Hawk Talk on Melrose

In Ben McCollum's first year as head coach, the Hawks had one of the most unlikely and exciting postseason runs in recent program history. In this episode, we analyze the first season under Coach Ben and look ahead to the off-season as we prepare for year 2 with a lot of momentum.

Join us as we relive one of the biggest moments for us Iowa fans — the 73-72 win over defending national champion and No. 1 seed Florida to finally reach the Sweet 16 since 1999. We then turn the page to Thursday's huge Sweet 16 showdown in Houston against Nebraska. It's Round 3 of Iowa vs. Nebraska this season after splitting the regular-season series — with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

Tyler and Collin break down Iowa Hoops' 6-game win streak, sharing their thoughts on the last few games, spotlighting the players stepping up in a big way, and looking ahead to the upcoming schedule and potential tournament seed.

The 2026 Iowa Hawkeyes football schedule dates just dropped! In this quick episode, Collin breaks down the full slate and his thoughts on it.

Tyler and Collin talk all things Iowa Men’s Basketball in this episode. We discuss our thoughts so far on the season, get into some of the players we’ve been very impressed with and those who’ve fallen short of expectations, dive into the remaining schedule, and much more!

Collin starts with Iowa basketball's road win at Indiana — a badly needed bounce-back victory after dropping three straight. Then Collin dives into the portal haul breaking down and ranking all the Hawkeyes' key transfer portal additions for football. Who lands at the top spot? Which newcomers could make the biggest impact? Timeslots may vary due to Ads (0:00) Intro, (1:33) Iowa Men’s Bask...

Tyler and Collin break down an exciting stretch for Iowa athletics. We kick off with the men's basketball team's impressive 74-61 victory over UCLA on January 3—the most recent action—where Bennett Stirtz dropped 27 points to lead No. 25 Iowa to a hard-fought win, holding off a second-half Bruins surge. We dive into what this means for head coach Ben McCollum's stellar debut season, as...

The 2025 season is in the books, and it’s time to assign our season grades. Was this a successful year for the Hawkeyes, or just another case of being good but nothing particularly special, which Iowa fans have come to expect? We analyze the highs, the lows, the what-ifs, and give an official letter grade for the season. Plus, a quick look ahead to Iowa’s bowl matchup vs Vanderbilt.

Tyler and Collin discuss Iowa’s comeback in the fourth quarter to beat the Spartans 20-17. This was one of those games you want to forget - a brutal 55 minutes until the offense finally came to life on Senior Day. Then, we switch gears to Iowa Hoops, as they have a big week ahead and a stretch of games with tougher competition. (0:00) Intro (0:06) Iowa vs Michigan St Reaction (18:01) Iowa Men'...

Join Tyler and Collin as they discuss Iowa’s 18-16 loss to Oregon. A game that came down to the wire, yet again couldn’t get the job done when it mattered most.

Iowa begins the McCollum era with a 101-69 victory over Robert Morris. Join Tyler and Collin as they react to the first win of the season and discuss how we feel moving forward.

A new chapter for the Iowa Hawkeyes Men's Basketball begins as the upcoming era under Ben McCollum is almost here. In this episode, Tyler and Collin preview the 2025-26 season preview and share our predictions for the Hawkeyes. (0:00) Intro (1:28) Offseason Thoughts (4:33) What can we expect in Year (1 9:18) Secret Scrimmages vs SLU and Texas Tech (12:51) Roster Breakdown (16:31) X Factor (20:...

Celebrate Iowa's 41-3 Floyd of Rosedale victory over Minnesota as Tyler and Collin break down the blowout win. Now entering the bye week with a 3-game win streak, the Hawkeyes' dreams are still alive and within reach. 


Tyler and Collin react to Iowa’s 25-24 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday. 

Tyler and Collin break down Iowa's 37-0 shutout victory over rival Wisconsin at Camp Randall. From the offense doing just enough with a limited Mark Growonski to the defense putting on a dominating performance, we cover the game from all angles. We then dive into Wisconsin’s shocking freefall under Luke Fickell. Wrapping up, we turn our eyes to a prime-time home clash at Kinnick against a stum...

In this post-bye week edition, Tyler and Collin dive into the critical Heartland Trophy clash at Wisconsin this Saturday. With QB Mark Gronowski's injury status uncertain, we break down our prediction for a must-win road game that could influence how the season unfolds. As Iowa Football approaches the halfway point, we discuss whether the season so far has been a disappointment or not. We wrap...

Tyler and Collin unpack Iowa's crushing 20-15 loss to Indiana — yet another missed opportunity for the Hawkeyes.

Collin breaks down Iowa's massive Big Ten showdown against the red-hot, 11th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers—undefeated at 4-0 and fresh off a 63-9 demolition of Illinois. Inside what will be a LOUD Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, can the Hawks get it done?

Collin analyzes Iowa’s 38-28 road win over Rutgers—their Big Ten opener and a crucial game to maintain momentum as they face a tough opponent next week at home against Indiana. Collin briefly previews that game toward the end of the episode.

Tyler and Collin discuss the Hawkeyes' commanding 47-7 victory over UMass, a game that displayed some offensive breakthroughs fans have been eager to see. We discuss whether this performance indicates real progress for Gronowski's comfort and the offense moving forward. We also cover the strong defensive showing and the ups and downs of Special Teams so far this season. Additionally, we pr...

In this post-CyHawk episode, we explore the aftermath, highlighting the key moments and frustrations of the game. But the main focus? Breaking down what has been a disastrous Iowa offense so far – why does it keep sputtering, what systemic issues are holding it back, and can it improve under Kirk?

Tyler and Collin analyze Iowa football's 2025 season opener against Albany, breaking down the 34-7 win. The main discussion point was the inconsistent passing game in Mark Gronowski’s Hawkeye debut. Is it time to panic? We talk about that and also highlight some positives from the game. We conclude by previewing the big game next week in Ames, where confidence in Iowa winning seems low at this...

In this final episode before the 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes Football season kicks off, Collin and Tyler are joined by special guest Kolby, who makes his annual appearance on the show. The trio dives deep into their expectations for the upcoming season, starting with their biggest concern heading into the year. Next, they shift gears to highlight the most exciting aspects they're looking forward to ent...

Collin and Tyler discuss the latest storylines from Iowa Football's Fall Camp. We start with the Big Ten Bus Tour's stop in Iowa City and share our thoughts on what the BTN crew observed during the Hawkeyes' practice. Next, Collin explains more about the impact of having Warren Ruggiero on staff to help scout and game plan for each game. To finish, we rank Iowa’s position units from 1...

Tyler and Collin discuss Iowa Football’s annual Kids Day open scrimmage at Kinnick Stadium on August 9. We share our thoughts on the quarterback play, the team’s overall vibe, and much more as they prepare for the 2025 season opener. (Timestamps might be slightly off due to Ads) (0:00) Intro (0:41) Initial Overall Thoughts (7:28) QB Play Primarily Mark's Performance (14:02) Thoughts on WR Room...