Iowa football offensive line named Joe Moore Award semifinalist

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Iowa football offensive line named Joe Moore Award semifinalist

After being named to the Joe Moore Award watch list earlier this year, No. 21 Iowa football’s (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) offensive line has been listed among the award’s nine other semifinalists, according to the award’s press release.

The award is given annually to the nation’s top front line that displays a high level of toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and finishing.

It is named after Joe Moore, widely regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in college football history, and the mentor of Kirk Ferentz when the current Hawkeyes‘ head coach was a defensive captain for Upper St. Clair High School (PA) in 1972.

Coached by George Barnett, the Hawkeyes’ offensive line includes center Logan Jones, guards Beau Stephens and Kade Pieper, and tackles Gennings Dunker and Trevor Lauck. The five core offensive linemen have started every game for the Hawkeyes this season, while the three most experienced members in Jones, Stephens, and Dunker have combined for 111 career starts.

The unit has helped Iowa gain more than 200 yards in four of its nine contests and has provided superior protection for quarterback Mark Gronowski, surrendering just 13 sacks.

The Hawkeyes’ front line has also paved the way for the team’s rushing attack to outrush opponents in seven of the nine contests, including 310 yards in the season-opening win over Albany and 245 yards in the comeback victory over Penn State on Oct. 18.

IOWA CITY, IA - OCTOBER 18: Offensive lineman take the line alongside center Logan Jones #65 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions on October 18, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

The other nine semifinals in competition with Iowa include Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, Utah, Vanderbilt, and fellow Big Ten foes Indiana, Oregon, and Michigan.

Since its inception in 2015, Iowa has won the award once (2016), and the Big Ten has earned the distinction on three other occasions (Michigan in 2021 and 2022, Washington in 2023).

Up next for the Hawkeyes will be a trip to Los Angeles, California, for a matchup against No. 17 USC (7-2, 5-1) on Saturday. The game is scheduled to kick off at 2:40 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on the Big Ten Network starting at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football offensive line named Joe Moore Award semifinalist

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