Lack of National Respect/Attention

Kirk is God · Sep 9, 2026

I have noticed this for many years now and usually doesn’t bother me but it’s time to start giving Iowa their due. They’re dominating teams and almost went undefeated last year.

CBS Sports is a joke. Their CFP Vibe check week 1 article mentions most of the top big tens but no mention of Iowa, who just crushed NIU and has real playoff hopes.

Then in their week 2 odds and predictions article there is no mention of Iowa - Iowa St. There isn’t a lot of marquee games in week 2 so this is surprising. I mean they even have Miss St - Minnesota mentioned. I guess Iowa St is weighing us down this week.

eyesofhawk · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
I have noticed this for many years now and usually doesn’t bother me but it’s time to start giving Iowa their due. They’re dominating teams and almost went undefeated last year.

CBS Sports is a joke. Their CFP Vibe check week 1 article mentions most of the top big tens but no mention of Iowa, who just crushed NIU and has real playoff hopes.

Then in their week 2 odds and predictions article there is no mention of Iowa - Iowa St. There isn’t a lot of marquee games in week 2 so this is surprising. I mean they even have Miss St - Minnesota mentioned. I guess Iowa St is weighing us down this week.

Almost undefeated? Good Lord.

Now that's a lack of respect for sports. That would even be offensive to the '25 team members

squeezebox_1 · Sep 9, 2026

Well, ISU is not a good team, so there isn't much to highlight. I think Minnesota is an enigma much like Iowa, but Mississippi State could be good this year. Kamario Taylor very well could be a top 10 draft pick in 2 years. He put up video game numbers last week.

PinkShizzle · Sep 9, 2026

I dunno, in years past I often saw Iowa praised for the elite defenses and propping up the team. Announcers and analysts very frequently said Iowa was dangerous and not a team anyone wants to face.

Saying Iowa almost went undefeated last year is kind of true, but our Hawks still did have four losses. They were close losses, but still, four.

I'm not going to get upset because CBS Sports didn't mention Iowa this week. Keep winning and Iowa will get mentioned, especially with the Michigan, Ohio State, and Washington games.

eyesofhawk · Sep 9, 2026

squeezebox_1 said:
Well, ISU is not a good team, so there isn't much to highlight. I think Minnesota is an enigma much like Iowa, but Mississippi State could be good this year. Kamario Taylor very well could be a top 10 draft pick in 2 years. He put up video game numbers last week.

Perhaps the most predictable football program of all-time is an enigma?

squeezebox_1 · Sep 9, 2026

eyesofhawk said:
Perhaps the most predictable football program of all-time is an enigma?

On how good they could be this year? Yeah, when you are talking about national exposure. We learned nothing from last week, we still haven't named a starting QB. With the potential to be likely 11-1 all the way to 8-4, I'd say that is an enigma.

2D · Sep 9, 2026

Welcome to being a Hawkeye fan. Despite having elite defenses and special teams of the past 5 years, most talking heads prefer to talk about offense. When you're a program known for being offensively inept, you're often relegated to mockery. That's just how the media and sports world works. Usually those who actually know how football is played will give Iowa their flowers like Joel Klatt or Jake Butt.

Grayhair1981 · Sep 9, 2026

Beat good teams consistently. That will get you noticed

HawkeyePride24 · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
I have noticed this for many years now and usually doesn’t bother me but it’s time to start giving Iowa their due. They’re dominating teams and almost went undefeated last year.

CBS Sports is a joke. Their CFP Vibe check week 1 article mentions most of the top big tens but no mention of Iowa, who just crushed NIU and has real playoff hopes.

Then in their week 2 odds and predictions article there is no mention of Iowa - Iowa St. There isn’t a lot of marquee games in week 2 so this is surprising. I mean they even have Miss St - Minnesota mentioned. I guess Iowa St is weighing us down this week.

