Floyd of Rosedale is on the line, which means that any professional or personal relationship in the states of Iowa and Minnesota will be put on hold for an entire week. 

The 15th-ranked Hawkeyes (5-1, 2-1) seek their 11th win in 12 tries against the rival Gophers (4-2, 2-1) when they travel to Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m., FS1). 

We've provided you with plenty of pregame content on HawkeyeRoundtable.com, but the fun is just beginning. Here are three position groups to keep an eye on this weekend. 

Every skill position group is obviously going to have to play well for Iowa to keep Floyd of Rosedale in Iowa City, but let's focus on the wide receivers for a second. We know there's a chance the running backs could get things going again against a shaky Minnesota run defense, but what about the passing attack? Jeremy Hecklinski certainly is playing with a lot of confidence after earning the starting job, but the Gophers aren't going to make things easier on him. 

Minnesota ranks second in the Big Ten (Penn State is first) in passing defense, allowing 159.7 passing yards per contest. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood had maybe the best statistical game of his career against the Hawkeyes, but he was terrible against the Gophers, tallying only 101 yards and two interceptions. Purdue's passing attack managed just 159 as well, but the Boilers won that game by 28 points largely because of their run game.

Reece Vander Zee (16 rec, 247 yards, 3 TD) and Tony Diaz (28 rec, 329 yards, 1 TD) have proven they can be valuable targets for whoever is under center, but they're both going to have to find a way to get open to fuel a successful passing attack on Saturday.

Minnesota has struggled mightily on the ground this season, but that doesn't mean it isn't capable of igniting the rushing attack in an emotional rivalry game against Iowa on Saturday. Injuries have derailed Darius Taylor's potential, but he's still an experienced back that brings plenty of guidance to this room. Third-year TJ Thomas is the Gophers' lead back, posting 317 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries. There's not a lot that would scare you between those two running backs, but you have to remember that Iowa's defensive line is still very young. 

Bryce Hawthorne (19 tackles, 2.5 sacks) is really starting to emerge as the leader of this group, and you can't forget about Elon transfer Kahmari Brown (11 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and fifth-year Will Hubert (10 tackles), either. 

We already alluded to Cam Buffington in our players to watch, but the rest of the linebacker room is too important not to fall on the positions list as well. One of the new wrinkles Phil Parker has used in 2026 is implementing the 3-3-5 defensive scheme in certain situations. He's been able to do this because of the versatility of his linebacker room, and it worked to perfection against Washington two weeks ago. 

Jayden Montgomery and Preston Ries are other names that could find their way back into the defensive backfield against the Gophers, and it wouldn't be a surprise because Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey isn't known for his mobility. Lindsey is known for turning the ball over and there's a chance that could happen if the linebackers get pressure on him. 

Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.

Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members in the community section! Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!

Click here to join the fun and potentially win some FREE Hawkeye swag! 

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]