1Iowa climbs into dynasty territory with top 14% power rating.
Ferentz's 26-11 run has Iowa in dynasty territory for the first time since 2021, but the market's 7.5-win projection suggests skepticism about sustaining that grind.
1Ferentz's 26-11 run has Iowa in dynasty territory for the first time since 2021, but the market's 7.5-win projection suggests skepticism about sustaining that grind.
Iowa wins the same way every autumn — a suffocating defense, a punter who flips the field, and a final score in the twenties — and the Hawkeyes have stopped pretending they're sorry about any of it.
Hawkeye fans are tired of the highlight shows treating their brand of football as a punchline; they'll tell you the punt is a weapon and a 13-10 win counts the same as a 49-42 one, and they relish mak…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Northern Illinois · Sat Sep 5 · 20:15 UTC
Iowa is the program where defense, punting, and 13-10 wins compound into 8-10 wins a year, decade after decade.
Iowa enters the 2026 season with a moderate continuity level and a development-class recruiting cohort, aiming to leverage its net portal importer status for competitive balance.
Herky's stoic. He'll let the defense speak.
the open questionis this a real, durable shift in the program's tier?
Ferentz's 26-11 run has Iowa in dynasty territory for the first time since 2021, but the market's 7.5-win projection suggests skepticism about sustaining that grind.
Iowa enters 2025 at No. 12 in SP+ — the 9-4 record under Ferentz's sixth season suggests the ceiling is higher than fan unease implies.
DJ Vonnahme produces at a notably higher rate when his team is an underdog than when favored, and his per-target value rises too, not just raw catches.
Jaziun Patterson sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach.
Kamari Moulton does NOT see a usage spike in garbage time -- his workload holds steady regardless of score.
Jaylen Raynor named Iowa State QB1
SI already calling him undervalued in Big 12 QB rankings — Raynor locking in as Iowa State's QB1 with seven Hawkeye starters gone to the draft is the kind of quiet confirmation that makes that take look smarter by the week.
Iowa OC Tim Lester's home damaged in fire
Lester running the new-look Iowa offense while dealing with this — seven starters gone and a rebuild to manage, and now this lands on top of it.
Cy-Hawk rivalry extended
Cy-Hawk on the books past the current deal — seven drafted starters gone and a development class rebuilding from scratch, Ferentz needs the home schedule to carry water while the roster catches up.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence a bit lower than recent years
28th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Iowa · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Iowa has climbed into dynasty-caliber territory — into the top 14% of FBS by power rating over the last three seasons, up from the top 24% a year ago. It is a 26-11 record over the last three regular seasons. Three-year power ratings tell a structural story — the room is split on whether the schedule will confirm it.
The 'resurgence is real' read: the numbers are starting to back the hype.
The 'wait and see' counter -- power shifts often get overread before the season proves them.
Iowa enters 2025 rated No. 12 in SP+ (+19.7). A top-25 rating means the tape backed the ranking over three seasons. Now the schedule tests whether it still does. Preview coverage is split — believers and skeptics are reading the same data differently.
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
This event was in 182 of 640 board posts (28%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (347 posts): 13% positive · 53% neutral · 34% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Three of five. Trending up, not yet hot.
Opens Sep 5
vs Northern Illinois · at home
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
IA leads the 2026 class with 5 commits. National footprint reaching 10 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
89 signees across 21 states, 2023-2026. IA leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
59 of 66 AP voters have them ranked, final AP ballot (2025) — from #14, David Briggs (Toledo Blade), to #25, Garland Gillen (WVUE-TV FOX 8). 7 voters left them off the ballot entirely.
Individual AP Top 25 ballots, final AP ballot, 2025 — 66 voters tracked.
11 games with TV coverage: 5 national broadcast, 1 ESPN, 3 cable, 2 conference network
Kickoff windows: 3 noon, 5 afternoon, 3 primetime
27% recovery rate on the fumbles they've forced — below the ~49% league baseline.
3 of 11 forced fumbles recovered; 2 of 6 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
22% of tipped/broken-up passes have turned into picks — about the ~19% league average.
11 interceptions of 49 disrupted passes (38 deflected, 11 intercepted), 2025 only.
39 penalties committed, 50 drawn on opponents — a near-even trade all season.
392 penalty yards committed vs. 410 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 12 corners
The split, staged
How Iowa fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 12 corners of the fanbase
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
~ our readIowa fans are down on the program, and they're pointing to real stats and results to back it up — more than most fanbases right now.
