PREGAME
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5 | IOWA VS. OHIO STATE | OHIO STADIUM
Embracing the moment
Iowa tight end Luke Lachey doesn’t take the game of football for granted.
The Daily Iowan
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5 things to watch
Matt McGowan Pregame
Editor matt.mcgowan@dailyiowan.com
1. Points on the board
While it may sound dumb to say scoring will be important if Iowa wants to pull off the upset, it’s especially true in the Haw keyes’ case. Iowa hasn’t put up a point against a ranked foe since Oct. 22, 2022 –ironically, against Ohio State on the road. Even though it may seem like destiny for the Hawkeyes to break their streak of goose eggs on Saturday, doing so won’t be easy. The Buckeyes rank third in the nation in first downs allowed and second in yards conceded per game. 247 Sports’ five-star Alabama transfer Caleb Downs brought plenty of hype in the preseason, and the second-year safety is joined by productive veterans in the secondary.
Senior safety Lathan Ransom is second on the team with 20 tackles and has two forced fumbles, while Denzel Burke owns a team-best two interceptions.
2. Blocking commitment
Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson has carried the offense to three wins this season, and the Hawkeyes will need him to continue his production back in his home state of Ohio. Even when the opposing defense keys in on him, the back still excels. According to CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli, Johnson averages 10.4 yards per attempt against stacked boxes, or when eight defenders line up within five yards of the line of scrimmage.
If Johnson wants to continue this trend against a Buckeye team conceding just 61.8 rushing yards per game, the Hawkeye offensive line and receivers will have to block like there’s no tomorrow.
3. Third down conversions
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara knows a thing or two about Ohio State. Over three seasons with the Michigan Wolve -
rines, McNamara has been a part of two victories over the Buckeyes, including starting under center in a 42-27 romp in 2021. While the quarterback maintained that his keys for victories were mainly the same for any opponent, he still noted that third down would be at the crux of any success on Saturday.
“I think it comes down to third down conversions because that’s what keeps drives alive,” he said. “If we can get third and manageable, that’s good.”
Moving the chains on third down will keep the Hawkeyes on the field and prevent the Buckeyes’ explosive offense from taking over. Iowa ranks 42nd in the nation in third-down conversions while Ohio State slots in at 12th on third-down defense at a rate of just 27.6 percent.
4. Time of possession
While the Buckeyes have had more lopsided scores than the Hawkeyes this season, they trail in time of possession by 12 minutes. This is in part due to Ohio State’s ability to score in a handful of plays. Top receiving tandem Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka are averaging 19.2 and 17.2 yards per catch, respectively. The first-year Smith has three grabs of at least 40 yards this season.
The Hawkeyes need to slow the game down in order to give the Buckeyes less time to score. Less time on the clock will force Ohio State to throw deep rather than rely on a dangerous run-pass option.
5. Second-half performance
Ohio State hasn’t had the strongest of schedules so far this season, only playing one Power Four school in Michigan State last week. In three of their four games, the Buckeyes have led by 17 points or less at halftime, but any concerns of an upset were squashed over the final two quarters. Ohio State hasn’t allowed a point in the second half, overpowering its foes, 91-0.
Chances are the Hawkeyes will be within at most two possessions at the halftime whistle, and the final 30 minutes will reveal if Iowa can finally play a complete game.
