The Hawkeyes showcased the importance of trophy games this season.
After a heartbreaking 16-13 loss to Iowa State in week two this season, Iowa bounced back nicely, finishing the season with an 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten) record.
Head Coach Kirk Ferentz notched win No. 206 in his illustrious career, giving him the most career wins by a Big Ten coach all-time.
Quarterback Mark Gronowski also set a few records this season, becoming the all-time wins leader for a quarterback and setting the Iowa program record for rushing yards in a season for a quarterback.
The most important thing is that Iowa got to eight wins again this season, notching a winning season for the 13th consecutive year.
Among their eight wins this season are three in rivalry games against Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
While the season had a lot of "what-ifs" for the Hawkeye program, what was never in doubt were wins in three of four trophy games this season.
After defeating Nebraska 40-16 on Friday to capture the Heroes Trophy, the Hawkeyes outscored their three annual Big Ten Conference foes by a wide margin.
Iowa beat its three Big Ten annual foes (Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota) by a combined 118-19.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) November 28, 2025
According to The Athletic's national college football writer Scott Dochterman, the Hawkeyes outscored the trio of rivals by a whopping 118-19.
That includes a 37-0 victory over Wisconsin, a 41-3 victory over Minnesota, and a 40-16 victory over Nebraska.
After defeating Minnesota, the Hawkeyes had aspirations of making their first College Football Playoff.
They soared into the first CFP rankings at No. 20, but unfortunately lost two of the next three games, eliminating their chances.
Even though the season did not go precisely as everyone wanted, earning three victories in rivalry games with such wide margins is still a solid achievement.