Iowa football: What does Iowa have to play for this season?

The Iowa football team lost their third game of the season against Purdue Saturday, but that doesn’t mean the season is over for the Hawkeyes.

Like many of you, I had an empty pit in my stomach after watching the Iowa football team fall to the Purdue Boilermakers on a last second field goal Saturday afternoon. It was just two weeks ago that we were talking about this team as a potential sleeper contender for the College Football Playoff. Two weeks later and two losses on the road and this team not only has no shot at the College Football Playoff, but also almost no shot at winning the Big Ten West either.

A season with so much hope, is now a season of what could have been.

It’s a season that could have been incredibly memorable, and now leaves Iowa football fans questioning what is the point of this season? Does it really matter? What do the Hawkeyes have to play for?

I’m here to tell you that there is actually a lot for Kirk Ferentz’s team this season.

Despite three losses, the Hawks still have a shot at ten wins this season, which would be the sixth time in the Kirk Ferentz era and the first time since 2015. Each of the five times previously, ten wins was good enough for a top ten ranking in the final polls. To do this, Iowa will need to take care of business and win out the remaining three games this season against surprising Big Ten West front-runner Northwestern, Illinois, and Nebraska. Then, they would need to follow-up that up with a bowl win.

Furthermore, in an odd twist of fate, the Hawks have the opportunity to play spoiler to Northwestern’s season. Northwestern is currently sitting at 5-4 and in the lead for the Big Ten West title, but a loss reduces the wiggle room the Wildcats have in their remaining two games. Obviously, Iowa football fans would prefer to beat Northwestern in route to a Big Ten West title, but beating Northwestern and helping stop them from the West could bring some happiness.

Finally, this is a team that has a ton of talent returning next year and could utilize the momentum heading into next season. A strong finish to the season would provide that spark and glimmer of hope that Hawkeye fans need before facing an offseason of questions and wondering of what could have been.

Again, this is by no means ideal. I would much rather be writing this post talking about how close Iowa is to a Big Ten title or how great this season is, but instead you are here reading about what the Hawks have left to play for.

In past seasons, after Iowa has been eliminated from any major bowls, they’ve struggled down the stretch. In fact, a Kirk Ferentz team has never won nine games in the regular season. It’s either a ten win season (or better) or an eight win season (or worse).

Let’s hope this team doesn’t give up down the stretch and can finish this season strong. For the sake of my sanity and Hawkeyes fans ever, I hope they can do it.