To get the respect your referring to, we will need to win at Michigan, OSU, and at Washington. Nobody cares if we beat Iowa State outside the state of Iowa. Beat the best and you will get the respect.

kmurpny · Sep 9, 2026

Until Vanderbilt, it had been quite awhile since Iowa had beaten a ranked team. Iowa has lost three of the last four to their in state rival. No Bigten championship in forever. There’s respect for Iowa out there for what they are but there’s a ceiling to that respect based on results.

OnlyTheObscure · Sep 9, 2026

Iowa has one for sure game that will capture national attention if they win (Ohio State).

two games that might depending on how their season plays out (Washington and Michigan).

otherwise the rest of the schedule is basically a collection of nothing games.

it amazes me how you can be in the Big Ten and play so few elite teams. Iowa’s schedule is always full of big ten bottom feeders. Need to get rid of the protected games b.s. it’s like the Big Ten west still lives.

You want big boy recognition you got to play and beat them.

USC, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana all off the schedule.

if Iowa is tied 10-2 with a bunch of big ten teams their schedule won’t do them any favors getting over the hump to the playoff.

J.Hawkeye · Sep 9, 2026

Play your Schedule.
Win the Games you have.
Recognition will find you, if you deserve it.
No need to whine, Iowa has proven nothing.

Kirk is God · Sep 9, 2026

OnlyTheObscure said:
Iowa has one for sure game that will capture national attention if they win (Ohio State).

two games that might depending on how their season plays out (Washington and Michigan).

otherwise the rest of the schedule is basically a collection of nothing games.

it amazes me how you can be in the Big Ten and play so few elite teams. Iowa’s schedule is always full of big ten bottom feeders. Need to get rid of the protected games b.s. it’s like the Big Ten west still lives.

You want big boy recognition you got to play and beat them.

USC, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana all off the schedule.

if Iowa is tied 10-2 with a bunch of big ten teams their schedule won’t do them any favors getting over the hump to the playoff.

You have no idea how the season will play out and who will end up being good. Maybe Minnesota will have a better year. Northwestern could surprise. Illinois could be solid.

Some of the better programs had so-so starts…Oregon, Indiana, Michigan

UIAlumFireFighter · Sep 9, 2026

Playing Iowa State does not do the Iowa brand any favors.

I have no ill-will nor do I have any interest in ISU whatsoever. Make this series every OTHER year for the love of god.

Fight4Iowa · Sep 9, 2026

It'll pick up a bit more with a convincing, 20+ point win this week, and lots of eyes will be on that first big test in Ann Arbor.

Kceasthawk@77 · Sep 9, 2026

HawkeyePride24 said:
To get the respect your referring to, we will need to win at Michigan, OSU, and at Washington. Nobody cares if we beat Iowa State outside the state of Iowa. Beat the best and you will get the respect.

Michigan and Washington yes. As long as we dont get rolled by OSU will be in the conversation for the playoffs at that point.

Kceasthawk@77 · Sep 9, 2026

OnlyTheObscure said:
Iowa has one for sure game that will capture national attention if they win (Ohio State).

two games that might depending on how their season plays out (Washington and Michigan).

otherwise the rest of the schedule is basically a collection of nothing games.

it amazes me how you can be in the Big Ten and play so few elite teams. Iowa’s schedule is always full of big ten bottom feeders. Need to get rid of the protected games b.s. it’s like the Big Ten west still lives.

You want big boy recognition you got to play and beat them.

USC, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana all off the schedule.

if Iowa is tied 10-2 with a bunch of big ten teams their schedule won’t do them any favors getting over the hump to the playoff.

Kind of and kind of not. Illinois and Minnesota are not "bottom feeders". If they are then much of the SEC are bottom feeders as well. Nebraska is getting some pub. The point being what those teams do the rest of the season will have just as much to say about that perception as Michigan and Washington will. Every season can't be based only on what OSU does.

squeezebox_1 · Sep 9, 2026

UIAlumFireFighter said:
Playing Iowa State does not do the Iowa brand any favors.

I have no ill-will nor do I have any interest in ISU whatsoever. Make this series every OTHER year for the love of god.