OFFENSE
QB 12 Cade McNamara Sr 1 Brendan Sullivan Jr
RB 2 Kaleb Johnson Jr 28 Kamari Moulton #Fr
WR 15 Reece Vander Zee Fr 0 Jarriett Buie #Fr
WR 21 Kaden Wetjen Sr 3 Kaleb Brown Jr
WR 5 Jacob Gill Jr 8 Terrell Washington Jr. #Fr
TE 85 Luke Lachey Sr 87 Addison Ostrenga Jr
LT 78 Mason Richman Sr 71 Jack Dotzler Soph
LG 70 Beau Stephens Jr 64 Leighton Jones #Fr
C 65 Logan Jones Sr 58 Kade Pieper #Fr
RG 77 Connor Colby Sr 76 Tyler Elsbury Sr
RT 67 Gennings Dunker Jr 56 Nick Dejong Sr
PK 18 Drew Stevens Jr DEFENSE
LE 45 Deontae Craig Sr 48 Max Llewellyn Jr
LT 95 Aaron Graves Jr 57 Will Hubert Soph
RT 94 Yahya Black Sr 55 Jeremiah Pittman Jr
RE 49 Ethan Hurkett Sr 90 Brian Allen Soph
29 Sebastian Castro Sr 37 Kyler Fisher Sr
MLB 34 Jay Higgins Sr 41 Jaden Harrell Jr
WLB 10 Nick Jackson Sr 43 Karson Sharar Jr
CB 2 TJ Hall Jr 7 John Nestor Soph
SS 1 Xavier Nwankpa Jr 4 Koen Entringer Soph
FS 30 Quinn Schulte Sr 6 Zach Lutmer #Fr
CB 27 Jermari Harris Sr 8 Deshaun Lee Soph
P 9 Rhys Dakin Fr
OFFENSE
QB 18 Will Howard Sr 33 Devin Brown Soph
RB 32 TreVeyon Henderson Jr 1 Quinshon Judkins Jr
WRX 4 Jeremiah Smith Fr 9 Jayden Ballard Jr
WRZ 17 Carnell Tate Soph 13 Bryson Rodgers #Fr
WRY 2 Emeka Egbuka Jr 11 Brandon Inniss Soph
TE 88 Gee Scott Jr. Sr 89 Will Kacmarek Jr
LT 71 Josh Simmons Jr 65 Zen Michalski Jr
LG 74 Donovan Jackson Jr 67 Austin Siereveld #Fr
C 56 Seth McLaughlin Sr 75 Carson Hinzman Soph
RG 77 Tegra Tshabola Soph 51 Luke Montgomery Soph
RT 70 Josh Fryar Sr 68 George Fitzpatrick Soph
PK 38 Jayden Fielding Jr
DEFENSE
DE 33 Jack Sawyer Jr 92 Caden Curry Jr
DT 58 Ty Hamilton Sr 98 Kayden McDonald Soph
DT 91 Tyleik Williams Jr 93 Hero Kanu Soph
DE 44 JT Tuimoloau Jr 97 Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Soph
WLB 6 Sonny Styles Jr 11 C.J. Hicks Soph
MLB 0 Cody Simon Sr 20 Arvell Reese #Fr
NB 7 Jordan Hancock Jr 3 Lorenzo Styles Jr. Sr
CB 10 Denzel Burke Jr 5 Aaron Scott Jr. Fr
SS 8 Lathan Ransom Sr 18 Jaylen McClain Fr
FS 2 Caleb Downs Soph 25 Malik Hartford Soph
CB 1 Davison Igbinosun Jr 24 Jermaine Mathews Jr. Soph
P 42 Joe McGuire #Fr
CASH/ LEO
McNamara
Burke
Downs
Smith
Sometimes frustrated, always supportive
Luke Lachey didn’t let his season-ending injury in 2023 erase his positive demeanor.
Matt McGowan Pregame Editor
matt.mcgowan@dailyiowan.com
When Grandview Heights High School football head coach Jason Peters asked his 7-year-old son who he wanted to be for Halloween, Peters initially misunderstood.
“Luke!” his son said. Peters’ mind flashed to the “Star Wars” hero – but his vision of robes and a lightsaber didn’t last for long. Instead, Peters had to find a jersey and some cleats. His son had no intention of being Luke Skywalker, he desired to be Luke Lachey – then the star player on Peters’ squad.
“I was like, ‘Why?’” Peters remembered. “He was like, well, ‘When I talk to him, he really listens.’ That’s a 7-year-old that figured that out.”
Lachey’s empathetic and kind demeanor is easy to spot – starting with the perpetual smile he carries each day. The youngest of five siblings growing up in Columbus, Ohio, Lachey blossomed in a competitive household but maintained the value of being supportive. This past is what guided Lachey on his path from a two-way player at Grandview to the starting tight end at Iowa – a role cut short last year due to a season-ending leg injury.
The sudden shift from playing to watching still had its difficulties, but Lachey emerged from a months-long rehab not only physically repaired, but also mentally fortified.
