No. 20 Iowa left Seattle with more than a statement win. The Hawkeyes left with a legitimate opening back into the College Football Playoff conversation.
Traveling two time zones west on short rest after a bruising Week 5 loss to Ohio State, and doing it without starting quarterback Hank Brown because of a shoulder injury, Iowa could have been in trouble. Instead, backup Jeremy Hecklinski took over and the Hawkeyes raced to an early four-touchdown cushion on the way to a 41-24 win over Washington.
That result matters because it changes the shape of Iowa’s season. At 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes now have a realistic shot at finishing 10-2 - and even 11-1 if everything breaks right. According to the CBS Sports College Football Forecaster, a 10-2 Iowa team would have about a 60% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
For a program that remains one of the strongest Power Four teams never to reach the CFP, the route ahead is suddenly looking manageable. Iowa does not have Indiana or Oregon left on the schedule, and not a single opponent remaining was ranked in the AP Top 25 heading into Week 6. With Ohio State behind them and their lone West Coast trip already banked as a blowout win, the Hawkeyes can use the bye week to sit on something they haven’t had in a while: real playoff belief.
The rest of the schedule looks, in old Big Ten terms, a lot like the old Big Ten West. CBS Sports’ College Football Forecaster gives Iowa between a 44% and 79% chance to win each of its remaining games:
Oct. 24 at Minnesota (58%)
Oct. 31 vs. Wisconsin (57%)
Nov. 7 at Northwestern (50%)
Nov. 14 vs. Purdue (79%)
Nov. 21 at Illinois (56%)
Nov. 27 vs. Nebraska (44%)
That set of numbers puts 5-1 or 6-0 down the stretch squarely in play. Iowa won the division in 2015, 2021 and 2023 while playing against the six teams still on its schedule.
Friday night also raised a bigger question inside the program: what happens at quarterback when Brown is healthy?
Hecklinski answered in style, completing 14 of 19 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Iowa piled up 465 total yards, with 279 coming in the first half alone. It was the first time since 2018 that the Hawkeyes reached 465 or more yards against a Big Ten opponent.
The offense has changed the feel of this team. Iowa built its identity in the NIL era around a punishing defense and elite special teams, but an attack that can actually move the ball gives the Hawkeyes a different kind of edge.
The defense, though, is still very much the backbone. Against Washington, Iowa recorded six sacks and nine tackles for loss.
The formula looks a little different than it has in the past, but the defense remains as dangerous as ever.
In Other News...
Ryan Day Revealed Ohio State's Bigger Concern After Maryland Win
Ohio States win over Maryland came with a heavier dose of adversity than the final score suggested, as the Buckeyes were down five starters and two reserve players because of injuries and illness. Starting offensive tackle Austin Siereveld was scratched after an illness surfaced just hours before kickoff, and Phillip Daniels was also held out because he was not ready to play, forcing Ohio State to shuffle on the fly in a game where depth mattered more than usual.
Ryan Day pointed to the mix of penalties and availability issues as part of the larger concern, even with the victory in hand. The Buckeyes are also hoping to get some injured players back next week, which makes the immediate injury picture just as important as anything that happened against Maryland. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got Snubbed Before A Huge Top 10 Road Test
Ohio State heads to Bloomington for a top-10 road test against Indiana, but the Buckeyes wont be getting the full College GameDay treatment for it. ESPNs pregame show chose BYU vs. Notre Dame in Provo instead, leaving one of the weekends marquee Big Ten matchups without the extra spotlight that usually comes with a clash this big.
Its the kind of decision that stings a fan base used to being in the center of the national conversation, especially with the Buckeyes entering a stretch where every ranked opponent matters. And with GameDay already heading elsewhere this week, Ohio State supporters may be left wondering whether theyll get another chance to host the crew before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Got The Wake-Up Call Ryan Day Can Actually Use
Ryan Day had a useful decision in Maryland: he sat most of his starters and let the backups take real game snaps, the kind of reps that can only help a team that already knows it has a higher ceiling. Ohio State still handled the Terrapins 45-16, but the win came with enough messiness to feel instructive rather than purely routine.
The pass protection was shaky at times, turnovers popped up and the penalties piled up, giving the coaching staff a clear list of fixes before Indiana arrives next. For a team that has spent the season aiming higher, this kind of sloppy stretch can be annoying, but it also gives Day and his assistants something concrete to correct before the next step in the schedule. [Read more 🡒]