With anticipation growing, Iowa football focused on No. 6 Oregon

IOWA CITY — It’s known Iowa football controls its destiny in the final four weeks of the regular season.

The Hawkeyes sit in a deadlock for fourth in the Big Ten, are on the edge of an Associated Press Top 25 Poll ranking and are the No. 24 team in the USA Today ULM Coaches Poll.

Iowa welcomes No. 6 Oregon on Saturday, in what will be the one of the biggest matchups in college football this weekend, with Fox Sports’ Big Noon Kickoff visiting the university’s Pentacrest.

That’s a lot of eyes on the Hawkeyes, and it’s a feeling head coach Kirk Ferentz still loves 27 years into his current role.

“It's really special and rare,” Ferentz said. “That will never get old. At least I don't think it will. If it does, that's probably when it's time to pack it up.”

The thousands of eyes fixating on the matchup between the Hawkeyes and the Ducks puts significant pressure on both teams. Iowa hasn’t hosted a top 10 opponent since 2022, and Oregon still is knee-deep in a chase for a College Football Playoff spot.

“I've got a ton of respect for this Iowa team,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. “You see veterans across the board. How they play, they're a real complete team.”

Both head coaches were complimentary of each other’s programs, but it will be the first time the pair face off against each other as head coaches. Ferentz last saw Oregon when he was the offensive line coach for the Hawkeyes in 1989, in a 44-6 Ducks victory.

Iowa played Oregon in Eugene in 1994, while Ferentz was with the Cleveland Browns.

“I remember it didn't go well,” Ferentz said, laughing. “We found out firsthand it was a good football team. I think Rich Brooks was a guy who was kind of the coach of that organization and got them going. They were good through the '90s, and then they've exploded this last 25 years.”

Lanning made his first appearance in Kinnick Stadium while a graduate assistant at Pitt in 2011.

“It's not gonna feel like a home game,” Lanning said. “It's a cool environment though. This is one of those (crowds) you get excited to get the opportunity to play in front of.”

The Ducks have lost just two games over the last two seasons, including a loss to No. 2 Indiana three weeks ago. It’s a program littered with athletes who can make explosive plays, both young and veteran, while Lanning makes his case as one of the best coaches in country.

Iowa, however, spent its three previous games putting together its most complete efforts of the year. The Hawkeyes have found success in November before, but the expectation against Oregon is the same it was before their bye week — keep playing complementary football.

The players know that, which is why the Hawkeyes still believe every game is the most important game of the season. Even if Saturday could truly be the biggest game of the season.

“We just take it just one game at a time,” defensive back Koen Entringer said. “I was telling myself this is the biggest game of my career, the next one you're about to play. Seriously, so I'm just excited for the opportunity.”

There are eyes on Iowa, and eyes on Oregon, yes. The Hawkeyes, however, are fixated on keeping the hype to a minimum inside the locker room. They know people are watching, and both teams had a bye week leading in, only adding to the anticipation.

It’s the national stage. Iowa can be excited, but know there’s still work to be done to force a potential upset over Oregon.

“I feel like every year, or even sometimes almost every week, the next one's the biggest one, and that's how it always is,” quarterback Mark Gronowski said. “We just kind of focus on what we got right now. Try to live in the present, go out this week and leave it at that.”

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