✓ counted We read 347 posts from Iowa fans this week.
Fan mood across the 2025 season, both sides — our read
Shaded weeks show whose fanbase read warmer, our measure of what fans actually said, not a poll.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
Our line gives him 5+ seconds and none of our receivers can get open against an FCS team. Lmfao fuck me
Ya I think a major issue for us currently is that our receivers aren't getting open. Why that is, I'm not sure. But I think that's a major reason we look like shit, Gronowski is having to hold it too long
Based on 3 comments from 2 posters across 3 threads · Aug 30, 2025 · via CFB
Iowa has had that 7-3 game and the infamous 6-4 victory with a fuck you safety. The years pass and times changes but Kirk Ferentz getting low scoring wins is inevitable.
Kirk Ferentz enters his 28th season at the helm of Iowa, the longest tenured coach in FBS, and winningest coach in Big Ten history.
Based on 2 comments from 1 poster across 2 threads · Jul 19, 2026–Jul 28, 2026 · via CFB
Iowa will have a top 40 scoring offense and top 80 total offense leading Tim Lester to be offered interviews for head coach jobs that he will turn down.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 24, 2026 · via CFB
Nah, it'll still be a close game, these rivalry matches with Iowa State are always close.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 31, 2025 · via CFB
I've always thought Ferentz was the best "coach" in the B10. The reason is how much he gets out of middle of the road talent. Iowa consistently gets more out of less than any program imo.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 6, 2026 · via Josh Pate's College Football Show
Is this Iowa now? Spending every off-season hyping up the latest transfer QB as the savior of the program just for each QB to be worse than the last one?
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 31, 2025 · via CFB
“I agree with both of your comments, the hire was indicative of chasing a big name rather than the right coach for the player you have. AK would probably do better with Gronowski.”— r/CFB
“I refuse to believe this is possible. Its hard enough to get 60 yards of offense.”— r/CFB
“We held these fuckers to 20 and had a lead in the 4th and they have the audacity to not rank us, they’ve dismantled everyone else besides our defense which just makes me positive about these last 4”— r/CFB
“Yeah but he about doubled his yardage from week 1. He’s on pace to throw for 163,000 yards in game 12.”— r/CFB
Forum Pulse
via HawkeyeNation
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Iowa · high confidence
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.31 EPA/play | 11 | 13 | 166 / 262 | 63.4 | 1741 | 6.6 | 10 | 7 | 126.4 | 62.3 | 5.6 | 5.8 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage33.2% 84th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry4.2 82th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Mark Gronowski's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.07 EPA/play | 9 | 3 | 11 / 21 | 52.4 | 107 | 5.1 | 1 | 1 | 101.4 | 35.5 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.11 EPA/play | 28 | 11 | 170 | 878 #65 FBS | 5.2 | 5 | 34 | 9.1 | 18.7 | 10.7 | 13.7 | 9.1% (23/253) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 37th percentile to the 83rd among FBS RBs | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.14 EPA/play | 4 | 10 | 60 | 296 | 4.9 | 0 | 17 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 10 | 13.3 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry5.5 57th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate0.0% bottom 6th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Plays like View Jaziun Patterson's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Speed Merchant · +0.17 EPA/play | 26 | 10 | 49 | 285 | 5.8 | 3 | 43 | 10.4 | 8.8 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → Speed MerchantCuts upfield fast. Designed to find the crease, not run through the line. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 48 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry7.0 95th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate6.1% 76th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Xavier Williams's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.03 EPA/play | 25 | 8 | 37 | 169 | 4.6 | 0 | 24 | 5.6 | 11.2 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| -0.24 EPA/play | 8 | 8 | 28 | 98 | 3.5 | 0 | 13 | 2.2 | 5.9 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Move TE · +0.72 EPA/play | 81 | 10 | 29 | 434 | 15.0 | 3 | 51 | 10.5 | 9.5 | 15.0% (38/253) | |
Yards by week → Move TELined up out wide as often as inline. Creates mismatches downfield. 34 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception15.8 90th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume29 72th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like our readTwo-star recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.33 EPA/play | 5 | 11 | 24 | 278 | 11.6 | 1 | 44 | 14.8 | 11.4 | 15.4% (39/253) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. The most common profile in its group this season — 332 of 558 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Jacob Gill's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.84 EPA/play | 2 | 10 | 16 | 261 | 16.3 | 0 | 45 | 4.3 | 5.2 | 8.7% (22/253) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception18.2 89th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Sam Phillips's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.83 EPA/play | 15 | 8 | 15 | 219 | 14.6 | 2 | 29 | 9.9 | 7.7 | 8.3% (21/253) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception9.5 bottom 16th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.8 90th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Reece Vander Zee's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.20 EPA/play | 21 | 13 | 20 | 151 | 7.5 | 1 | 28 | 1.3 | 6 | 10.3% (26/253) | |