“You never take football for granted,” Lachey’s father Jim told The Daily Iowan. “Every play, every snap is important. You hear that all the time when you’re playing but you’re just, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ But when you get it taken away from you, you kind of reinvest, so to speak.”
Stranded on the sidelines as the Hawkeyes earned a 10-win season in 2023, Lachey had to cope with not playing the game he grew to love. In doing so, he turned his attention to the others around him.
“I’m going through a tough time, and no one wants to go through that,” Lachey said. “But I didn’t want to be somebody that was going to take the energy away, because I knew it wouldn’t help the team win.”
Learning to embrace the game
From an outsider’s perspective, football would appear to be the natural path for a young Luke Lachey. Jim was a lineman at Ohio State from 1981-84, earning first-team All-American honors in his final season before being selected 12th overall in the NFL draft. He enjoyed an 11-year professional career that included three All-Pro nods and a Super Bowl ring. Yet even
though Lachey worked the sidelines as a ball boy since he was a third-grader, football wasn’t his main love.
On an autumn Saturday afternoon, the Lacheys would invite neighbors to watch the Ohio State game. At halftime, the kids would break out into the front yard to toss a football, but Lachey wanted no part in the pickup game. Instead, he’d take a basketball and jog down to the family’s hoop, shooting baskets by himself.
With LeBron James making nightly head-turning highlights for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, Lachey said it was easy to be a fan of the sport. Plus, he had easy access to a basket all year round.
When the weather turned cold, the hoop was transported to the basement, where Jim usually got the best of Luke in games of H-O-R-S-E. His signature shot – lining up at the free-throw line and bouncing the ball off the floor and into the cup. Jim said he would practice the move when Lachey wasn’t around, and his son could only watch in dismay as his father would put the game on ice.
“I used to call it, ‘The Crier,’” Jim said of the shot. “[Luke] said, ‘Why do you call it, ‘The Crier?’ I said, ‘Because as soon as I make it,
you’re going to start crying.’ And he would, he was so competitive.”
When Lachey got to high school, he had the opportunity to play alongside his older brother, James, on the varsity basketball and football teams for two years. During that time, he was
parents recalled how a young Lachey would lay on his back in the living room, tossing a football up and down to himself. But when his sophomore year rolled around, Lachey felt like he had to make a decision, and he was leaning toward hoops. Hearing the news, Ann wasn’t going to
“You never take football for granted. Every play, every snap is important. You hear that all the time when you’re playing but you’re just, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ But when you get it taken away from you, you kind of reinvest, so to speak.”
Jim Lachey
Luke Lachey’s father
still compelled to hit the hardwood. His mother Ann remembered how as soon as a summer football practice ended, Lachey would take his basketball and high tops and hustle to the gym.
“We literally thought we were going to be sitting inside basketball arenas, not worrying about how many coats we had to bundle up to keep warm,” Ann said.
It’s not that Lachey never loved football. His
accept her two sons splitting apart.
“I’m like, ‘Nope, you’re playing because your brother is playing. You’re both going to be doing this together,’” Ann said. “And you know, Luke was obviously very happy that he was put in that situation, and we would not let him quit.”
As the fall foliage shifted to hues of red and brown and the practices and games began to pile on, Lachey grew to embrace football that season, scoring six receiving touchdowns – one of them from James, who went off to Bowling Green to continue his career. For Peters, the chance for Lachey to compete outside of his brother’s shadow exposed his true self.
“Luke really enjoyed playing with his brother, but then he also enjoyed playing without him,” the coach said. “He wasn’t James’ little brother anymore. He was just Luke. He got to be more of himself.”
Lachey continued to play basketball as an upperclassman, but his football skills shined too bright to ignore. Starting at wideout, cornerback, and kick returner as a junior, Lachey scored 14 total touchdowns, notched three interceptions, and nearly doubled his receiving yards from the previous season.
“There’s a lot of 6-foot-6, 6-foot-7 kids that are 230 pounds who play basketball and that are very athletic, but when you transfer that over to his skill set in football, that number goes way down,” Peters said of Lachey. “I think that was a part of it. He saw the opportunities he was going to have in football.”
