DALLAS (FWAA) – Iowa dominated Minnesota early on and continued to pound the ball throughout its 41-3 win over their Big Ten rival. In the middle of the offensive line that graded as the country’s best last weekend is center Logan Jones. For his role in keeping the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy in Iowa for another season, Jones is the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Oct. 25, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the third season for the FWAA to select an Outland Trophy National Player of the Week as part of the NCFAA's weekly national honors from 12 awards. The recipient of the 2025 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 12. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 21, 2026.
The weekly winners are added to the preseason Outland Trophy watch list going forward. Jones is already a member of the 2025 watch list.
The home state-grown Jones, a 6-3, 302-pound center from Council Bluffs had the offensive line working well, and fast. The Hawkeyes (6-2) had a 128-12 advantage in total yards in the first quarter and 186-44 by halftime. Iowa scored on its opening drive for the first time since Week 3, and its 31 first-half points were the most it has scored in a half since 2021.
Jones, a graduate student starting his 46th career game who has been a game captain each week this season, helped the Hawkeyes allow only one pressure against a Minnesota defense that registered nine sacks against Nebraska in its previous game.
Iowa’s offensive line earned the highest grade in the FBS by Pro Football Focus from the game, and Jones is the No. 1-rated center by the service. With Jones in the middle, all five Hawkeye offensive linemen who played at least 40 snaps earned pass blocking grades above 80 percent against Minnesota.
The Hawkeyes have outrushed their opponents in seven of the team’s eight games and have 200 or more rushing yards in four of their eight games.
Jones’ protection along with the rest of the line has helped quarterback Mark Gronowski become a rushing threat. Gronowski rushed for a touchdown against Minnesota, marking an eighth straight games with a rushing score that is a Big Ten record for the most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown by a quarterback. His 11 rushing scores this season tie Wilburn Hollis for the most rushing touchdowns by an Iowa quarterback in program history.
Jones was recognized as an All-Big Ten lineman following the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Iowa has a proud history with the Outland Trophy with four former winners and two previous finalists. Its last finalist was the player Jones replaced as the starting center, Tyler Linderbaum in 2021. Hawkeyes defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon was also a finalist in 2020. Iowa’s last Outland Trophy winner was offensive tackle Brandon Scherff in 2014.
The Hawkeyes are idle this weekend. They will host Oregon on Sat., Nov. 8.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from finalists who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects a 26-man first team and eventually three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 80 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. For more information about the NCFAA, visit ncfaa.org.
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The Greater Omaha Sports Committee, founded in 1977, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, consisting of more than 1,300 men and women from the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, and others. The Committee serves to communicate, develop, initiate and promote sports activities in the Greater Omaha sports area. In addition to the Outland Trophy Award Events and Dinner, the Greater Omaha Sports Committee promotes high school, college, and professional sports in the Greater Omaha area and the Midwest. For more information contact Bob Mancuso Jr., Chairman at bmancuso@showofficeonline.com or see showofficeonline.com.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.