Iowa football receives its first national ranking by College Football Playoff committee

IOWA CITY — The Hawkeyes are officially considered one of the best teams in the country.

Iowa football (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) earned its first ranking of the season during the College Football Playoffs’ first committee ranking of the year. The Hawkeyes debuted at No. 20.

The last time the Hawkeyes were ranked was in the AP Top 25 poll during Week 2 of the 2024 season, sitting at No. 24 before falling to Iowa State at home. Since then, Iowa has received votes sparingly. The Hawkeyes are last receiving votes ahead of this season’s Cy-Hawk matchup. Iowa received 71 votes in this week’s poll, good for No. 26, after a 3-0 stretch in conference play and a bye week.

Iowa is one of seven teams in the Big Ten ranked inside the top 25 by the CFP, including No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 9 Oregon, No. 19 USC, No. 21 Michigan and No. 23 Washington.

The Hawkeyes also slid into the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time this year, checking in at No. 24. Oregon was No. 6, with a total six Big Ten teams earning a spot as voted by the coaches.

The Hawkeyes host now-ranked No. 9 Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) at Kinnick Stadium on Nov. 8 at 2:30 p.m. It’ll be the second time Iowa’s hosted a top 25 team this year. Big Noon Kickoff announced it’ll host its weekly pregame show in Iowa City leading up the matchup that morning, too.

Iowa’s game against the Ducks will be the first ranked matchup in Kinnick Stadium since 2021, when the then-No. 3 Hawkeyes hosted No. 4 Penn State. It’s the first home game against a top 10 ranked program since 2022, and seventh since 2016.

Based on this week’s rankings, Iowa’s next two opponents will be ranked — the Ducks and No. 19 USC (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten). The next rankings by the committee will be released Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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