ESPN’s latest preseason FPI numbers have Iowa sitting in a familiar spot: close to the top 25, but not quite inside it. That feels about right for a program that tends to show up in these summer projections the same way every year - expected to handle the teams it should, expected to have trouble with the heavyweights, and expected to grind out another solid season under Kirk Ferentz.
The Hawkeyes have made a habit of living on that preseason edge, and nothing in this ranking suggests a major departure from the norm. Iowa opens with Northern Illinois, and the bigger question isn’t whether the Hawkeyes will be in the bowl conversation. It’s what kind of bowl they’ll land in.
ESPN’s model is a little less bullish than Iowa’s recent track record would suggest. Seeing the Hawkeyes come in below eight regular-season wins would be a surprise, especially with the way they’ve stacked up results over the years. Iowa has topped eight regular-season victories in seven of the last 10 seasons, which is why the floor here still looks fairly sturdy.
The path to a postseason berth appears pretty clear. The schedule gives Iowa enough winnable games to get to bowl eligibility, and the real debate is whether the Hawkeyes can push past that and get into the 10-win range, or settle into a lower-tier bowl slot.
There is a tougher ceiling, though, and it starts quickly once Big Ten play arrives. Iowa gets Michigan and Ohio State back-to-back to open conference action, which is about as brutal a welcome as you can draw up. If the Hawkeyes somehow win both of those games, the outlook changes fast.
That’s what makes this ranking interesting. Iowa’s path to the playoff is still a long shot, but it’s not nothing. The Hawkeyes are sitting above some teams ranked ahead of them in the FPI, which leaves at least a sliver of room for something bigger.
So, yes, the odds are long. But college football has already shown that long shots can cash.
Indiana pulled it off. If the all-time losingest program can bring home a championship, then Iowa can at least dream a little - even if it would take something close to lottery-ticket luck.
In Other News...
Iowa's Quarterback Carousel Just Put 2026 Under A Harsh Spotlight
Iowas quarterback room has spent most of the 2020s feeling like a revolving door, with injuries, transfers and uneven production making it hard for the offense to ever settle in. Cade McNamara never got the kind of sustained run the Hawkeyes hoped for, Joey Labas moved on after his lone Iowa start, and even the more encouraging moments have tended to arrive in bursts rather than as part of a steady answer under center.
Mark Gronowski gave the offense a different kind of spark in recent years, but the bigger question now is what comes next for a program that has not exactly enjoyed a smooth handoff at the position. With 2026 looming, Iowa is staring at another quarterback competition, and the way that battle unfolds will go a long way toward determining whether the Hawkeyes finally find some stability or keep living with the same old uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Ferentz Earns Another National Nod As Iowa Debate Rages
Kirk Ferentz keeps adding to a rsum that already stands apart in college football, and the latest recognition comes before Iowa has even played a snap of the 2026 season. The Hawkeyes coach was named to the Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, another national nod that reflects not just on-field success but also the broader standards tied to the award, including leadership and integrity.
Ferentz is entering his 28th season in Iowa City, a run that has made him the longest-tenured head coach in the sport and the winningest coach in Big Ten history for games played while a conference member. For a program that has long measured itself by steadiness and staying power, the honor adds another layer to the ongoing debate around Ferentzs place in the sport, even as the bigger question remains what this Iowa team can do with all that history behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper DeJean Just Gave Iowa Fans More NFL Validation
Cooper DeJeans rise in Philadelphia has only strengthened the case that Iowa keeps producing NFL-ready defensive backs. The former Hawkeye, a second-round pick by the Eagles in the 2024 NFL Draft, has quickly become one of the more valuable pieces in a defense that leans on versatility, instincts and reliability in the secondary.
What makes DeJean especially interesting is how much his game still invites debate, even as his reputation grows. He has been used as both a slot corner and a safety, and that flexibility is part of why league evaluators now view him among the top cornerbacks in football heading into 2026. For Iowa fans, it is another reminder that the programs defensive back pipeline is still carrying real weight on Sundays. [Read more 🡒]