Hawthorne enters his second season with the Hawkeyes after transferring from South Dakota State.
Welcome back to our countdown to the 2026 Iowa football season!
Since May 28, we've been counting down from 100 days until the Hawkeyes run out of the tunnel to take on Northern Illinois on Sept. 5. Each day, you'll find an article featuring either a player with the respective jersey number, or a historical or fun football-related piece.
Today marks 96 days until kickoff, so we're taking a look at the man who dons No. 96 - defensive lineman Bryce Hawthorne.
Bio
Hometown: Osseo, Minnesota
High School: Osseo Senior High School
Year: Redshirt junior
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 296 pounds
Other notable players to wear No. 96: The most notable player to be issued the No. 96 jersey in recent years is kicker Mike Meyer. Meyer began his Hawkeye career in 2010 as a walk-on, but kicking problems that year allowed him to earn the starting job, a role he would hold for the remainder of his college career. Meyer ended his career second in total field goals made (61) behind Nate Kaeding.
Hawthorne's Iowa career so far
Unlike the other two players we've featured on this countdown, Hawthorne has substantial playing experience in a Hawkeye uniform. He began his career for South Dakota State, where he redshirted during the Jackrabbits' national championship-winning season in 2023.
Hawthorne earned playing time in 2024, but opted to journey to greater pastures after SDSU failed to defend its title. 247Sports listed Hawthorne as a four-star transfer portal recruit and the No. 30 defensive lineman available.
Just five days after entering the portal, Hawthorne committed to Iowa on Jan. 4, 2025. He would later be joined by his quarterback at South Dakota State, Mark Gronowski.
The Minnesota native wasn't a starter during his first campaign with the Hawkeyes, but he was still a key contributor for a defense that was again one of the best statistical units in the country. Hawthorne finished with 15 tackles, but his most notable play of the year was moments before the photo of this article was snapped.
With Iowa leading 3-0 in the first quarter against rival Wisconsin on Oct. 11, defensive lineman Brian Allen deflected Hunter Simmons' second down pass. The ball shot up in the air before falling into the waiting arms of Hawthorne, who held on for his first career interception.
With Allen, Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, and Max Llewellyn all leaving school, Hawthorne will have a massive opportunity to anchor Iowa's defensive line in 2026.
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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]