Bowling Green offered Lachey a spot on the basketball team, but the hype around Lachey in football couldn’t be contained. Kentucky reached out in June 2018, and after Lachey’s junior season, Michigan State, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, and LSU expressed their inter-
Grace Smith | The Daily Iowan
Iowa tight end Luke Lachey watches his teammates celebrate a win during a football game between Iowa and Western Michigan at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Sept. 16, 2023. The Hawkeyes defeated the Broncos, 41-10. Lachey sustained a season-ending ankle injury in the first quarter of the game.
Iowa tight end Luke Lachey runs during a football game between Iowa and Troy at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 14. The Hawkeyes defeated the Trojans, 38-21. Lachey is second on the team with 97 receiving yards.
LACHEY from 3
est in the 247 Sports four-star recruit.
Lachey and Ann flew to Iowa City in June 2019 for an official visit, where former Iowa standout and current Detroit Lion Sam LaPorta showed him around campus. On the flight back, Ann remembered her son gushing about the fun he had, and less than a month later, Lachey committed to the Hawkeyes.
Even though Lachey found a home in Iowa early on, Peters said the tight end wasn’t too comfortable with all the outside attention from Power Five schools. Lachey may have been a future Hawkeye heading into his finalseason with Grandview, but he stayed true to the Bobcats. For all his accomplishments, Lachey didn’t see himself as larger than the team.
“He’s a pretty humble kid,” Peters said. “When you talk to him he doesn’t talk about himself; he talks about the team and everybody else. He’s the last person he’ll ever talk about. He downplayed it all.”
Lachey was thrust further into the spotlight during his senior year when the Bobcats’ top two quarterbacks went down with injuries before the playoffs began. Peters turned to Lachey to take over the position in Grandview’s first-round matchup against Paint Valley.
Standing near midfield, Lachey took the snap and dashed toward the end zone for a score, which proved to make the difference in the Bobcats’ seven-point victory. Running off the field after the touchdown, Lachey didn’t gloat but rather pointed out his own mistake of not
following the intended route. This “brutal honesty” is what sticks with Peters today.
“He comes off the field and he’s like, ‘Coach, I think I went the wrong way,’” Peters said. “I said, ‘Luke, you went the wrong way, but it’s OK.’ I’m not going to yell at a kid for scoring a touchdown.”
Despite not playing much tight end during his prep career, Lachey’s size suited him for the position at Iowa, where he once again had to wait for his opportunity.
Exiting on his own terms
After redshirting his first season, Lachey backed up LaPorta for the next two years, starting nine games at tight end over that span. Despite not seeing as many targets, Lachey enjoyed his time under the tutelage of LaPorta and other Hawkeye veterans, who taught him the intricacies of route running and blocking.
“Just understanding the game conceptually and being able to play faster,” Lachey said of where he’s at now versus his first season. “Obviously, my ankle is a little bigger than it was when I came in my freshman year, but you just learn a lot.”
The ankle reference concerns his season-ending injury in 2023. With LaPorta off to the NFL, Lachey was finally at the top of the depth chart and over Iowa’s first two games that season caught 10 passes for 131 yards.
In the first quarter of the Hawkeyes’ contest against Western Michigan, Lachey broke open in the flat and leaped up for a grab but was taken
about it when he’s positive and not blaming anybody.”
Jim calls Ohio State football games on the radio, so he wasn’t in attendance for the injury. Jim said he was less sympathetic than his wife. For him, Lachey’s injury was a “welcome to the club” moment, as the father missed the entire 1993 NFL season with a knee ailment.
Football doesn’t lack violence, Jim explained, and when removed from the action, it can feel like a lose-lose situation. When the team wins, you feel as if it didn’t need you, and if it lost, you feel like you should’ve been there to contribute. To help his son avoid this mindset, he told Lachey to just keep being supportive, the same as he was to his siblings.
“If you’re not in there, then you got to be the best teammate possible,” Jim said. “Help your backups, make sure that they are ready to play. Be a team guy.”
While Lachey was susceptible to frustration at first, he didn’t let the anger fester. The tight end said he was confined to a scooter for the first five weeks after his surgery, and with extra free time on his hands, got into literature – specifically a book titled, “The Energy Bus,” by Jon Gordon. Lachey explained that in life, the bus driver is joy, and in order to go places and find success, one has to maintain exuberance and not be an “energy vampire.”
down by a Bronco defender who toppled on the tight end’s legs. The ball fell loose for an incompletion, but Lachey remained seated on the turf, his right ankle lying limp.
