The Iowa Hawkeyes had numerous chances to secure their first College Football Playoff appearance this season, but fell short.
After losing back-to-back games against No. 7 Oregon and No. 19 USC, the Hawkeyes could have closed up shop and started looking ahead to next season, but that is not what this program is about.
Everyone continued to work hard to finish strong, and the squad went on a three-game winning streak to end the season.
Iowa held off Michigan State at home, crushed Nebraska on the road, and finished the season with a massive bowl victory over No. 14 Vanderbilt.
After the victory over Vanderbilt, one senior perfectly summed up this season for the Hawkeyes, and reflected on his final game as a Hawkeye.
Iowa CB TJ Hall with the perfect quote on what beating #14 Vanderbilt means in his final game as a Hawkeye: “It means a lot, man. This team, we emphasize finish strong. Not only this game but every single day. Start fast, finish strong. We felt like after finally getting this Dub…
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) December 31, 2025
According to the Des Moines Register's Chad Lestikow, defensive back TJ Hall perfectly summed up Iowa's season by stating that they emphasized finishing strong, not just in the win over Vandy, but all season.
Hall followed that up by saying that after the win, everyone is saying they finished the season "the right way."
Beating Vanderbilt in his final game as a Hawkeye meant a lot to not only TJ Hall, but to over 20 seniors and graduate players.
After a shaky start to his tenure in Iowa City, Hall put in the work to become Iowa's top cornerback this season and should see his draft stock rise after a solid ReliaQuest Bowl performance.
The program has now fully shifted its focus to the future during the offseason, and the transfer portal is officially open.