The Hawkeyes came up just short against a talented Oregon team on Saturday, effectively ending any chance of a Big Ten title game or College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance.
After jumping into the first CFP Rankings, Iowa had a golden opportunity to put the college football world on notice, but failed to take advantage of its opportunity.
The offense started slowly, special teams committed multiple blunders, and a normally sure-handed Kaden Wetjen fumbled the ball.
Additionally, Oregon gashed the Hawkeyes on the ground, contributing to the loss.
Final score: Oregon 18, Iowa 16
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 9, 2025
Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz believes a lot of great things can happen this season, but we need to address the elephant in the room.
The Hawkeyes are now 0-12 in games against ranked opponents since the 2021 season. Their last win against a ranked opponent was in Week Six of the 2021 season against No. 4 Penn State (23-20).
Iowa's inability to win when it counts is baffling to Iowa fans, as we always hear the players state they prepare well and have excellent practices during the week.
If that were the case, why can't they get over the hump, and beat a ranked team?
The Hawkeyes have always been competitive, even when they do not always get multiple four and five-star recruits, and this dry spell against ranked teams does not make sense.
During the last 12 losses to ranked opponents, Iowa has not been able to put together a complete game and has made multiple mistakes that are not usually made.
A prime example of this came against Oregon on Saturday when the usually stout Iowa defense gave up a massive 373 total yards, including 261 on the ground.
For the second time this season, Iowa outgained its opponent through the air (138 to 112 against Oregon), but still couldn't find a way to win.
Until Iowa puts together a complete game in all three phases, the losses against ranked teams will continue to pile up.
The Hawkeyes have another opportunity to beat a ranked team next weekend as they travel to Cali to take on No. 19 USC.