Ben McCollum quickly became one of the most-talked-about head coaches in all of men's college basketball after the run Iowa went on to close the 2025-2026 season.
McCollum's first season was plagued by inconsistency, including losing seven of the final 10 games of the regular season, but what the squad was able to do in the NCAA Tournament was nothing short of legendary. The Hawkeyes made it all the way to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987 and were one of the final Big Ten teams standing in a crowded field.
Even with all of Iowa's success last season, Andy Katz isn't sold on what Iowa brings to the table next season.
Andy Katz has Iowa at No. 10 in his offseason rankings
It is still WAY too early to predict what will happen in men's college basketball during the 2026-2027 season, but Andy Katz has already given Iowa some bulletin board material.
The latest @TheAndyKatz @B1GMBBall Power Rankings have dropped as summer workouts get underway 👀🏀
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) June 10, 2026
Do you agree? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8fMQPiY9Gc
Despite all of Iowa's success and the fact that it lost just two players from last season, Katz is not convinced by what he sees from the Hawkeyes before next season. Iowa did lose star guard Bennett Stirtz after his one and only season last year, and stretch big man Alvaro Folgueiras to Louisville via the transfer portal, but they are well-positioned to be better overall than last season.
Iowa added transfers Ty'Reek Coleman (Illinois State) and Andrew McKeever (St. Mary's) from the transfer portal, as well as Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon via the 2026 recruiting class, and even without Stirtz running the show, the Hawkeyes should be more well-rounded.
Stirtz accounted for a large portion of Iowa's offense last season, with the ball in his hands on nearly every play, and he played nearly every minute of every game. While it will be hard to replace him, it also means the offense can be more spread out and not too heavily focused on one player. With that in mind, there is a good case for Iowa to be ranked higher, similar to what they will likely be when the season starts.
Iowa has a case to be ranked in the top 6 before the 2026-2027 season
The program is returning most of its players from its Elite Eight run, including three of five starters. Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, and Cam Manyawu are all back, with Tate Sage expected to play a much bigger role this season. It is still too early to know who will start for McCollum next season, but if we had to guess, it will be Ty'Reek Coleman, Kael Combs, Tate Sage, Cooper Koch, and Andrew McKeever.
We could easily see Trey Thompson, Ethan Harris, or Cam Manyawu push for a starting role, but the Hawkeyes should have a much deeper team than last season. If Coleman can take over the reins as the lead guard in Stirtz's place, Sage takes another step, and McKeever locks down the paint, the Hawkeyes could easily be in the top six when it's all said and done.
Michigan and Illinois are the clear two top dogs, with Purdue and Michigan State also in the mix, but there is no reason why Iowa shouldn't be ranked ahead of Nebraska, USC, Indiana, and Ohio State. It is obviously way too early to get angry about offseason rankings, but Iowa starting the season as an underdog might be the motivation they need to make an even deeper run.
Add us as a preferred source on Google