Iowa football is back home in the comfort of Kinnick Stadium for the penultimate time in 2026 for a primetime clash against struggling Purdue on Saturday evening (6:30 CDT, NBC).

There's a lot of names that could be key contributors for the Hawkeyes in this game, but we've narrowed the list down to four. So without further adieu, here are the top Iowa players you should be keeping a close eye on against the Boilermakers.

RB L.J. Phillips

After arriving in Iowa City with so much anticipation, it took Phillips until Nov. 7 to have his breakout game as a Hawkeye. Injuries and Kamari Moulton taking the lead role limited Phillips' carries, but Moulton's own season-ending injury against Minnesota opened the door for Phillips to become the lead back. He took that title and didn't miss a beat against Northwestern, collecting 128 yards and even landing an explosive 45-yard run to set up Iowa's second touchdown of that game.

Xavier Williams was listed as the No. 1 back on that pre-Northwestern depth chart, but there's no doubts about who the lead running back is now. Phillips' name was listed on the depth chart for the first ahead of Saturday's game against Purdue, and it's safe to say he could be in line for a big game. The Boilermakers have allowed 5.2 yards per carry and rank 17th in the Big Ten in rushing defense this year, so one would think Phillips can take advantage of that on Saturday.

One more thing: it's going to be a chilly night at Kinnick Stadium, so it wouldn't shock anyone if offensive coordinator uses the run game to fuel his passing attack. Either way, expect Phillips to see a high volume of carries in this one.

WR Tony Diaz

It feels wrong to always pick star players, but they are on here in the first place because we think they match up well with the opposing team. Not only has Purdue struggled to stop the run, its passing defense also ranks 17th in the Big Ten at 244.7 yards per game. Hank Brown certainly has a chance to carve up this Boilermaker defense, but think about who he is throwing to. Reece Vander Zee and DJ Vonnahme are two of Brown's favorite targets, but watch out for Tony Diaz in this one.

The third-year went without a touchdown after an impressive season opener, but he's tallied one receiving score against both Wisconsin and Northwestern. Diaz brings a level of explosiveness that Iowa hasn't seen in years, and I have a feeling he'll find some green grass in this one.

DL Bryce Hawthorne

When we talk about some of Iowa's best defensive players at the end of the year, there's no way that article can't include Bryce Hawthorne. The fourth-year defensive lineman has been a menace up front this year, tallying 34 tackles and 3.5 sacks. The Hawkeyes have tallied the second-most sacks (30) in the Big Ten this year, and there could be a favorable matchup for Hawthorne to go to work on Saturday.

Purdue has yielded 24 sacks – the fifth-most in the conference – and just allowed seven sacks to a bad Maryland team last weekend. Expect Hawthorne to give the Boilermakers a run for their money in the trenches in this one.

DB Deshaun Lee

Iowa has gone 18 consecutive seasons (2008-present) of recording at least one pick-six in every year, but that streak is in jeopardy right now. The Hawkeyes still have one of the top defenses in the country, but have recorded just six interceptions in 2026. Three of those have come from veteran cornerback Deshaun Lee, though.

If there's going to be a pick-six for Iowa this year, it's probably going to come from the veteran Lee. He was very close to returning one back against Minnesota a few weeks ago, and Purdue's only hope of creating explosive plays is probably through the air.

Source: Yahoo Sports