Iowa football looked like a mediocre team Saturday and is firmly on track to fall short of the Hawkeyes' expectations for the season.

Just when it seemed this Iowa football team had patched up several important holes, another wave of problems arrived Saturday night. The final product was a 32-20 dud at Michigan State, a game in which the Hawkeyes struggled offensively but played even worse defensively.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - There is no sugarcoating Iowa football's 32-20 loss to Michigan State. Tight end Luke Lachey called it "deflating." Quarterback Cade McNamara used the word "humbling." Running back Kaleb Johnson described it as a "wake-up call.