IOWA CITY, Iowa - Northwestern's season was knocked over the edge by Iowa in a dismal 40-14 loss that stung across many fronts.

The combination of quarterback Jack Lausch under offensive coordinator Zach Lujan was held without a touchdown for their second straight game. Any sparks from the Indiana and Maryland games seem to be thoroughly snuffed out as Lausch was just 10-for-19 for 62 yards with two interceptions passing, and also was sacked a safety.

The quarterback that dealt them the loss was Brendan Sullivan, who replaced Cade McNamara after three drives with the Hawkeyes down 7-3, and who was ushered out of the program in favor of Lausch this past spring. The defense started out as stalwarts but tackling wore down as they allowed three touchdowns to running back Kaleb Johnson and a 28-0 Iowa run in the third quarter.

"Poor performance in all three phases," head coach David Braun said. "We're going to find out a lot about our team as we transition into the next two days...that was an embarrassing performance... We're going to have to respond. Everything I've seen out of this team in the past says that they will, but this will be challenging."

The loss marked the four straight to the Hawkeyes, the first time Iowa has taken that many in the series in a row since 1991-94. This was the widest margin of defeat since Iowa's 40-10 win in 2015.

Here are our takeaways from Northwestern's brutal loss at Iowa.

Game management continues to plague Braun: There's no doubt Northwestern has faced adversity this season, especially with injuries in this game to lead receiver Bryce Kirtz and right guard Josh Thompson, and replacements already in at left guard and center.

But this is a seriously struggling offense right now. This is the third game in the Big Ten without the Cats failed to register an offensive touchdown, and the third game for Lausch under 100 yards passing and without a touchdown.

It would be one thing if it were pure talent deficit. It's a new staff and there were significant struggles on the field in their preceding two years. But those issues are exacerbated by decision making that is running into the same problems, game after game.

Emergency kicker Luke Akers was well short on a missed field goal attempt from 51 yards at Martin Stadium on fourth-and-2 last week against Wisconsin. The staff didn't hesitate to send Akers out again to try and hit from 50 yards on the road on Saturday.

Again, he was well short. Akers' career long in-game is from 44 yards.

"If we're not trusting our practice and the things we're collecting for our decision-making, then why are we going through those processes?" Braun asked. "Felt confident if we're at the 35-yard line and in, we were in field goal position. Once we had the 34-yard line, we felt very confident... [If that] had that been fourth-and-1, we'd have gone for it."

Braun's been frequent in saying he doesn't blindly trust analytics and statistics, it's about cross-referencing with his gut and feel of the game. He has consistently described Akers as a special teams "weapon", but if so, Braun does not know the right range.

The opening drive ended at the Iowa 32-yard line. Northwestern's offense would not enter Iowa territory again until the fourth quarter. They had just two drives of 20+ yards and would never crack the red zone.

Braun continues to make conservative play calls that have knocked the team out of a rhythm, or a scoring opportunity, never to return. It's an unsustainable model that is disassociated from the tools available on offense and special teams, and it sends the defense out to do the impossible, ad nauseam.

If Northwestern wants to try to make a bowl this season, or down the line, he has to be more aggressive.

MORE: Iowa routs Northwestern 40-14 in 'embarrassing performance'

Quarterback and offensive coordinator need to be evaluated: The offensive staff is footing the bill for recruiting and development from one of the nation's worst offenses under Mike Bajakian, but they're also racking up plenty of new charges.

Lausch was sacked for his second safety in as many weeks, and you can add the strip-sack by Wisconsin on the 3-yard line last week as the cherry on top. That's a disconnect between player and coach in play calling, execution and preparation. That's either putting a quarterback in harm's way or playing a quarterback that can't avoid harm's way three times in two weeks.

Lausch went 24:05 of game time between completions for positive yards, and Iowa went on a 30-0 run in that span. Kaleb Johnson was the star of that show, racking up three touchdowns and breaking tackle after tackle, but it was still piloted by Sullivan, the man the staff effectively left for the portal in favor of Lausch this spring.

Braun embraced Sullivan postgame and complimented his performance but was brusque in his response to if he regretted the decisions that led Sullivan to transfer to a conference opponent: "No," he replied.

And that rhetoric may hold. If Sullivan were still the starter, Northwestern would still have the same problems with the running game and offensive line. But the Wildcats need something to change, and fast, with their offensive philosophy and execution.

"Our only issue is not at quarterback," Braun said in response to evaluating Lausch as starter. "[Our issue is] everywhere. Our entire football team."

Braun's confidence in Lujan and Lausch to feel the flow of the game are gone. Two 20+ point losses without a touchdown will do that.

To pull the plug on Lujan after just a year would be extreme, especially with a positive trajectory as a recruiter. That move should only be made if the Wildcats are certain they can bring in a proven play caller, and that he's bringing a proven quarterback to boot. But the coordinator from South Dakota State with prodigy potential and two FCS national championship rings is now averaging 18.4 points per game and has more Big Ten games without a touchdown than he does with one.

An aggressive move to fire Lujan after just one year seems like a very aggressive move for Northwestern. But with a new athletic director signaling a focus on revenue and the move to an $800 million stadium in 2026, the potential for a sharp break in tradition is there.

Northwestern is not built for the new Big Ten right now: Northwestern has now lost five of their first eight games, and their only .500 opponent has been Washington, and that was played at Husky Stadium. The other four: Duke, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa, all have winning records.

Last year, the Wildcats feasted on the carcass of the Big Ten West's final season. Six of their seven regular-season wins came against teams that finished .500 or worse in their regular seasons, and it's hard to beat their chests for beating an eventually 8-5 Maryland.

Northwestern is a step down defensively, off the cliff on offense and frankly playing what project to be much better teams than last season and seeing the results. There's no doubt the Wildcats have plenty to work on, but it should be noted that this is their new reality. Grit, spit and duct tape doesn't stretch as far as it used to.

This coaching staff has a very strong developmental track record, and you can see that in some positions already. The offensive line struggles to create push and lanes in the run game but has been significantly improved in pass protection. Young players like safety Damon Walters, cornerback Josh Fussell and defensive end Anto Saka have flourished on defense.

They could, and should, pick up a win at Purdue next week, but there are systematic deficits on this team that are keeping it out of contention. Much was made of the even natures of the Wildcats' series with Iowa and Wisconsin, and both teams just wiped the field with them in back-to-back weeks.

Northwestern is losing considerable talent after the season, and if the program doesn't make significant, structural changes to its NIL and transfer portal policies, and follow through with extensive action to bolster its offense, it will be awfully difficult to win next season, as well.

The patience to let this staff put in the requisite time will be a tough bill of goods to sell to fans while opening an $800 million stadium in 2026; the same fans who are showing up to watch a team that could win four or fewer games for the fourth time in six years.