Ann couldn’t make out much of the play from the Kinnick Stadium stands behind Iowa’s bench. She said she was glad to have not seen it but took solace in watching her son manage to walk off the field with the help of team trainers.
“[Lachey] got up and said he kept thinking
After a months-long rehab process featuring pool workouts and hours on a stationary bike, Lachey made it back on the practice field by spring camp. Toward the end of camp, the tight end remembered making a corner route on Iowa safety Quinn Schulte and making the catch despite heavy coverage.
“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s nice.’ It felt good to do that again,” Lachey said with a smile.
Four games into his final season with the Hawkeyes, Lachey has been the team’s second-leading receiver but only has 97 yards as Iowa has increasingly relied on running
“His love of the game, his love of Iowa, and his love of his teammates, all those things were reinforced after he got injured.”
about Jim, because Jim always said, ‘I’ve never gotten carted off the field. I’ve always walked off.’ So that’s what he was thinking about the whole time. He’s like, ‘I’ve got to get up.’”
Once on the Hawkeyes’ bench, Lachey flashed his mom a thumbs-up before heading to the locker room, where he emerged with a walking boot on his foot. After the game, Ann found out her son would have surgery in two days, bringing his 2023 season to a close.
“It just breaks your heart because he’s worked so hard and is hoping to have a good season,” Ann said. “But he had a great attitude. He was always positive about it, so that made me feel like I’ve got to be the same way. I can’t be sad
back Kaleb Johnson to do the heavy lifting. But Lachey doesn’t mind – he knows there are always opportunities to make a block or get open, and most of all, remembers that his opportunity at Iowa isn’t permanent. From a second-stringer to an injured reserve player to the starting tight end making a homecoming on Saturday, there are always moments to treasure.
“His love of the game, his love of Iowa, and his love of his teammates, all those things were reinforced after he got injured,” Jim said. “You know, this is not the way you want to go out, you want to go out on your own terms. And now he’s got that opportunity.”
Jim Lachey
Luke Lachey’s father
Emma Calabro | The Daily Iowan
PETE RUDEN College Football Editor, Action Network Daily Iowan alumnus
This just feels like the kind of game Iowa is going to try to muddy up. I think it has the potential to do just that. Iowa runs the ball 62 percent of the time and ranks 111th in seconds per play, so its goal will likely be to keep an Ohio State offense that sits third nationally in scoring off the field. Leaning on the Big Ten’s leading rusher Kaleb Johnson might be the Hawkeyes’ most viable game plan. Ohio State ranks 45th in defensive line yards and 43rd in Pro Football Focus’ tackle grading.
Weekly Wager
I don’t have faith in the Hawkeyes in this one, especially on the road. Iowa may keep it close for two quarters, but I project Ohio State will pull away after halftime, as it has done all season, winning four games by an average of 42 points. Yes, Iowa has a star running back in Kaleb Johnson, but Ohio State is by far the best rushing defense on the schedule, conceding 61.8 yards per game. Johnson can peak with 100 yards and a score, but that won’t keep pace with a loaded Buckeye offensive arsenal.
The winning team in each of the past two editions of this game has scored 54 and 55 points. I don’t see that happening this time around. Iowa’s offense isn’t built to run up the score. Running the ball over 60 percent of the time while taking nearly 30 seconds to run a play doesn’t scream “offensive explosion.” Plus, Ohio State might not have many opportunities to score, as Iowa ranks second in the nation in quality drives allowed.
$265
Each week during the Iowa football season, Daily Iowan Pregame Editor Matt McGowan and Action Network College Football Editor Pete Ruden will place three hypothetical bets of $100. The score of the contest will be kept in the piggy banks to the right and left with a winner to be declared at the end of the season.
The Commodores have been fun so far this season, taking No. 9 Missouri to double overtime before going on bye. They will drain the clock by running the ball, allowing them to keep pace with a hungover Alabama squad.
