Iowa has a way of dragging everyone else into its kind of game, and that’s exactly why the Hawkeyes keep showing up in conversations that go way beyond the box score. The 2026 Big Ten race already has its headliners - Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, and maybe Michigan - but Iowa could crash the party if Kinnick Stadium starts doing what it so often does.
That’s the backdrop for Josh Pate’s look at the six most underrated games of the 2026 college football season, a list that includes Ohio State at Iowa in Week 5. The matchup matters because of what it means inside Kinnick, where ranked teams have run into trouble during Kirk Ferentz’s tenure, and because of what it could do to the conference race.
"I'm really circling Ohio State at Iowa in Week 5. How big is the Iowa game?
It's not as big as Texas; it's not the Indiana game; it's not going to USC; it's not Oregon. It's not the Michigan game.
"This is a Super Bowl moment for Iowa. They play Michigan, they play Ohio State, they play Washington back-to-back-to-back.
If they win one of those three, and take care of business the rest of the way, they can be a 10-2 team." Now, if they can win two, Iowa is firmly in the mix," Pate said about Iowa's schedule.
Of course, none of that matters if Iowa doesn’t get through the early part of the season cleanly. The Hawkeyes open with three straight home games against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa, and all three look winnable. If they handle that stretch and reach 3-0, the spotlight shifts fast to a Big Ten opener on the road against Michigan.
That’s where the schedule starts to get very real. On paper, Michigan is the home team in the national conversation, especially with a new head coach in Kyle Whittingham. But that kind of setup can also pull Michigan into the sort of ugly, low-scoring game Iowa loves to create.
If Iowa gets past Michigan, then the Ohio State game becomes something bigger than just another conference matchup. It could put the Hawkeyes in position to seize an inside track in the Big Ten and, just maybe, open the door to their first trip to the College Football Playoff.
In Other News...
Iowa Taking Extra Precautions For Bananas Crowd At Kinnick
With two sold-out Savannah Bananas games set for Kinnick Stadium on July 3 and 4, Iowa is treating the summer showcase like more than just a novelty act. The university is putting extra heat-relief measures in place for the late-night starts, including hydration stations, shaded areas, cooling stations and an air-conditioned first-aid tent, while also allowing fans to bring one sealed water bottle or one empty refillable bottle into the stadium.
The planning goes beyond convenience, with Johnson County Ambulance Services staging two UTVs and UI Health Care and Carver College of Medicine personnel on site, including physicians, nurses, athletic trainers and medical students. Iowa is also urging fans to pre-hydrate, dress for the weather, seek shade when they can and watch for signs of heat-related illness, a reminder that even a party atmosphere at Kinnick still comes with the realities of a Midwestern July. [Read more 🡒]
Ben McCollum Just Made An Aggressive Move For Elite Size
Ben McCollum is already putting a clear stamp on Iowas recruiting approach, and it starts with size. The Hawkeyes have extended a scholarship offer to Bentley Lusakueno, a 6-foot-10 center from Woodward Academy in College Park, Georgia, giving the program a foothold with one of the most intriguing young big men in the country. Lusakueno is still early in his high school career, but his profile has been building quickly, and his place among the top prospects in the 2028 class reflects how much attention he is already drawing.
The offer matters because Iowa is not entering a quiet race. Lusakueno already has multiple Division I suitors, and the list includes several programs with strong national recruiting reputations. He also has USA Basketball experience on his rsum, which only adds to the sense that this is the kind of prospect whose recruitment could keep expanding. For McCollum and the Hawkeyes, getting involved now is the aggressive part. The harder part is figuring out how much traction they can build from here. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa May Have Found Another Cooper DeJean In Zach Lutmer
Zach Lutmer has quietly become one of the more intriguing defenders on Iowas roster, and the reason is easy to understand. In 2025, the Hawkeyes found a defensive back whose size and production naturally invite the Cooper DeJean comparison, even if the path to getting there looks a little different. Lutmer has shown the kind of flexibility Iowa has long valued, handling multiple jobs in the secondary and giving the defense a piece it can move around rather than a player locked into one lane.
What makes Lutmer especially interesting is that his value may come from that versatility as much as from any one standout trait. He can line up at corner, safety, or in a hybrid role, and that gives Iowa a different kind of weapon than the pure lockdown corner DeJean was. If Lutmer keeps developing at this pace, the Hawkeyes may not just have found a familiar name to compare him to, but a player capable of building a legacy that belongs entirely to him. [Read more 🡒]