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13 yards on 214 carries and Sargent has 1,044 yards on 213 carries. Senior quarterback Nate Stanley has led Iowa to an average of 33.5 points per game by completing 64.4 percent of his passes for an average of 241.2 yards per game. He has eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Stanley's completion percentage is five points higher than a year ago, and part of that can be attributed to a stable of receiving playmakers at his disposal. Juniors Brandon Smith and Ihmir Smith-Marsette both have 15 catches and three touchdowns. "Running back and wide receiver are positions where we have a lot of guys doing good things and we have seen a lot of growth," Ferentz said. "e receiver group is better than it was two years ago, or even last year. "You talk about the running backs, we have four guys we feel comfortable with right now. e two players leading the way are Mekhi and Toren. ey are prideful guys who are improvement-driven. Even though they are juniors, it feels like they are senior players with the way they carry themselves. Everything they do is first class." Iowa's first two games in October will be against nationally ranked opponents with a combined record of 7-1. e Hawkeyes play at No. 18/19 Michigan (3-1) on Oct. 5 before returning home to face No. 11/12 Penn State (4-0). "It's always exciting to go up (to Michigan), it's always a tough challenge," Ferentz said. "We'll have to play our best game of the season and it is fair to predict it will be a 60-minute game if we are going to be successful." Editor's Note: Iowa hosts Minnesota in the battle for Floyd of Rosedale on Nov. 16. Fans are encouraged to wear black for the Blackout game, and it is the annual military appreciation celebration. Active duty military and veterans are eligible for a military ticket discount. Click HERE for tickets and pre-paid parking and additional game information. N othing, as they say, is guaranteed (see 2006), but the fact the University of Iowa football team rolled through August and September without a loss bodes well for the rest of the season. Iowa's 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 28 marked the ninth time since 1985 that the Hawkeyes have opened a season with at least four victories. Seven of those seasons ended with a bowl game, including two Rose Bowl appearances and one Orange bowl. e final eight games of the regular season for Iowa (4-0 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) will be against conference opponents. "As we move forward, every conference game will be a challenge," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "All will present a unique set of circumstances and everyone will be a challenge. Hopefully the first four weeks have laid a good foundation for us to get started for a successful year." rough four games, Iowa is tied for the national lead in red zone offense, scoring 13 touchdowns and four field goals in 17 attempts. e Hawkeyes are tied for fourth in fewest penalties per game (four). On defense, Iowa boasts three top 10 rankings: third in scoring defense (8.5 points per game), fih in total defense (251 yards allowed per game), and 10th in rushing defense (77 yards allowed per game). "e first four games have given us a chance to assess the team," Ferentz said. "We're making improvement in a lot of areas; there are still things we can do a lot better, so hopefully we'll be able to address those things and keep building." While Iowa's defense has climbed the national rankings, its offense has been more than functional. In their most recent outing, the Hawkeyes compiled 644 yards, with 351 coming on the ground. Junior running backs Toren Young and Mekhi Sargent have both topped 1,000 rushing yards in their careers — Young has 1,081 OCTOBER SCHEDULE Oct. 5 at Michigan Oct. 12 Penn State Oct. 19 Purdue (Homecoming) Oct. 26 at Northwestern