Poor postseason performances and subpar finishes in the Big Ten conference marred the final few seasons under former Head Coach Fran McCaffery.
After a stellar 2021-2022 campaign where Iowa finished with a 26-10 (12-8 Big Ten) record and a conference tournament championship, the season ended prematurely after a shocking 67-63 upset loss in the NCAA Tournament to 12-seeded Richmond.
In the final three seasons under McCaffery, the Hawkeyes did not eclipse 20 wins and did not finish higher than No. 5 in the Big Ten Conference standings.
McCaffery was promptly fired following a 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) season last year and replaced with Drake Bulldogs' Head Coach Ben McCollum.
During McCaffery's 15 seasons at the helm of the Hawkeyes, Iowa never finished lower than No. 12 in the conference (2024-2025).
With a roster that will be better this season, Big Ten Network analyst Andy Katz failed miserably in his recent power rankings projection before the start of the college basketball season.
Time for @TheAndyKatz's late summer #B1GMBBall Power Rankings❕📊 Do you agree with his 1-18? pic.twitter.com/kY071ssotx
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) August 4, 2025
In Katz's late summer power rankings, he listed Iowa as the No. 15 team in the Big Ten. Katz has started to earn a reputation for hating the Hawkeyes, and this power rankings list certainly affirms that.
Iowa Men's Basketball is an anomaly in the Big Ten after replacing its entire roster and coaching staff, but to put them at No. 15 in the power rankings is ridiculous.
Iowa Head Coach Ben McCollum has made a habit of proving people wrong and rebuilding programs from scratch, and he will do it again this season.
Katz can underestimate the new-look Hawkeye basketball squad all he wants, and we will wait and see who is right when the 2025-2026 college basketball season tips off.