No. 22 Iowa uses defense, Moulton's running game to beat Northern Illinois 40-0

Updated Sep. 5, 2026 8:56 p.m. ET

Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kamari Moulton ran for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns and No. 22 Iowa’s defense shut down Northern Illinois in a 40-0 victory Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

Moulton, Iowa’s leading rusher last season, passed his previous career high of 114 yards in the first quarter, when he had 132 yards with touchdown runs of 50 and 37 yards.

“I really worked in the offseason on just being able to run, just being more confident in myself,” Moulton said. “And when I see things (in the defense), just hitting that more. So I was glad to be able to showcase that today.”

Moulton rushed for 878 yards in 11 games last season, and came into this season with the goal of improving that number.

“He just looked faster, quicker, more confident than I’ve seen him, and he’s an experienced football player,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That’s the best we’ve seen him, so that’s part of maturity and development.”

It was the first regular-season look at the Iowa quarterback battle between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski, who came into the game sharing the top spot on the depth chart.

Ferentz said earlier in the week that each would get playing time in the game. Brown got the start, leading the Hawkeyes to touchdowns on their first three series before Hecklinski made his first appearance.

Brown finished 12 of 20 for 129 yards. Hecklinski was 7 of 16 for 76 yards with an interception. Brown threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tony Diaz on Iowa’s opening series of the game, and Hecklinski threw a 8-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Williams in the second quarter.

“We've been saying for a long time this has been a back-and-forth,” Ferentz said. ‘It’s been really close, and I think it just continues to be that way."

Caden Buhr added two field goals for the Hawkeyes, and Evan James had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second half.

It was the first game for Northern Illinois interim head coach Rob Harley.

“These guys did not quit,” Harley said. “They kept playing, and that's what it was always going to be about. We wanted our style of play to show up, and I think it did at times.”

Strong defense for Iowa

The Hawkeyes held a 507-120 edge in offensive yards. Northern Illinois, which had 14 yards in the first half, did not get its first first down until the third quarter, and that came on a pass-interference penalty against Iowa.

The Hawkeyes had six sacks and seven tackles for loss.

Defensive tackle Bryce Hawthorne said the Hawkeyes maintained their effort throughout the game, despite the score.

“Everyone knows the standard,” Hawthorne said. “We know that whoever is in the game, we have to uphold that. We have to stop them and shut them out.”

The shutout was the 19th for Iowa under Ferentz. It is the Hawkeyes' second season-opening shutout in the last three seasons.

The takeaway

There was no clear leader in Iowa’s quarterback competition. The offense moved efficiently under Brown in the first quarter, but Hecklinski had his good moments as well. It’s a question that likely will hang over the Hawkeyes over the next couple of weeks.

“We'll keep pushing forward and see how it all goes,” Ferentz said. “But good for them to get out there and get some meaningful snaps.”