Recency bias, I would disagree. ISU has really upped their game under Campbell, now with NIL we will see if that drops off under Rogers. That 2021 game vaulted Iowa to the #5 ranking nationally.

Iron Doc · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
I have noticed this for many years now and usually doesn’t bother me but it’s time to start giving Iowa their due. They’re dominating teams and almost went undefeated last year.

CBS Sports is a joke. Their CFP Vibe check week 1 article mentions most of the top big tens but no mention of Iowa, who just crushed NIU and has real playoff hopes.

Then in their week 2 odds and predictions article there is no mention of Iowa - Iowa St. There isn’t a lot of marquee games in week 2 so this is surprising. I mean they even have Miss St - Minnesota mentioned. I guess Iowa St is weighing us down this week.

"...crushed NIU..."
----------Check Ryan McGee's Bottom Ten.

"...no mention of Iowa/Iowa State."
-----------Why should there be? STATE has an FCS/DII squad this year after Campell left with most everyone. Should be a rout; why would the USofA want to watch that?

"Kirk is God"
-----------Besides inaccurate, there are those that would consider that blasphemous (while gathering stones). Just sayin'

Kceasthawk@77 · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
You have no idea how the season will play out and who will end up being good. Maybe Minnesota will have a better year. Northwestern could surprise. Illinois could be solid.

Some of the better programs had so-so starts…Oregon, Indiana, Michigan

Exactly. Who knows at this point if Michigan, Washington will be better then Illinois, Minnesota, or Nebraska even.

squeezebox_1 · Sep 9, 2026

Natchrlman2 · Sep 9, 2026

Tie No Respect GIF by Rodney Dangerfield

Kceasthawk@77 · Sep 9, 2026

squeezebox_1 said:
Recency bias, I would disagree. ISU has really upped their game under Campbell, now with NIL we will see if that drops off under Rogers. That 2021 game vaulted Iowa to the #5 ranking nationally.

I've actually heard several broadcasters say the Cy-Hawk is one of their favorite rivalry games. Probably because its become a rivalry.....

Kceasthawk@77 · Sep 9, 2026

Iron Doc said:
"...crushed NIU..."
----------Check Ryan McGee's Bottom Ten.

"...no mention of Iowa/Iowa State."
-----------Why should there be? STATE has an FCS/DII squad this year after Campell left with most everyone. Should be a rout; why would the USofA want to watch that?

"Kirk is God"
-----------Besides inaccurate, there are those that would consider that blasphemous (while gathering stones). Just sayin'

Asking seriously because I don't know the numbers vs your :FCS/D11" claim. How many WSU players came with Rodgers? I'd heard quite a few of his better players, especially on defense. How many other portal players were from D1 schools? Were there any gems from lower levels like some of our guys, ex: Diaz from Rio Grand school for the blind or where ever he was. Last year was the first year they even had a football team. There are guys out there, just saying.....

Passing Is For COMMIES · Sep 9, 2026

I felt that Iowa got much more respect this year than previous years. Analysts call Iowa out as a tough game more often, Kirk Herbstreit picked us for the playoffs, and we actually came in ranked despite low returning production both offensively and defensively.

hawkandroll · Sep 9, 2026

just win baby

Grayhair1981 · Sep 9, 2026

Hawks were 22 in the preseason poll. That is respect considering how many players they lost from last year's team.

Fight4Iowa · Sep 9, 2026

UIAlumFireFighter said:
Playing Iowa State does not do the Iowa brand any favors.

I have no ill-will nor do I have any interest in ISU whatsoever. Make this series every OTHER year for the love of god.

Then replace it with an easier game? We don't need to do any favors in the off-season now with the increased difficulty in the B1G. I want Iowa State every year. It ends up being a W more times than not.

Grayhair1981 · Sep 9, 2026

kmurpny said:
Until Vanderbilt, it had been quite awhile since Iowa had beaten a ranked team. Iowa has lost three of the last four to their in state rival. No Bigten championship in forever. There’s respect for Iowa out there for what they are but there’s a ceiling to that respect based on results.

