Tight end, Iowa, 2023–26
Zach Ortwerth
Lettered 2023–25 (school media guide)
- Number
- No. 48
- Height
- 6′4″
- Weight
- 247 lb
- Class (2026)
- Senior
- Hometown
- Saint Louis, MO
Zach Ortwerth plays tight end for Iowa. Last time out, at Washington: 1 catch, 15 yards.
2026 so far
4 catches, 41 yards
Last game: 1 catch, 15 yards at Washington, W 41–24
Next game: at Minnesota, Oct 24
Filled bars: wins; outlined: losses.
Receiving
* The season in progress, so far.
Season lines from CollegeFootballData, regular season and bowls.
On the roster
As each season’s roster listed the player (CollegeFootballData). Classes before the latest listing are counted back from it; “Yr 1” is the year on file where that count can’t place a season he played (a redshirt, transfer or 2020 year); height and weight as last listed.
Per play
| Season | Team | Plays | EPA/play | Pctile | Median | Total | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Iowa | 1 | 3.63 | – | – | 3.6 | – |
| 2024 | Iowa | 11 | 0.79 | – | – | 8.7 | – |
| 2025 | Iowa | 12 | 0.19 | – | – | 2.3 | – |
| 2026 | Iowa | 5 | 0.45 | – | – | 2.3 | – |
Expected points added: how much the player’s plays moved the team’s expected score, per play and in total. Plays: total EPA divided by EPA per play, the plays the source credits to him (for a receiver roughly his catches and runs, not every target; for a passer, not every attempt), so it can differ from attempts plus carries. Percentile: against the position’s regulars that season across all divisions on file (quarterbacks with 150+ plays, backs 60+, receivers and tight ends 30+), with how many there were (n) and their median; a dash means too few plays to rank. A season in progress uses the full-season bar scaled by games played, never below 75 plays for quarterbacks, 30 for backs and 20 for receivers. The cohort grows or shrinks with the source’s coverage each season (2025 lists far more players), so compare percentiles rather than raw EPA across years. FCS seasons are marked. Usage: the share of the team’s plays the player was part of (shown from 20 plays). From CollegeFootballData, 2013 on.
Game by game
2026 Iowa 4 games, 4 catches, 41 yards
| Date | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5 | vs. Northern Illinois | W 40–0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Sep 26 | at Michigan | W 20–19 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Oct 3 | vs. Ohio State | L 14–31 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Oct 9 | at Washington | W 41–24 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
2025 Iowa 8 games, 9 catches, 76 yards
| Date | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30 | vs. UAlbany | W 34–7 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Sep 13 | vs. Massachusetts | W 47–7 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| Sep 19 | at Rutgers | W 38–28 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 24 |
| Oct 11 | at Wisconsin | W 37–0 | – | – | – | – |
| Oct 25 | vs. Minnesota | W 41–3 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 19 |
| Nov 15 | at USC | L 21–26 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Nov 28 | at Nebraska | W 40–16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dec 31 ✦ | vs. Vanderbilt | W 34–27 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
2024 Iowa 7 games, 11 catches, 133 yards
| Date | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 | vs. Illinois State | W 40–0 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| Sep 7 | vs. Iowa State | L 19–20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Oct 19 | at Michigan State | L 20–32 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Oct 26 | vs. Northwestern | W 40–14 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 6 |
| Nov 2 | vs.Wisconsin | W 42–10 | 3 | 66 | 0 | 52 |
| Nov 29 | vs.Nebraska | W 13–10 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Dec 30 ✦ | vs. Missouri | L 24–27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2023 Iowa 1 game, 1 catch, 54 yards
| Date | Opponent | Result | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11 | vs.Rutgers | W 22–0 | 1 | 54 | 0 | 54 |
Box scores from CollegeFootballData, 2004 on. ✦ postseason; ★ a career high on file.
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