The excitement is building for the college football season. We are 25 days away from Iowa's first home game against UAlbany on August 30.
The Hawkeyes will look different on both sides of the football after multiple key players left the program for the NFL, and there will be several new faces in the locker room.
The Hawkeye defense will have to replace the high level of production from linebacker Jay Higgins and Yahya Black.
After a down year by Iowa standards, the Hawkeye defense will bounce back, and no one worries about Iowa's defense as long as Phil Parker is on the sidelines.
The offense will look drastically different without star running back Kaleb Johnson in the backfield and a new quarterback under center.
The biggest change to the Iowa offense is who will be under center. During the offseason, outside of Jackson Stratton, the quarterback room is completely different.
Hank Brown, Jeremy Hecklinski, Jimmy Sullivan, and Mark Gronowski joined the quarterback room this season, with Gronowski having the inside track to be the starter.
The Hawkeyes are projected to have a solid finish to the 2025-2026 season, with some projecting Iowa to be a darkhorse candidate to make the College Football Playoff.
Ahead of next season, "The Big Ten Huddle" gave Iowa the fourth-best odds in the Big Ten to make the CFP.
Big Ten Teams’ percentage chances of making the playoffs, according to PFF Power Rankings
— The Big Ten Huddle 🎙️ (@TheBigTenHuddle) August 3, 2025
For reference, Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State all have top 5 percentages to make the playoffs compared to the rest of the PFF Power Rankings. pic.twitter.com/zjKnBWxU5x
"The Big Ten Huddle" gives Iowa a 25 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff next season, the fourth-best odds behind Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State.
The Big Ten is always a gauntlet, and the Hawkeyes can no longer hide in the weaker of the two previous divisions, following the Big Ten's removal of the divisions from the conference.
The success of the Hawkeyes is contingent upon the improvement of the offense with Gronowski under center.
The Hawkeyes always lean on their run game due to inefficient quarterback play. This season, the offense has the potential to be multi-dimensional with Gronowski's ability to throw and run.
If the Hawkeyes' defense can return to their 2023 form, where they ranked No. 1 in total defense, and Gronowski can lead an improved offense, Iowa's odds of making the CFP will increase.