Ben McCollum is not going to let anyone linger on last spring’s March Madness glow for long. The run to the Elite 8 was memorable, but that chapter is closed now. What comes next is the 2026-27 season, and with it a different kind of test for Iowa: living up to the new standard that last year created.
That’s the real shift here. A fun surprise run is one thing.
A second-year team under McCollum is being judged by a higher bar. For Iowa, that means more than just looking dangerous in bursts.
It means producing wins at a level that makes the Hawkeyes a real factor in the Big Ten and a safe bet for the NCAA Tournament.
The roster turnover is where the conversation starts. Bennett Stirtz, Tavion Banks, and Alvaro Folgueiras are gone.
Iowa has enough depth and talent to account for Banks and Folgueiras, but replacing Stirtz is the central issue on the board. His role now falls to transfer Ty'Reek Coleman and returning guard Kael Combs, and McCollum needs that pairing to cover as much of the gap as possible - ideally all of it, or close to it.
There are places where this team should be better. The paint looks stronger with Andrew McKeever, a 7-foot-3 transfer from Saint Mary's, who should give Iowa the true rim protection it didn’t always have last season.
That matters. So does the growth expected on the wings, where Cooper Koch and Tate Sage both showed flashes during March Madness and are supposed to take another step.
Still, this is not a roster that should be rushed. Early growing pains are part of the deal. The difference is that the standard hasn’t softened just because the team needs time to settle in.
The honest expectation is straightforward: Iowa should be competitive in the Big Ten and make the NCAA Tournament, period. McCollum’s track record, the overall improvement in the roster despite the departures, and a full offseason of development all point in that direction.
The league won’t make that easy. Michigan looks like a contender.
Michigan State has national title hopes. Illinois brings back enough talent to be loaded.
Purdue, as always, has Matt Painter. After that top group, Iowa lands in a crowded middle with UCLA, Ohio State, Nebraska, and USC.
For the Hawkeyes, being competitive means stealing a game or two from that upper tier and holding their own in the cluster behind it. It also means finishing in the top half of the conference standings.
That’s why any talk of a floor below the NCAA Tournament feels too low. ESPN listed this team’s floor as missing the tournament and its ceiling as merely getting to the round of 64, but both outcomes would land as disappointments.
With the field expanding to 76 teams, Iowa’s worst-case scenario should still include a tournament bid, and ideally a first-round win. Anything less would be a failure.
The ceiling is trickier. This is not yet a team that can reasonably call an annual Elite 8 run a baseline expectation. But with a favorable draw, some luck, and McCollum working his usual coaching magic, a Sweet 16 push is there.
In Other News...
Iowa Basketball Mourns The Loss Of One Of Its True Legends
Don Nelson, one of the most accomplished figures ever tied to Iowa basketball, died on Aug. 9 at the age of 86. Before becoming a Hall of Fame coach and one of the NBAs defining basketball minds, Nelson starred at the University of Iowa and later built a pro career that included five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, three Coach of the Year awards and 1,335 career wins on the bench.
For Hawkeye fans, the loss lands with extra weight because Nelson was not just a big name who passed through the program. He was a true college standout whose success helped shape Iowas basketball history, and his place in the sport was cemented when he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Even now, his legacy remains the standard for what a Hawkeye can become after leaving Iowa City. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Camp Battles Put Pressure On Returning Hawkeyes Offense
Fall camp always sharpens the spotlight on returning players, and for Iowas offense it is especially true in a few crowded position rooms. Wide receiver, running back and the offensive line all carry open competition, and the Hawkeyes are asking several familiar names to prove they belong in the rotation before the season gets here. Jarriett Buies return adds another layer to the receiver battle, while Brevin Doll is trying to settle into his new role at running back after making a position switch.
Jack Dotzler is in a different kind of fight, one that comes with the urgency of a final season and a chance to become a full-time starter up front. For Iowa, the larger issue is depth and reliability, since camp performance will go a long way toward sorting out which returning offensive pieces can handle bigger roles. These are the sorts of August decisions that often shape how much flexibility the Hawkeyes have once the games start for real. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Just Raised The Stakes In Iowas QB Battle
At Big Ten Media Days, Kirk Ferentz made it clear Iowas quarterback picture is still very much unsettled heading into the season. The Hawkeyes have been working through their competition, and Ferentz said hes pleased with the progress so far, but he stopped short of naming a starter with summer winding on.
Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown remain at the center of the battle, and the timing only adds to the intrigue. Ferentz did not put a firm date on when the choice will be made, leaving open the possibility that the answer comes later in August or even after the opener, a scenario that would keep one of the teams biggest questions hanging longer than usual. [Read more 🡒]