Cool SI article on the 2026 Hawkeyes

[JerseyCityHawk]

Enjoy

Don't Sleep on Iowa: Reasons to Believe the Hawkeyes Can Exceed Expectations

Iowa was closer than many believe in 2025. There's reason to believe fortunes could change in 2026.

www.si.com

 

[eyesofhawk]

Interesting that there are computer projections of 9-3

 

[JerseyCityHawk]

Interesting that there are computer projections of 9-3

I say 10-2 and we get into the playoff… who knows maybe Iowa just drops one this year and like the article said “time for the ball to bounce their way” I think after last year we are overdue for that

 

[Palmerhawk]

Wetjen turns out to be a huge loss...he sparked many of our blowouts

No way can we duplicate his production...he was special.
I see the bar at 8-4 this year....above that -great
Below that- disappointing.

 

[r_desihawk]

that article has to be written by someone on this board! but last year really should've been our year. finally had a kickass qb, all units were decent to very good, but every single late bounce went against us. could have easily been the best season in decades instead ended up just another 9 win (admittedly nothing to scoff at) average season. this year's team isn't going to be as good, so every bounce has to go our way to do better...imo

 

[eyesofhawk]

Yes, definitely some bad bounces.

But you also left those games with the feeling that Iowa didn't make enough winning plays to win.

In the end, winning teams end up creating their own bounces.

Hawks definitely have a chance to be that team this season

 

[DukeSlater]

Yes, definitely some bad bounces.

But you also left those games with the feeling that Iowa didn't make enough winning plays to win.

In the end, winning teams end up creating their own bounces.

Hawks definitely have a chance to be that team this season

I don't disagree, but I would add some nuance. When, for example, the officials "miss" not one but TWO egregious facemask calls against USC that easily could have changed the outcome of that game, what can Iowa do about it?

OTOH, Indiana beat Iowa because Gronowski went out with a late injury and the backup QB failed to make a simple play. Indiana didn't do anything to create that situation. It just happened, but it saved the win for the Hoosiers and set up their undefeated national title. In both the USC and Indiana cases, it was just plain luck--bad luck for Iowa, good luck for USC and Indiana.

And I won't even bother to detail the unprecedented number of deflected passes that went against Iowa last season--ISU, Indiana, USC. It was incredible.

Could Iowa have overcome the bad luck with better play? Sure. But I'd like to see the other team have those opportunities instead.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

that article has to be written by someone on this board! but last year really should've been our year. finally had a kickass qb, all units were decent to very good, but every single late bounce went against us. could have easily been the best season in decades instead ended up just another 9 win (admittedly nothing to scoff at) average season. this year's team isn't going to be as good, so every bounce has to go our way to do better...imo

Not someone on this board. Riley Donald is an Augustana grad, (4 yr football player) and columnist for USA sports. He covers Iowa football and mens and women's basketball for the most part.

 

[eyesofhawk]

I don't disagree, but I would add some nuance. When, for example, the officials "miss" not one but TWO egregious facemask calls against USC that easily could have changed the outcome of that game, what can Iowa do about it?

OTOH, Indiana beat Iowa because Gronowski went out with a late injury and the backup QB failed to make a simple play. Indiana didn't do anything to create that situation. It just happened, but it saved the win for the Hoosiers and set up their undefeated national title. In both the USC and Indiana cases, it was just plain luck--bad luck for Iowa, good luck for USC and Indiana.

And I won't even bother to detail the unprecedented number of deflected passes that went against Iowa last season--ISU, Indiana, USC. It was incredible.

Could Iowa have overcome the bad luck with better play? Sure. But I'd like to see the other team have those opportunities instead.

I think the point is, the best way for Iowa to ensure a good season is to play winning ball.

Be ahead by enough, to where you aren’t leaving yourself vulnerable to a bad call or bounce of the ball.

That's the only way to control your own destiny

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Wetjen turns out to be a huge loss...he sparked many of our blowouts

No way can we duplicate his production...he was special.
I see the bar at 8-4 this year....above that -great
Below that- disappointing.