$528
6-6
Even if Iowa gets shut out and continues its streak of offensive ineptitude against ranked opponents, I can’t see the Hawkeyes yielding more than 45 points. Iowa sits 12th in the nation in time of possession. Avoid turnovers – the Hawkeyes only have two this season –and even in a blowout, this one should stay in the under for the second time this season.
Support the troops. The Black Knights boast the top rushing offense in the FBS and are superb on third down. Meanwhile, Tulsa yields more than 400 yards per game and ranks 61st against the run.
MATT MCGOWAN Pregame Editor
Ruden’s 2024 record: 3-9
McGowan’s 2024 record:
The Daily Iowan’s official bettor’s guide to Iowa football’s Week 6 matchup with Ohio State.
On The Line
OHIO STATE
Queue “Linger” for the eight-hour drive back.
TEXAS A&M
It may be a cult, but at least I can trust it.
OLE MISS
I thought the Rebels were fans of South Carolina. It seceded first.
RUTGERS
*Inarticulate Italian noises*
WASHINGTON
My mom has stolen too many shells from that state. Help me stop her.
HAWAII
If it doesn’t win, I will jump off the same cliff that I did in 2023.
The Daily Iowan staff share their predictions and thoughts on this week’s upcoming games.
OHIO STATE
Jami owes Vegas $1,000.
OHIO STATE
Hawkeyes haven’t won in Columbus since 1991.
TEXAS A&M
Don’t let history repeat it itself, Aggies. #GoIrish.
OLE MISS
Quarterback’s name is literally Jaxson Dart. DART.
NEBRASKA
Dare I say this will be a good game?
MICHIGAN
If there’s a will, there’s a way.
SAN DIEGO STATE
Is jet lag from Hawaii to California a thing?
TEXAS A&M
The 12th Man will help the Aggies prevail in this one. Gig Em!
OLE MISS
The Cocks will be a tough out for the Rebels, but not impossible.
NEBRASKA
This one will be a grinder of a game, but Big Red gets the W.
WASHINGTON
The Dawgs will be barking loud on the Puget Sound.
SAN DIEGO STATE
The Aztecs were conquered in 1521, but they win on Saturday.
IOWA
Have some faith in the Hawkeyes.
TEXAS A&M
A Texas football school is always a safe pick.
OLE MISS
Couldn’t care less about this game.
NEBRASKA
Bounce-back week for Dylan Raiola and the Cornhuskers.
MICHIGAN Man, if Michigan loses this game ...
SAN DIEGO STATE
I forget about Hawaii sometimes.
OHIO STATE
This ain’t 2017.
TEXAS A&M
Vegas smells upset and so do I.
OLE MISS
The Rebels need a bounce-back week.
RUTGERS
Rutgers is good at football?
MICHIGAN
Unless Washington can recover an onside kick, this is a Wolverine W.
HAWAII I would like to visit Hawaii sometime.
OHIO STATE
But the Hawkeyes will be a lot more competitive than last time.
TEXAS A&M
SEC road reality hits the Tigers.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Speaking of SEC road reality ...
NEBRASKA
Yeah, the Huskers are pretty good.
MICHIGAN
These used to be good Rose Bowls.
SAN DIEGO STATE
As the Mountain West turns ...
OHIO STATE
Iowa hasn’t won in Columbus since the first Bush Administration.
MISSOURI
The Tigers look like a playoff team.
OLE MISS
Ole Miss’ miss last week doesn’t trigger a miss vs. SC.
NEBRASKA
Huskers claim a signature win over Rutgers. Wait, what?
MICHIGAN
This rematch is quite far from a preview of this year’s national title.
SAN DIEGO STATE
I wouldn’t attend this game if I were in San Diego or Hawaii.
One on One: Ethan Hurkett
The Daily Iowan Assistant Sports Editor Brad Schultz spoke with the Hawkeye defensive end on Iowa football media day on Aug. 9.
Brad Schultz
Assistant Sports Editor brad.schultz @dailyiowan.com
The Daily Iowan: What are some things you’ve been working on this offseason?
Ethan Hurkett: I’ve been working on just getting my body right through the strength and conditioning program with coach (Raimond Braithwaite), coach (Cody Myers), all those guys. I’ve also been working on just trying to improve my pass rush and improve my run game as well, but kind of focusing on adding some more hand moves and stuff.