Yards by week → Possession Receiver· Return threatReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. a house-call threat every time he fields it Consensus All-American — 1st team on at least three of the five NCAA selectors. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception9.1 bottom 12th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.2 bottom 12th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Kaden Wetjen's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.74 EPA/play | 7 | 6 | 8 | 91 | 11.4 | 1 | 42 | 7.7 | 6.7 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.26 EPA/play | 48 | 8 | 9 | 76 | 8.4 | 0 | 24 | 3.9 | 3.6 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception8.4 bottom 24th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Zach Ortwerth's full player page | |||||||||||
| -0.03 EPA/play | 6 | 6 | 10 | 54 | 5.4 | 2 | 20 | 2.9 | 5.5 | 7.5% (19/253) | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.72 EPA/play | 88 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 6.5 | 0 | 17 | 4.9 | 4.3 | — | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception6.5 bottom 11th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Hayden Large's full player page | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 95 | 13 | 37 | 17 | 6.5 | 5 | 3 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate17.6% 62th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Aaron Graves's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 49 | 13 | 35 | 21 | 10 | 7.5 #34 FBS | 2 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate28.6% 93th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Ethan Hurkett's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 48 | 12 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 6 #74 FBS | 8 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate36.0% 99th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Max Llewellyn's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 91 | 11 | 19 | 8 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate2.6% bottom 11th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 56th percentile among FBS IDLs, up from the 84th | |||||||
| Versatile End | 90 | 10 | 16 | 7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate3.1% bottom 7th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Brian Allen's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 96 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Bryce Hawthorne's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 44 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class View Kenneth Merrieweather's full player page | |||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thumper | 43 | 13 | 83 | 42 | 41 | 12 #51 FBS | 4 | 1 | 0 |
ThumperDownhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 97 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate14.5% 76th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume83 87th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score went from the 0th percentile among FBS LBs to the 89th | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 36 | 10 | 44 | 24 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume44 bottom 41th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate2.3% bottom 16th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jayden Montgomery's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 41 | 9 | 41 | 21 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 0th percentile to the 32nd among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 12 | 12 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 2.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. The most common profile in its group this season — 362 of 660 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · senior View Jaxon Rexroth's full player page | |||||||||
| 33 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 46 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 1 | 13 | 76 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume76 95th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 27th percentile to the 62nd among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Box Safety | 4 | 13 | 73 | 3 | 0 | 3.5 | 0 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume73 93th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readSustained Ascent: his CFB Index score shows two real climbs in a row — 0th to 13th to 60th percentile among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Rover | 6 | 13 | 71 | 7 | 3 #56 FBS | 5.5 | 1 |
Rover· Takeaway threatHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 83 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate9.9% 60th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score moved from the 12th to 96th percentile among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 2 | 10 | 47 | 10 #20 FBS | 1 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate21.3% 96th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readReinvented: changed shape entirely — Hybrid Nickel to Centerfielder, his CFB Index score went from the 20th percentile among FBS Ss to the 78th | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 8 | 12 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate17.6% 90th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 80th percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 54th | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 3 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.7% bottom 43th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jaylen