It is strange to say that a 9-4 season feels like a missed opportunity, but that is what it feels like for the 2025 Iowa Hawkeyes.
Iowa was well-represented in the All-Big Ten Teams for the 2025-2026 season, led by First-Team selection Logan Jones, and the offensive line earned the coveted Joe Moore Award that is given annually to the best offensive line unit in college football. Despite all the individual success, the Hawkeyes fell just short in multiple games last season, losing all four games by a combined 15 points.
One of those heartbreaking losses came to eventual National Champion Indiana, and Curt Cignetti knows how good Iowa was last season.
Curt Cignetti called Iowa 'one of the most underrated football teams in America' last season
The Hawkeyes took Indiana to the brink, putting up a solid fight through most of the game with a chance to win at the end. There is still a strong argument to be made that if quarterback Mark Gronowski doesn't get hurt when the Hawkeyes were driving down the field, Iowa could have won that game. Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, too many offensive miscues and a blown coverage cost them a massive upset victory, and Cignetti knows it.
Cignetti: “Iowa? *laugh* Let me tell you: Iowa was one of the most underrated football teams in America last season.” #iufb
— Zach Osterman (@ZachOsterman) July 30, 2026
During the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days, Cignetti was asked about the Hawkeyes, and he made a bold assertion that they were one of the most underrated teams in college football last season. Thanks to a late touchdown and Gronowski's inability to return, the Indiana defense put the clamps on Hank Brown and the Hawkeyes late in the game, handing Iowa another close loss. The 20-15 loss started a string of unfortunate close losses to ranked teams, causing Iowa to fall out of playoff contention. Before finally knocking off Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Hawkeyes were 0-13 against ranked opponents, including Indiana.
Cignetti is a very straight-shooter and does not throw around compliments for no reason, especially of that magnitude, and it proves the Hawkeyes were just a few missed plays away from knocking off some tough ranked opponents and making their first College Football Playoff. This isn't the first time Cignetti has praised the program, especially after narrowly escaping Kinnick Stadium last September, putting Iowa at No. 11 in his final rankings list for last season. Cignetti knows ball, and he proved that with his final rankings, but it makes last season sting just a little bit more.
Not only does last season feel like a missed opportunity because of what Cignetti said, but it will be much harder to repeat those results next season with only 10 total starters returning for the program. Iowa has a tough schedule and multiple question marks, including at quarterback and on the offensive and defensive lines, and it will be interesting to see how they handle a tough five-game stretch to begin the Big Ten Conference slate. They start Big Ten Play at Michigan, home against Ohio State, at Washington, at Minnesota, and home against Wisconsin.
Iowa has a lot of unproven talent and could be a surprise team in the Big Ten this season, but all signs point in the opposite direction. With such a tough start to the conference schedule, they could easily be 3-3 heading into back-to-back trophy games against Minnesota and Wisconsin. It will be an uphill battle for the Hawkeyes to make their first CFP this season in a loaded conference, but they like playing the role of the underdogs, and we hope to be pleasantly surprised.
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