Iowa's Running Backs Credit O-Line After 422-Yard Rushing Day vs. UNI

Xavier Williams and Nathan McNeil praised the offensive line and backfield depth after Iowa piled up 422 rushing yards in a 55-0 win over Northern Iowa.

Iowa improved to 3-0 with a 55-0 shutout of Northern Iowa at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, powered by a ground attack that produced 422 rushing yards and six touchdowns as a team.

Xavier Williams led the way with 151 yards and three touchdowns, while Braeden Jackson ran for 125 yards and a score and added a 24-yard touchdown catch. Nathan McNeil chipped in 111 yards and two touchdowns, the first of his Hawkeyes career, as were Jackson's trips to the end zone.

After the game, Williams credited the offensive line, calling it second to none and saying the group made the running backs' jobs easy. He added that Iowa's running back room believes it ranks among the best in the country and that each player is focused on making the most of his opportunity.

McNeil said the backfield was prepared before kickoff and simply executed, adding that the depth in the room means whoever is in the game is capable of making a play.

Iowa opens Big Ten play on the road Saturday, Sept. 26, against No. 18 Michigan (3-0) in Ann Arbor, where the Wolverines' defense presents a stiffer challenge for the Hawkeyes' offense.