After Iowa's loss to Oregon last weekend, the program is now 0-12 in its last 12 games against ranked opponents.
Iowa has not beaten a ranked opponent since taking down No. 4 Penn State at home on October 9, 2021.
The Hawkeyes beat three ranked teams in 2021 (No. 17 Indiana, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 4 Penn State), and have not beaten a ranked opponent since.
Even though Iowa lost another heartbreaking game to a ranked team on a last-second field goal, the players are not dwelling on the loss and are solely focused on taking down USC this weekend.
During a portion of the players' media availability this week (posted by "247Sports"), running back Kamari Moulton stated that it sucks to lose, but they have to move on.
During his media availability, he mentioned not dwelling on the past multiple times, and as soon as the team had their first practice on Monday, they had already put the Oregon game behind them.
Moulton also knows USC has a solid team on both sides of the football, but the squad is locked in, and they know they are going to California with a purpose.
On the road, the Hawkeyes have been focusing on playing with a chip on their shoulders and adopting an "us versus them" mentality to stay focused.
The players are trusting in the process and believing in what they have.
Another main focus for the players during practice this week is getting back to keying in on little details and improving on the mistakes they made last weekend.
If Iowa can get back to form in all three phases of the game, the team will leave California with a win and a chance to stay relevant in the College Football Playoff Rankings.