Minnesota 2019 was the last win against a team that finished in the top 25 prior to Vandy last year.

Natchrlman2 · Sep 9, 2026

I think we’re well respected among people that know football but I also think Kirk is a master of using a perceived lack of respect as motivation

LetsGoHawks83 · Sep 9, 2026

Grayhair1981 said:
Hawks were 22 in the preseason poll. That is respect considering how many players they lost from last year's team.

This....
We don't even know our starting QB, so that's also showing some respect to the program as a whole.

Just win....and win big over ISU. I'd like a fun, but comfortable Saturday evening.

OnlyTheObscure · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
You have no idea how the season will play out and who will end up being good. Maybe Minnesota will have a better year. Northwestern could surprise. Illinois could be solid.

Some of the better programs had so-so starts…Oregon, Indiana, Michigan

Beating a 8-4 Minnesota team isn’t going to elevate the program higher than beating a 7-5 Minnesota team.

let’s keep it real, beat the top 1-3 teams in the big ten and people will talk. If you don’t, you are lumped in with “the rest”.

record against teams that finished rank is the biggest indicator or true long term elite programs. Single seasons are often the product of schedules. Like every season for every big ten west team was for a decade. The winner of the west was mostly “who don’t we have to play from the east” and not “who is the best team in the west”.

Iowa has three games against national programs. Their status will be determined by those games. Not the records of the trash cans they beat up for the other 9 games.

ChicagoHawk2020 · Sep 9, 2026

Going 7-5 to 9-3 every year while losing to every ranked team doesn’t get you respect national wide. Winning games that matter and playing for championships do.

Kirk is God · Sep 9, 2026

hawkandroll said:
just win baby

That’s all Iowa does and we rarely get any damn respect. Sick of it

Grayhair1981 · Sep 9, 2026

Kirk is God said:
That’s all Iowa does and we rarely get any damn respect. Sick of it

That's all they do?

Hawk_4shur · Sep 9, 2026

Iowa gets tons of respect. Coaches and media routinely talk up the Hawk program for consistency, doing it right, amazing defense.

But from a media and non-Iowa fan perspective they aren't that interesting. No Heisman candidates. No prolific offense. No national controversy. The Hawks live under the radar.

It's ok with me.

52317Hawk · Sep 9, 2026

J.Hawkeye said:
Play your Schedule.
Win the Games you have.
Recognition will find you, if you deserve it.
No need to whine, Iowa has proven nothing.

Bob Dylan?

Hawkmanic23 · Sep 9, 2026

Kceasthawk@77 said:
I've actually heard several broadcasters say the Cy-Hawk is one of their favorite rivalry games. Probably because its become a rivalry.....

I, and many others, still want it to go away….or at the very least…2 years on, 2 years off. If the Big 10 ever revises schedules for 10 conference games and 2 non-conference games then the Cy-Hawk game is going away.

Hawkmanic23 · Sep 9, 2026

Fight4Iowa said:
Then replace it with an easier game? We don't need to do any favors in the off-season now with the increased difficulty in the B1G. I want Iowa State every year. It ends up being a W more times than not.

Why help ISU athletic department with this game?

Wobmam Rulez! · Sep 9, 2026

OnlyTheObscure said:
Iowa has one for sure game that will capture national attention if they win (Ohio State).

two games that might depending on how their season plays out (Washington and Michigan).

otherwise the rest of the schedule is basically a collection of nothing games.

it amazes me how you can be in the Big Ten and play so few elite teams. Iowa’s schedule is always full of big ten bottom feeders. Need to get rid of the protected games b.s. it’s like the Big Ten west still lives.

You want big boy recognition you got to play and beat them.

USC, Penn State, Oregon, Indiana all off the schedule.

if Iowa is tied 10-2 with a bunch of big ten teams their schedule won’t do them any favors getting over the hump to the playoff.

The SEC routinely does it. Rarely, do their top teams play each other until the conference championship. Vandy went 10-2 before the bowl game.

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