The experience, obviously, on this D-line and the defense in general. How important is it to have that experience?
I think it definitely helps just because we’ve kind of built a bond with each other and can rely on trusting each other more. It’s also just the more that you see different situations and stuff, you kind of recognize it easier when the next time comes. So that is helpful.
What are your thoughts on the conference expansion?
I think it’s pretty cool. I’d be able to go out to California and stuff like that. I’ve actually never been out there. So yeah, I’m pretty excited to do that.
KID CAPTAIN
Haidyn Ulrich sees her patience pay off
An aspiring nurse, Ulrich was inspired by the care she received during her journey with leukemia.
Mia Boulton Sports Reporter sports@dailyiowan.com
Haidyn Ulrich is no stranger to patience. She was patient throughout two years of acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and multiple football seasons of applying to be an Iowa Kid Captain. But with time, both of those situations passed.
Haidyn is now cancer-free as of April 2018 and will be the Kid Captain on Saturday, Oct. 5, as the Hawkeyes take
on Ohio State.
“Ever since I found out, it’s seemed surreal,” Haidyn said of becoming a Kid Captain. “It hasn’t hit me yet.”
When her mother, Brianne Ulrich, got the call about Haidyn making the roster, Kid Captain was the last thing on her mind.
“Any time I get a call from Iowa City, I pick it up,” Brianne said. “It’s usually the hospital, and they need to see her for something.”
But this time around, the voice on the other end wasn’t talking about an upcoming
appointment, but rather the opportunity to take the field at Kinnick. Overwhelmed by emotion, Brianne fell to the floor at work upon hearing her daughter’s dream was becoming a reality.
Haidyn was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 7 after experiencing neck pain and acting lethargic after a bowling party. Brianne assumed her daughter strained herself while bowling, but after multiple doctor trips later, the family learned it was much different.
#49 Ethan Hurkett
Senior
Defensive lineman
6-foot-3
Cedar Rapids, IA
What are your favorite hangout spots here in Iowa City?
It’s a good question. I think it’s actually a park over by my house, but I walk around a lot. I go for moped rides quite a bit and find little hiking spots.
If you could have anybody play you in a movie, who would it be?
Probably have (Iowa defensive lineman) Luke Gaffney play me … He’s just a funny guy. He’s also got a nice beard. So I feel like he could do an accurate representation.
What is your favorite movie?
I like the John Wick series. Also like “Gladiator.”
Do you have any embarrassing moments in your football career?
I got plenty. I mean, a lot of them on the field, just messing up and stuff, (Iowa defensive line) coach (Kelvin Bell) will say … “Embarrassment is the precursor to mastery.” So basically, coming out here when you’re a young guy and everything, and even now, you’re getting embarrassed all the time, kind of in different ways. You just got to be able to laugh at yourself and do it anyway.
Have you played the new college football video game? I’ve played a little bit. My roommate Logan Jones had bought it.
team would come in every morning and they would explain what was happening for the day.”
For Haidyn’s “methodical” approach to life, she appreciated being well-informed about each step of her treatments.
Brianne remembered being sent home with a binder with numbers, information, and names of people to call.
“We came in as scared, and we didn’t know anything,” she said. “But we left with so many answers.”
“They said her blood was shooting out potassium, so they wanted to admit us to figure out why,” Brianne said.
“The next thing we knew, the nurse said it was presenting itself as cancer and the ambulance would be here in minutes.”
Haidyn can still recall the weak state of her body in detail.
“I could barely get out of
my bed to move to the ambulance bed without someone in front of me, behind me, and moving my legs.”
As hard as the diagnosis was to hear, Brianne and Haidyn were comforted by the detailed plan the care team laid out at Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
“Once we knew all the details, I think that was easier to take,” Brianne said. “The
Haidyn aims to be back on level 11 of the children’s hospital, only this time as a nurse. She said she aspires to provide solutions and comfort for children in similar situations.
“I want to be there for someone,” Haidyn said. “I want to be a safe place on level 11.”
Haidyn said she’s looking at Iowa to begin her nursing education.
Isabella Tisdale | The Daily Iowan Haidyn Ulrich, 16, poses for a photo with Iowa football players during Kids’ Day at Kinnick on Aug. 10.
