Heroes Trophy rivalry never fails, and this year’s matchup between Iowa and Nebraska is expected to be another intense, emotional, and hard-fought Black Friday encounter. When the Hawkeyes travel to Lincoln for their yearly season-ending matchup with the Cornhuskers, there are two 7–4 teams, two proud programs, and one more opportunity to finish the regular season with some momentum.
CBS will broadcast the game, which is scheduled to begin at Memorial Stadium at 11 a.m. CT. As usual, the build-up is accompanied by the well-known mixture of nervousness and excitement that arises when these two programs collide. Pete Fiutak of College Football News examined this game in great detail, providing a prediction for what might happen as well as a clear blueprint for how each team can win.
Why Nebraska Is Able to Overcome Iowa The ground game is where Nebraska’s formula begins and most likely ends. With four consecutive 100-yard rushing performances and five in his last six games, Emmett Johnson has been the driving force behind the Huskers’ offense. He looked like the reliable playmaker Nebraska has long desired at running back, and he was outstanding against UCLA and Penn State.
Of course, it’s difficult to bully Iowa’s defense, but Johnson needs to be the one throwing the punches if Nebraska wants to control the tempo. The Hawkeyes don’t commit many errors and seldom give up possession due to penalties or turnovers. However, when the offense becomes predictable, that same steadiness can turn into a double-edged sword. And throughout the season, Iowa has been criticized for being predictable.
Whether things are clicking or sputtering, the Hawkeyes occasionally just won’t stray from the script. They didn’t stretch the field much in the close game against Penn State, they played fiercely in last week’s close victory over Michigan State, and their incapacity to loosen up the offense contributed to the defeat to Oregon. Iowa can stall rapidly when the ground game slows down.
Therefore, Nebraska must force Iowa into uncomfortable third downs and disrupt the Hawkeyes’ preferred grind-it-out rhythm rather than necessarily dominating time of possession, which has never been a priority. The route to victory is clear if the Huskers prevail in the rushing battle and prevent the defensive front from deteriorating.
The Reasons Iowa Can Win Against Nebraska However, there’s a reason Iowa has dominated this rivalry for ten years. Usually, the Hawkeyes can win this game without being ostentatious. They play a fundamentally sound defense, run the ball, convert just enough third downs, and wait patiently for Nebraska to make the game-changing error. Their formula is straightforward and, to be honest, it works. In the past, the Cornhuskers frequently have.
While Nebraska’s defense was solid early in the year, cracks have started to show. UCLA exposed them through the air after Penn State’s rushing attack shoved them around. Iowa doesn’t have to launch deep shots or reveal anything unusual, but they won’t. They will adhere to the structure, which includes field position, ball control, and short gains, and they will have faith that eventually things will work out in their favor.
The Additionally, they have game-changers who can abruptly change the course of events. Kaden Wetjen, a pun returner, is now a real threat to quickly reverse momentum. There’s always a feeling that a timely takeaway or unexpected special-teams spark could change the course of the game, especially when you consider Iowa’s opportunistic defense under longtime coordinator Phil Parker.
Who Gains? Fiutak sees only another tight finish. Whether it’s a late turnover, a pressure-cooker field goal, or a defensive stand with everything on the line, this rivalry essentially thrives on last-minute drama. And Iowa has benefited from those instances the majority of the time.
TJ Lateef, the quarterback for Nebraska, needs to make midrange passes and keep the chains moving, but he doesn’t have to be a hero to keep the Huskers in it. Nebraska will be able to trade blows all afternoon if he does that. In the end, though, Fiutak thinks Iowa’s defense will settle in after halftime, close off Johnson’s pathways, and turn the game into the kind of slugfest that the Hawkeyes love in the fourth quarter.
In the end, he predicted Iowa 24 and Nebraska 16. One more one-score competition. One more thrilling one. And possibly another Iowa finish that honors the Hawkeyes’ perseverance and self-control. Iowa hasn’t shown any indications of giving up, even though there isn’t a title race ahead and the postseason chatter is long gone. The foundation of this approach is still culture, consistency, and shutting off distractions. Even when the stakes aren’t flashy, Kirk Ferentz’s teams care intensely, and on weekends like this, that edge counts. As usual, Ferentz will prepare his team for a last bare-knuckle battle to wrap up the regular season.
