Iowa’s rise in the AP Top 25 kept rolling after a rugged Cy-Hawk win, with the Hawkeyes climbing from No. 21 to No. 18 in the latest poll.
That bump comes on the heels of a hard-earned 16-13 victory over Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium, a game Iowa didn’t finally put away until Caden Buhr drilled a 45-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter. Buhr’s kick finished off a 13-3 Iowa run to close the game, and while the margin was much tighter than the 14.5-point spread, the result still counted the same. Iowa entered the matchup already ranked, and the combination of its win plus movement ahead of it in the poll pushed the Hawkeyes into the top 20 for the first time this season.
The climb also gives Iowa some Big Ten company near the top of the rankings. The Hawkeyes are now the fifth-highest ranked team in the conference and one of seven Big Ten programs in the AP Top 25, behind Indiana at No.
4, Ohio State at No. 6, USC at No.
12, Penn State at No. 14 and Michigan at No. 19, with Oregon at No. 21.
Ohio State and Oregon both dropped after losses to Texas and Oklahoma State, opening the door for Iowa to move up.
Now the challenge shifts to Northern Iowa, which comes to Kinnick Stadium this week. It’s an FCS opponent, but Iowa can’t treat it like a walk-through. The Hawkeyes have seen this kind of setup before - in 2009, when UNI visited Iowa City, the Panthers were in position to win before Iowa special teams changed the game by blocking two field-goal attempts.
UNI arrives with a 1-1 record after opening with a 34-24 loss to Eastern Washington and then responding with a 56-14 win over Drake. Through two games, the Panthers have put together solid numbers on both sides of the ball, averaging 396.5 total yards of offense and allowing 351 yards per game defensively. They’ve also been effective against the run, holding opponents to 74.5 rushing yards per game.
For Iowa, the focus is simple: get the running game moving. That part of the offense never got going against Iowa State, and if it stalls again, UNI could linger longer than the Hawkeyes want. If Iowa wants to get to 3-0 and keep climbing, that has to change.
In Other News...
Iowa May Have Found A New Weapon In An Unlikely Place
Boston Everitt arrived in Iowa as something of a novelty, an Australian punter learning American football and college life at the same time, but the early returns suggest the Hawkeyes may have uncovered a useful piece. He earned the starting job and has settled in quickly, averaging 43.9 yards per punt in the opening games of the 2026 season while helping flip field position when Iowa needs it most.
What has stood out just as much as the leg is the adjustment behind it. Everitt has been getting steady support from teammates and coach Kirk Ferentz, who has praised his attitude and work ethic as he continues to adapt to life in Iowa. For a program that has long valued hidden edges, the possibility of finding one in an unlikely place is exactly the kind of development worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Making Another Early Push At A Recruit Fans Will Notice
Iowas recruiting momentum from the Cy-Hawk win carried right into the next day at Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes extended a scholarship offer to 2028 tight end Israel Johnigan during his game day visit. The Kansas City, Missouri, prospect is already drawing attention as one of the more highly regarded names in his class, and Iowa made sure he left campus with a clear sense of interest.
Johnigans junior season has helped fuel that early buzz, and the offer fits the way Iowa likes to get involved with tight ends before the market gets crowded. With multiple schools already in the mix, the Hawkeyes have put themselves in position early with a recruit fans will want to track, even if the real battle for him is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Passing Game Has A New Problem After Tony Diaz's Breakout
Tony Diaz has given Iowas passing game a needed spark early in the 2026 season, but the bigger picture is still about how the Hawkeyes can keep defenses honest around him. The tight end group has long been one of the teams defining matchup pieces, and DJ Vonnahme has already started to show why, catching six passes for 67 yards in two games while offering another option in the middle of the field.
Vonnahme is likely to miss the upcoming game against Northern Iowa, which adds a new wrinkle to a passing attack that is still trying to find its most reliable secondary threat. For Iowa, the intrigue is less about replacing one player and more about which tight end steps forward next, because the offense could use that play-action balance to make Diaz even harder to contain. [Read more 🡒]