No. 19 Iowa Beats No. 23 Northwestern 24-10 Behind Brown and 96-Yard Return

EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 19 Iowa beat No. 23 Northwestern 24-10 on Saturday night at Ryan Field, riding a fast start, a bruising ground game and a defence that refused to bend on third down to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive in a Week 10 Big Ten showdown.

Quarterback Hank Brown scored twice, L.J. Phillips Jr. rushed for 128 yards and Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown as the Hawkeyes handed the Wildcats their first ever loss in their new $875 million stadium. Iowa improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Northwestern fell to 6-3 and 3-3. It was Iowa's fifth straight win over the Wildcats.

Key Points

• No. 19 Iowa beat No. 23 Northwestern 24-10 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.
• Hank Brown threw one touchdown and ran for another, finishing 16 of 21 for 126 yards.
• Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, his second return score of the season.
• L.J. Phillips Jr. rushed for 128 yards on 21 carries, his first 100-yard game as a Hawkeye.
• Iowa's defence had six sacks, held Northwestern to 1 of 11 on third down and forced three turnovers on downs.

What Happened

Iowa wasted no time. The Hawkeyes opened with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, their first opening touchdown drive against a Power Conference opponent in nine regular-season games. Brown capped it with a 21-yard touchdown run on third-and-three with 11:10 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.

The Hawkeyes doubled the lead early in the second quarter when Brown hit Tony Diaz for a 24-yard touchdown pass with 13:25 remaining, finishing a seven-play, 97-yard drive for 14-0.

The Wildcats finally scored with 4:14 left in the third quarter on Jackson Kleather's 45-yard field goal, cutting the lead to 14-3. The answer was immediate: on the ensuing kickoff, Jackson took the ball 96 yards for a touchdown, restoring a three-score cushion. Caden Buhr added a 52-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the third quarter to make it 24-3.

Northwestern's final push ended in the end zone. With 11:11 left in the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Nicco Marchiol's pass for Griffin Wilde fell incomplete on fourth-and-eight, Iowa's third turnover on downs of the game. The Wildcats found the end zone with 1:51 remaining, when Marchiol hit Jaheem Himon II on a two-yard touchdown pass to set the final score at 24-10.

Background: Two Ranked Big Ten Rivals Meet in Evanston

The game matched two of the Big Ten's most consistent programmes with real stakes. Iowa arrived ranked No. 19 after a 30-0 shutout of Wisconsin the previous week. Northwestern arrived at 6-2 and ranked No. 23, unbeaten in its new Ryan Field and playing at home under the lights.

The Wildcats were short-handed at quarterback. Starter Aidan Chiles, who had thrown for 281 yards against Oregon the previous week, was out with an upper-body injury, leaving Marchiol to start. He finished with 181 passing yards and the late touchdown, but Iowa's defence gave him little room all night.

Iowa Beats Northwestern 24-10: How the Hawkeyes Won It

Iowa totalled 296 yards of offence and 14 first downs, rushing for 170 yards, while holding Northwestern to 286 yards. The difference was efficiency in the moments that mattered: Iowa scored on its first two meaningful drives, Northwestern went 1 of 11 on third down, and the Wildcats never reached the end zone until the game was decided.

Brown was calm and precise in the first half, going 5 of 5 for 45 yards on the opening drive and 11 of 13 for 102 yards and a touchdown before the break. Phillips was the workhorse: his 128 yards included a season-long 45-yard run, and he became the fifth different Iowa running back to rush for 100 yards this season, the first time in programme history the Hawkeyes have had five different 100-yard rushers in one year.

On defence, Buffington led Iowa with 12 tackles in his fourth double-digit tackle game of the season. Jayden Montgomery added nine tackles and a sack, while Bryce Hawthorne, Drew Campbell, Luke Gaffney and Kenneth Merriweather each recorded a sack as Iowa tied its season high with six sacks and eight tackles for loss.

Reactions and Quotes

Head coach Kirk Ferentz praised his team's preparation and response after the win.

"Really happy for our football team. A really good way to start November," Ferentz said. "Going back to the beginning of the week, we asked our players to reset, refocus and turn their sights on this game, and I think they did a really good job all week long in preparation."

"Coming in here, Big Ten road game, nighttime, new environment, new stadium, and most importantly playing against a really good team. We knew that was going to be a challenge, and I'm just really happy with the way the guys responded."

"We'll enjoy this one for about 12 hours and then turn our sights forward," he added.

Why It Matters

The win keeps Iowa firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. At 7-2, the Hawkeyes have a realistic path to a strong finish, and their November record under Ferentz suggests they know how to close a season. Iowa is now 22-3 since 2023 when it reaches the 21-point mark first.

The result also says something about Iowa's depth. The Hawkeyes altered their starting offensive line for the first time since the 2024 season, with centre Cael Winter out injured and Michael Myslinski making his first career start, yet still produced two long touchdown drives and 170 rushing yards. For Northwestern, the loss ends a perfect record at the new Ryan Field and exposes how thin the margin is without Chiles.

What Happens Next

Iowa returns home on Saturday to host Purdue at 6:30 p.m. CT inside Kinnick Stadium, on NBC. The Hawkeyes will look to carry the momentum of back-to-back strong performances into the final stretch. Northwestern will regroup, with Chiles' health the biggest question hanging over the Wildcats.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Iowa vs Northwestern?

No. 19 Iowa beat No. 23 Northwestern 24-10 on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.

Who scored for Iowa against Northwestern?

Brown ran for a 21-yard touchdown and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tony Diaz. Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and Caden Buhr kicked a 52-yard field goal.

How many yards did L.J. Phillips Jr. rush for?

Phillips rushed for 128 yards on 21 carries, his first 100-yard game as a Hawkeye.

Why did Northwestern play without Aidan Chiles?

Starter Aidan Chiles was out with an upper-body injury, so backup Nicco Marchiol started and threw for 181 yards with a late touchdown.

What is Iowa's record after beating Northwestern?

Iowa improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. Northwestern fell to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

Read more on US News Pulse: Iowa's 30-0 shutout of Wisconsin, Iowa State's 51-49 walk-off win over No. 24 Oklahoma State, and Oregon's 34-26 comeback win over Northwestern.