Friday | 8 p.m. |
Michigan State (3-2, 1-1) No. 6 Oregon (4-0, 1-0)
Auzten Stadium Eugene, OR
I’ve never been to Oregon, but I can smell the pine trees right now. The Spartans will get their first taste this weekend, and it won’t be pleasant.
Line: Oregon -23.5 O/U: 52.5
Saturday | 11 a.m. |
UCLA (1-3, 0-2)
No. 7 Penn State (4-0, 1-0) Beaver Stadium University Park, PA
Think about that flight. LAX to Pittsburgh is looking like five-plus hours. Plenty of time to watch some Drew Allar film. Talk about turbulence.
Line: Penn State -27.5 O/U: 46.5
Saturday | 11 a.m. |
Purdue (1-3, 0-1) Wisconsin (2-2, 0-1)
Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI
If you’re looking to tune into some lousy and atrociously played football, set your channel for Big Ten Network at 11 a.m. I’ll be taking my mid-day nap early!
Line: Wisconsin -14
O/U: 45.5
Game Guide
Saturday | 2:30 p.m. |
No. 23 Indiana (5-0, 2-0) Northwestern (2-2, 0-1)
Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium Evanston, IL
I just can’t fathom putting a number in front of “Indiana.” It doesn’t make sense. I found out the Hoosiers had a football team four years ago.
Line: Indiana -14 O/U: 41.5
Saturday | 2:30 p.m. |
Iowa (3-1, 1-0)
No. 3 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0) Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH
Executive Editor Jami Martin-Trainor jokingly claimed she will wager $1,000 on Iowa to win. Looks like bankruptcy will strike The Daily Iowan.
Line: Ohio State -20.5 O/U: 45
Saturday | 3 p.m. |
Rutgers (4-0, 1-0) Nebraska (4-1, 1-1) Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE
James Gandolfini went to Rutgers, so I’ll take the underdogs in this one. “What happened to Gary Cooper? The strong, silent type” — Tony Soprano.
Line: Nebraska -7 O/U: 40.5
Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |
No. 10 Michigan (4-1, 2-0) Washington (3-2, 1-1)
Husky Stadium Seattle, WA
I understand the Michigan hate, and even sometimes appreciate it, but Washington at two-point favorites seems a little wild to me.
Line: Washington -2.5 O/U: 41.5
Saturday | 6:30 p.m. |
No. 11 USC (3-1, 1-1) Minnesota (2-3, 0-2)
Huntington Bank Stadium Minneapolis, MN
Miller Moss is a dog. That man waited his turn and is continuing the Caleb Williams legacy. But he’s winning. Hey, Chicago, what do you say?
Line: USC -8 O/U: 50.5
Power Rankings
1. Ohio State
National champions? Doubtful. But Big Ten champions? Likely.
2. Oregon
Pick on someone your own size. Not UCLA.
3. Penn State
Say what you will. That was a solid ranked win for the Nittany Lions.
4. Michigan
A three-point win over Fleck and Co. is certainly rattling.
5. USC
Brad struggles to accept the Trojans are still a strong team.
6. Indiana
I’m at a loss for words.
7. Illinois
A hard-fought loss at Penn State doesn’t go unnoticed.
8. Nebraska
Don’t count Nebraska out. A great future is behind these Huskers.
9. Iowa
The Hawkeyes are still feeling the hangover from the Iowa State loss.
10. Rutgers
Rutgers over Iowa? Let’s see some strength of schedule first.
11. Washington
Thank you for Rome Odunze. But nothing else.
12. Wisconsin
I was worried the Badgers were actually going to beat USC. Thank God.
13. Minnesota
I still sense some potential, especially putting 24 on Michigan.
14. Michigan State
Nothing special here. Call it a rebuild year.
15. Maryland
You’ve got to give 28 points against Indiana some credit.
16. Northwestern
I recall a time when the Wildcats were a solidly ranked football team ...
Colin Votzmeyer
17. Purdue
That Notre Dame beatdown of the Boilermakers feels just as good two weeks later.
18. UCLA
Iowa’s visit to the Rose Bowl gets less and less interesting by the day.