Watson's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 7 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate0.0% bottom 14th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Rashad Godfrey Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| 26 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Leg | 18 | 13 | 22/27 | 81.5 | 41/42 | 107 | 58 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinner | 9 | 12 | 42 | 1833 | 43.6 | 65 | 18 | 3 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.20 EPA/play | 21 | 13 | 16 | 476 | 29.8 | 1 | 100 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.20 EPA/play | 21 | 13 | 21 | 563 | 26.8 | 3 | 95 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+18 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #27 | #190 | -39.5 | UAlbany | W 34–7 69 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #42 | #35 | +3.5 | @Iowa State | L 13–16 120 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #31 | #165 | -35.5 | Massachusetts | W 47–7 120 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #33 | #62 | -2 | @Rutgers | W 38–28 126 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #29 | #13 | +9.5 | Indiana | L 15–20 127 | 3-2 | 1-1 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #38 | #62 | -4.5 | @Wisconsin | W 37–0 118 | 4-2 | 2-1 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #28 | #13 | -3 | Penn State | W 25–24 123 | 5-2 | 3-1 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #29 | #47 | -7 | Minnesota | W 41–3 109 | 6-2 | 4-1 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #27 | #2 | +4.5 | Oregon | L 16–18 118 | 6-3 | 4-2 |
| 12 | Nov 15 | #21 | #14 | +6.5 | @USC | L 21–26 116 | 6-4 | 4-3 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #20 | #96 | -17.5 | Michigan State | W 20–17 130 | 7-4 | 5-3 |
| 14 | Nov 28 | #28 | #64 | -5.5 | @Nebraska | W 40–16 122 | 8-4 | 6-3 |
| Bowl Season | ||||||||
| 18 | Dec 31 | #22 | #13 | +3 | Vanderbilt (N) | W 34–27 | 9-4 | 6-3 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31 | Vanderbilt | W 34–27 | — | — | — | +0.256 | 45.2% | 153.1% | Most explosive |
| Nov 28 | @Nebraska | W 40–16 | 379 | 1 | 33:20 | +0.312 | 48.4% | 130.1% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Nov 22 | Michigan State | W 20–17 | 301 | 2 | 29:40 | -0.086 | 40.6% | 88.7% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Nov 15 | @USC | L 21–26 | 320 | 1 | 30:44 | +0.274 | 48.2% | 113.9% | One-score loss |
| Nov 8 | Oregon | L 16–18 | 239 | 2 | 33:20 | +0.062 | 36.5% | 123.9% | One-score loss |
| Oct 25 | Minnesota | W 41–3 | 274 | 0 | 33:10 | +0.044 | 40.7% | 104.1% | Best defensive stand |
| Oct 18 | Penn State | W 25–24 | 313 | 1 | 23:48 | +0.055 | 38.8% | 123.9% | One-score win |
| Oct 11 | @Wisconsin | W 37–0 | 319 | 1 | 31:15 | +0.198 | 45.0% | 96.9% | Blowout win |
| Sep 27 | Indiana | L 15–20 | 284 | 2 | 32:42 | -0.001 | 32.9% | 127.7% | One-score loss |
| Sep 20 | @Rutgers | W 38–28 | 346 | 0 | 28:54 | +0.297 | 57.1% | 89.0% | Best success rate |
| Sep 13 | Massachusetts | W 47–7 | 435 | 0 | 32:04 | +0.279 | 47.9% | 119.4% | Blowout win |
| Sep 6 | @Iowa State | L 13–16 | 214 | 1 | 31:08 | +0.044 | 36.5% | 79.0% | One-score loss |
| Aug 30 | UAlbany | W 34–7 | 358 | 1 | 36:37 | +0.254 | 55.9% | 88.0% | |
| Season average (13 games) | 315 | 1.0 | +0.153 | 44.1% | 110.6% | ||||
Iowa fields a limited run-heavy, methodical, ball-control offense behind an elite, bend-don't-break defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
44th percentile quality, 40th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 39th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 34th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
74th percentile success on standard downs, 19th on passing downs — a 55-point gap between the two.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 62nd percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 51st — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.15; 62nd percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.04. The widest gap came in week 1: 0.25 raw vs. 0.02 adjusted.
Iowa reads strongest in explosive plays allowed (top 4%) and epa allowed (top 11%); the crux lives in explosive plays, where Iowa sits at the 2nd percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Iowa
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Iowa · 2018-present
77% home win rate vs 63% on the road. margin runs +6.3 better at home. Kinnick Stadium seats 69,250, averaging 100% full (69,250 attendance, 28 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson split the carries (170/230 vs 60/230) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Jaziun Patterson produces in bigger chunks.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Jacob Gill (WR) and DJ Vonnahme (TE) split the targets (39/77 vs 38/77) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
What changed
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved down 13 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Iowa’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (65.2% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 150-play sample) — mid-pack, 55 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
61°F average kickoff temp; 5% of games had measurable precipitation; 9 mph average wind.
Based on 81 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Iowa's 2014–2025 record is 105-48. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
Week-by-week rivalry heat isn't tracked yet for this matchup — check back as the 2026-27 season approaches and real fan-intel signal accumulates.
Who's more worked up right now
Cross-fanbase rivalry sentiment for this matchup hasn't been measured yet this week — both sides show as neutral until real signal comes in.
