IOWA will make the College Football Playoff according to Todd McShay
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
If our defense can be top 10. We are in.
Also, don't we have to go 10-2, at least? If so, we have to steal wins on the road.
IMO, these (in no particular order) are the 4 most difficult matchups; people might disagree.
at Michigan
Ohio State
at Washington
at Illinois
Unfortunately, I think 9-3 is our ceiling. Hope I am wrong.
Our Updated 2026 Football Schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Time/TV | ||
| Sat Sep 5 | NIU Huskies Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time: 3:15pm CT TV: BTN | ||
| Sat Sep 12 | Iowa State Cyclones Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time: 6:30 pm CT TV: NBC | ||
| Sat Sep 19 | Northern Iowa Panthers Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time: 3:00 pm CT TV: FS1 | ||
| Sat Sep 26 | at Michigan Wolverines Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Sat Oct 3 | Ohio State Buckeyes Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Fri Oct 9 | at Washington Huskies Husky Stadium, Seattle, WA | Time: 8:00 pm CT TV: FOX/FS1 | ||
| Sat Oct 24 | at Minnesota Golden Gophers Huntington Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Sat Oct 31 | Wisconsin Badgers Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Sat Nov 7 | at Northwestern Wildcats NW Medicine at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Sat Nov 14 | Purdue Boilermakers Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Sat Nov 21 | at Illinois Fighting Illini Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL | Time TBA TV TBA | ||
| Fri Nov 27 | Nebraska Cornhuskers Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | Time: 11:00 am CT TV: CBS |
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I don’t think 9-3 is the ceiling. The only game that we have no shot in is OSU. All the others are certainly winnable.
Hope you are right and we end up 10-2 or better.
It will be interesting to see how a (better be) 3-0 IOWA team looks heading into the game in Ann Arbor.
I think we would all agree that it's time we win an @EvilMonkeyInTheCloset NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
T-shirt idea. WIN ONE FOR THE MONKEY!Hope you are right and we end up 10-2 or better.
It will be interesting to see how a (better be) 3-0 IOWA team looks heading into the game in Ann Arbor.
I think we would all agree that it's time we win an @EvilMonkeyInTheCloset NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
10-2 gets you in the conversation. I would guess there will be a few 10-2 big ten teams. That’s when it gets tricky.
Agree...10-2 this year for Iowa is a very good season but certainly not a slam dunk playoff berth.
11- 1 is a slam dunk
Well sh**, if "Todd Todd Todd" McShay says it........we're doomed.
Special teamers are a funny, fickle creature.
Special teams wins us a game: "They'll never have to buy a beer in this state again!"
Special teams loses us a game:
Shut up, Nebraska fan. This doesn't concern you.
Season will be crazy, but I'm not even sure 10-2 gets it done for the hawks. Either or both of Michigan and Washington could have the wheels fall off. One of those would likely be our best win.
Washington:
Minnesota (we will see if that was legit last night)
@USC
Iowa
PSU
Indiana
Oregon
Michigan:
Oklahoma
Iowa
PSU
Indiana
Oregon
Ohio state
Washington:
Minnesota (we will see if that was legit last night)
@USC
Iowa
PSU
Indiana
Oregon
Michigan:
Oklahoma
Iowa
PSU
Indiana
Oregon
Ohio state
If Hawks go 10-2 they are in. Any sec or big team at 10-2 gets in.
Vanderbilt, thanks for stopping by
For Iowa to go 10-2, they would have to have a top 20 win.
I dont like it. Iowa is a way better sleeper team.
Getting Meatchicken early might be a good time to get em.
Same with Washington
Both winnable. Difficult, but winnable
Same with Washington
Both winnable. Difficult, but winnable
I'd never say we have NO shot against anyone , especially at Kinnick. (Hoping for some night game magic). What were we in 2017, a 21pt+ dog to OSU, and we won by 25+?
Any chance we can play the first 2 or 3 games before we make that statement?not with our QBs
The media likes to do this to try and keep Iowa from being a undervalued, dismissed sleeper team.
They know Kirk does worse when the media glazes his team, so they do it intentionally. They don't want Iowa to do well, because it doesn't help their ratings. True story btw, in case it's hard for anyone to believe...............
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We've been over this.
Don't call me things that I'm not, and you'll receive the same respect
Powerful OL, powerful running game, excellent tight ends and receivers....
and a QB who gets the receivers the ball.
in Lester we trust.
Norm Parker is Phil Parker's spirit animal.
care to expound? I'll lay out a multitude of scenarios it would be difficult to see Iowa make the CFP. The BIG only landed 3 teams last year, each of these teams are ranked above Iowa, with PSU probably having the easiest route. A 10-2 Iowa with losses to Michigan and OSU would likely miss out on the CFP. Washington would be their banner game, and in this scenario, they have 5 losses. ND will get a bid as well, with their only possible loss coming to Miami.
1.) Ohio State undefeated
2.) Oregon 11-1 loss to OSU
3.) Indiana 11-1 loss to OSU
4.) PSU 11-1 loss to USC
5.) USC 10-2 loss to OSU, Indiana
wildcard would be Wisconsin, they only have PSU, USC, Iowa, and ND. It would not be inconceivable that they end up 10-2 or 11-1. If Wisky (which I don't think will) pulled off PSU, USC, and Iowa, while Iowa beats Michigan and Washington, Wisky would hold that head to head with both being 10-2.
Penn St is not going 11-1 plus we beat Michigan. We might lose to Washington being it's out there.
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