We are a week away from Iowa men's basketball, and now know where the Hawkeyes will start the season in Ben McCollum's second year in charge.
The Hawkeyes finished with 24-13 (10-10 Big Ten) last season, including an eye-opening run to the Elite Eight. After losing three players from last season, including All-Big Ten selection Bennett Stirtz, McCollum and the program brought in four talented players to bolster the roster. With a more well-rounded team, Iowa can surprise some teams this season, but will start the season on the outside looking in.
Iowa starts the season unranked, but received some votes
The program returns 10 players this year, giving them a strong foundation to build on. The program also has three of five starters returning, including Cam Manyawu, Cooper Koch, and Kael Combs, but the starting five could look a lot different. Cooper Koch is the only returner who is all but a lock as a starter this season, with Kael Combs, Ty'Reek Coleman, Tate Sage, Andrew McKeever, and Isaia Howard all in the mix. The depth chart is uncertain, but optimism surrounds the talent.
McCollum has a proven track record of getting the most out of the roster, but there is doubt about where Iowa landed in the preseason top 25 rankings.
BREAKING: Preseason College Basketball AP Poll🏀https://t.co/g4z17LVdWP pic.twitter.com/dYJufsSTG0
— On3 (@On3) October 19, 2026
Florida is the preseason No.1-ranked team, followed by Duke, Illinois, UConn, and Arizona. The Big Ten is well represented, with five teams in the top 25: No. 3 Illinois, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 16 Michigan, No. 21 USC, and No. 22 UCLA. The Iowa Hawkeyes are noticeably absent from the rankings, but they did receive votes. The Hawkeyes earned 12 votes to make the rankings, putting them at No. 33 overall. The ranking is lower than expected, but it gives the program a perfect opportunity to prove doubters wrong.
McCollum will be the first to tell you it's not about where you start, but where you finish, and Iowa doesn't care about preseason rankings. Iowa has a soft beginning to its schedule, with an exhibition against Illinois-Springfield and two regular-season games against Lipscomb (Nov. 3) and Eastern Illinois (Nov. 6) before the competition ramps up. The program has scheduled a tough non-conference schedule, with games against Virginia Tech, Creighton, and Xavier, giving them a solid early test before the Big Ten Conference schedule. Although none of the three teams are ranked, going 3-0 is a perfect way to tune up before a challenging Big Ten season.
Iowa starts on the road for the second straight year, heading to West Lafayette to take on Purdue. Purdue is shockingly not ranked in the preseason top 25, but they are always formidable, especially at Mackey Arena. Iowa went 0-2 against the Boilermakers last season and can start the conference schedule with a bang. After Purdue, Iowa has two more tough games against Indiana and No. 18 Iowa State before a brief break. If Iowa goes 3-0 or 2-1 during that early stretch, it will no doubt jump into the top 25.
Although there are several unknowns, we aren't doubting McCollum after a successful first season, and there is growing optimism about this year's roster.
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