position as Iowa enters the final month of the year.

Offensive struggles have come to be expected when Iowa takes the field, so long as the defense pulls its weight from start to finish. That didn't happen Saturday night in East Lansing, where the Hawkeyes surrendered nearly 500 total yards in a 32-20 loss. The Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect where Iowa goes from here.

The Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow is joined by Tyler Tachman to preview the Hawkeyes' football matchup with Michigan State, as we go through the six most indispensable Hawkeyes. Of course, we'll preview the game with "5 Big Questions," too, in a matchup that looks favorable on paper to Iowa ... but do the Spartans have intangibles? Chad is then joined by Dargan Southard to help recap Iowa women's basketball media day and look ahead to the upcoming season.

While Iowa football and flexibility don't usually go hand-in-hand, the adjustments the Hawkeyes have made this season have Iowa in position for a big finish. Whether it's more subtle like rotating in Brendan Sullivan and Zach Lutmer, or something larger like the full-on implementation of Tim Lester's offense, Iowa looks healthier this season as it eyes a nice close. The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss ahead of Saturday's trip to Michigan State.

Washington ventured to Iowa City for the first time as a Big Ten member, likely banking on some Iowa offensive futility to boost the Huskies on the road. Instead, Iowa unleashed another round of Kaleb Johnson en route to a dominant victory. Live from Kinnick Stadium, the Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman analyze what to make of this Iowa offense moving forward.

"How good is Iowa?" is a question that consumes the first half of this week's Hawk Central Hour, followed by "Five Big Questions" to examine the formidable challenge that Iowa is facing this Saturday against Washington (11 a.m. CT, FOX). The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman go the distance in this one, which also includes some men's basketball expectations and our football score predictions.

Through five games, the Hawkeyes have shown flashes of offensive improvement while also suffering two disappointing losses for different reasons. The schedule eases up the rest of the way, starting with Saturday's Big Ten home opener vs. Washington, so what does Iowa make out of what's left? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman discuss that question, plus dive into Iowa's recent departures (Leshon Williams, Kaleb Brown) and Addison Ostrenga's sudden injury absence.

The Hawkeyes hung tough in Columbus for about a half and trailed by seven at intermission. Predictably, though, Ohio State zoomed by Iowa in the second half behind 21 third-quarter points. Live from Ohio Stadium, the Register's Tyler Tachman and Chad Leistikow dissect another dreadful Iowa showing against a ranked foe.

Which matchups should worry Hawkeye fans the most? Where might Iowa have some advantages? How will Tim Lester call this game? The Register's Chad Leistikow and Tyler Tachman dig into the details to get you set for Saturday's matchup in Columbus.