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A rare bye week rankings boost has Iowa sitting in a good spot before Week 8

The Hawkeyes were idle, but saw a slight jump in the AP Top 25 rankings
ByJordan Underwood
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Oct 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski (10) celebrates following a victory against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Oct 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski (10) celebrates following a victory against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Iowa was idle in week seven and avoided a chaotic weekend in college football.

Eight top-25 teams fell last weekend, including five teams ranked in the top ten. No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 5 Indiana, and No. 6 Alabama all lost, shaking up the top of the rankings. Iowa luckily avoided the carnage and benefited from a crazy weekend in college football before a crucial Week 8 game against Minnesota.

Iowa jumped two spots into the top 15 in the AP Top-25 rankings

Iowa last played in week six against the Washington Huskies and earned a much-needed road victory. The Hawkeyes' offense came out hot, and the defense stifled the Huskies' offense for most of the first half. Excluding a late field goal heading into halftime, Iowa's defense allowed only three points and knocked starting quarterback Demond Williams out of the game. The Hawkeyes cruised to a 41-24 win, and the final score didn't reflect how lopsided the game was. After the victory, Iowa moved to 5-1 (2-1 Big Ten) and jumped two spots to No. 17 overall.

Although Iowa was idle in week seven, they received a boost in the rankings to No. 15 overall, putting them in the driver's seat for the second half of the season.

Iowa moved up two spots as the top of the rankings shifted after the week-seven chaos, putting them in a great position before the second half of the season. The Hawkeyes are in a massive logjam, with seven teams vying for second in the Big Ten, and they control their destiny moving forward. If Iowa takes care of business and wins out, they are definitely in the College Football Playoff. If they stumble once, they should still make it, but a weaker second-half schedule makes it harder with two losses.

The first order of business is bringing Floyd back to Iowa City in week eight. Iowa has won nine of the past 10 games in the series, but Minnesota is looking to break that streak and get back on track after a disappointing week six loss to Purdue. Iowa has been inconsistent on offense and has given up yards on defense, but it has made the important plays when they matter most. To retain their spot, or potentially move up in the rankings, the defense must limit quarterback Drake Lindsey's impact and stop the run.

Iowa has a clear advantage in the running game after Minnesota's defense allowed 304 rushing yards to Purdue, but the two programs know each other well. To succeed, Iowa needs to establish the run and hit a few big passing plays to keep the defense off balance. The coaching staff still hasn't named the starting quarterback, but to ease the pressure, the defense has to force some turnovers. Iowa dominated the game last season when it forced Lindsey to throw three interceptions, including a pick-six.

The Hawkeyes need a repeat defensive performance and for the offense to take care of business if they want to leave Minneapolis with a win.

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