THE LAST 5 · year-by-year
All-Time Record
since 1894 · 132 seasons · .533 win rate
Iowa went 9-4 in 2025, beat Vanderbilt by seven, and lost four regular-season games to top-20 teams by a combined fifteen points. This is what Iowa always is — close enough to taste everything, never quite enough to take it.
Kirk Ferentz has coached Iowa since 1999. He is the longest-tenured head coach in FBS football, and the program he has built in that time is one of the most precisely reproduced things in the sport: a punishing defense, a punter who flips the field, a run game that grinds until the second half, and a final score that tends to live in the twenties. Iowa wins the same way. Iowa's opponents know it. Iowa wins anyway. The Hawkeyes have stopped pretending this is anything other than the plan.
The 2025 season added FCS-champion transfer QB Mark Gronowski to the mix — a splash move, by Iowa standards — and produced the textbook Ferentz year: a 37-0 shutout of Wisconsin, four narrow losses to legitimate top-20 opponents, a bowl win. Gronowski's eligibility is now up. The eternal question in Iowa City returns with him gone: can the formula raise its ceiling? The 2025 losses — a combined fifteen points to four ranked teams — are a ledger that reads two ways. Hawkeye fans read it as hard luck, near misses, the toll of playing the hardest schedule the right way. Everyone else reads it as the ceiling.
Entering 2026, Iowa has held its floor for a quarter century. The Wave — when the whole stadium turns to the children's hospital after the first quarter and waves to the kids watching from the windows — is the most beautiful tradition in American sports, and it is purely Iowa City's. The program can hold this floor forever. The open question is whether one season, with the right roster, the formula finally breaks through. Ferentz will be coaching his twenty-eighth year. The math says it's possible. The history says watch the defense.
Iowa runs grind-it-out, defense-first football on purpose and without apology — a punishing run game, elite special teams anchored by a generational punter pipeline, and a defense built to win 13-10 in November. The passing game is functional, not the feature. Field position is the strategy. Opponents' speed-era offenses are the problem Iowa's scheme is specifically designed to make boring. The fanbase is educated on exactly how this works, and they watch it with the patient pride of people who have been right more Saturdays than anyone credits.
Iowa 2016–2025. Holding the line. The 10-year slope (-0.07 rungs / yr) doesn't tilt either way — the program lives at roughly Tier 4.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 9-4 · CFP #23
Iowa: Ranked in the AP/Coaches polls, 16-25. National relevance achieved.
Big Ten Standing · 2025
Iowa sits 6th of 18 in the Big Ten at 6-3. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | 11-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 9-1 |
| 3 | Oregon | 8-2 |
| 4 | Michigan | 7-2 |
| 5 | USC | 7-2 |
| 6 | Iowa | 6-3 |
| 7 | Illinois | 5-4 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5-4 |
| 9 | Washington | 5-4 |
| 10 | Nebraska | 4-5 |
| 11 | Northwestern | 4-5 |
| 12 | Penn State | 3-6 |
| 13 | UCLA | 3-6 |
| 14 | Rutgers | 2-7 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 2-7 |
| 16 | Maryland | 1-8 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 1-8 |
| 18 | Purdue | 0-9 |
Coaching Era · Iowa
Kirk Ferentz into year 13 — a multi-decade era by modern CFB standards.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 2017
70,585 Hawkeye fans turn to face the children at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, visible above the south end zone, and wave. The hospital patients wave back. Started in 2017, immediately became the most-emotionally-charged crowd moment in CFB. Visiting teams now participate. Inverts the usual relationship between stadium and surrounding community.
since 1979
Hayden Fry painted the visiting locker room at Kinnick pink in 1979. The theory: pink is calming, and calm football players don't play well. Still pink. The NCAA reviewed the practice — Fry won by arguing it's not discrimination, it's just pink. The pink room is the program's most-cited prank-as-identity moment.
since 2011
Iowa-Nebraska on Black Friday is the calendar marker for two Big Ten programs that geographically should be rivals and have only formally been so since 2011. The Heroes Game name honors first responders and military. The post-Thanksgiving slot is a CFB ratings anchor.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
Nile Kinnick wins the Heisman; the stadium is named for him
2017
Kinnick Stadium turns to wave at the children's hospital — a tradition is born
2025
Four narrow defeats to top-20 teams — the perennial 'close, never quite' summed up in one season
Heartbreak
Moment of the Year · Iowa · 2025
Week 18 of 2025. Beat a top-13 opponent on the road.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2025 — win 27-34 (away). Last 5 postseason: 2-3.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–202622 picks last 5 cycles. 3 first-round picks. Recruits with NFL ambitions notice.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes