While typing my final score prediction for No. 18 Iowa's non-conference finale against in-state foe Northern Iowa, I was having a hard time reaching a final score. 

I knew the Hawkeyes would have little trouble against the rebuilding Panthers, but it was one of those games where there was a chance Iowa would look dominant while not scoring a lot of points at the same time. Several key starters - including both main running backs - were ruled out of this game to help them get back to full speed for Big Ten play, so it seemed like the Hawkeyes were simply trying to avoid more injuries. 

But at the same time, I also felt like Iowa would light up the scoreboard because of the large talent gape between these two programs. My final prediction was Iowa 50, Northern Iowa 0. Predicting the Hawkeye defense to pitch another shutout was the easy part; the challenge was to land on Iowa's final score. 

Picking a ranked FBS team to score fifty points against an FCS team is easy for most of America, but when you're talking Hawkeye football, it's almost unfathomable considering Iowa's poor offenses have often been ridiculed by the national media in this decade. 

But those headlines are slowly fading into the past. It's only Northern Iowa, but the Hawkeyes took another major step on Saturday by scoring 55 points and keeping the Panthers off the scoreboard. 

Though I was only five points away from a perfect score prediction, I don't think anyone on the Iowa beat could've predicted how the Hawkeyes won this game. A bounce-back day on the ground was expected because of the aforementioned talent gap, but that was before Kamari Moulton was ruled out for this game. 

The backup men in this room - Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil - both showed flashes during their freshman seasons last year - but it hadn't carried over to 2026 yet. The 12 yards on five carries against Iowa State is an unfair measuring stick considering the circumstances, but tallying just 16 yards on 13 combined carries against a bad Northern Illinois team with almost the second half of work, but any doubt was exercised on Saturday. 

The duo had to step up with Moulton and L.J. Phillips inactive, and step up they did. Every main back that touched the football against the Panthers tallied at least 100 yards rushing - the first time that's happened since 1983. And that's not even mentioning walk-on second-year Braeden Jackson, who tallied 125 yards and a pair of touchdowns in just his second appearance in a Hawkeye uniform. Saturday revealed a lot about the depth Iowa has in that room, and the trio may be called on again during a physical Big Ten calendar. 

The passing game was splendid, too. Hank Brown was efficient - so sharp that he completed all 12 of his passing attempts and fired in two touchdowns. No Iowa quarterback has done that since Brad Banks in 2002, so if you're of age, you know that's a good sign. I considered writing an entire column about this, but let's get that out of the way: Brown has earned the full-time starting job for the rest of the season. 

Speaking of moving forward, what does this victory do for these Hawkeyes down the road? It's ridiculous to overreact to a win over Northern Iowa, a team that probably finishes with a losing record, but there's an important conclusion that does come out of this. 

This is Iowa's first 3-0 start since 2023 - the year it last took down Iowa State until this season. Starting 3-0 is obviously a very good thing for a young Hawkeye team, but Kirk Ferentz's group is playing rather good football at a crucial juncture.

That's something that definitely couldn't be said after Week 3 in each of the last two seasons and could pay huge dividends for Iowa when it travels to Michigan to open the Big Ten season next weekend. 

Do the Hawkeyes have some things to work on? Absolutely, but it can confidently say it's playing better football than the Wolverines right now, which needed a Hail Mary to beat Western Michigan, used a very short field to sneak by what appears to be an overrated Oklahoma team, and struggled with UTEP for a half on Saturday. 

By no means am I picking Iowa to win in the Big House at this point in the week, but momentum is a funky thing in sports. 

Questions remain about this Hawkeyes team, but they got exactly what they needed on Saturday against UNI - a major confidence boost. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]