Iowa reaches highest ranking in AP Top 25 college football poll since 1985

Hawkeyes ranked No. 2 behind Georgia

Oct. 10, 2021 1:06 pm, Updated: Oct. 12, 2021 11:38 am

University of Iowa players come out during the swarm before taking on the Penn State Nittany Lions at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

IOWA CITY — Iowa’s historic season has reached a new high that the Hawkeyes haven’t achieved since 1985.

The Hawkeyes moved to No. 2 in the Associated Press poll following their nail-biting 23-20 win over then-No. 4 Penn State Saturday and then-No. 1 Alabama’s loss to Texas A&M.

It’s their highest ranking in the AP poll since the 1985 season when Iowa was ranked No. 1 for all of October.

The move to No. 2 marks the fifth consecutive week that Iowa has been a top-five team in the AP Poll, matching the team’s five-week stretch in 2002.

The Hawkeyes were one of five Big Ten teams in the top 10. The other four — Ohio State at No. 6, Penn State at No. 7, Michigan at No. 8 and Michigan State at No. 10 — are all in the Big Ten East.

Iowa does not have any more ranked opponents on its regular season schedule.