No Kirk Ferentz, no problem for the Iowa Football team, as the #25 Hawkeyes blew out Illinois State 40-0 in the season opener of the 2024 season.
All eyes were on a reinvented Hawkeyes offense under new offensive coordinator Tim Lester, and despite starting slow in the first half, Iowa picked it up in the final two quarters. Quarterback Cade McNamara went 21-31 for 251 yards and three touchdowns in his first game back after suffering a torn ACL in Week 5 of 2023 season. Freshman Reece Vander Zee was the Hawkeyes’ leading receiver with five receptions for 66 yards and two touchdowns.