One preseason rankings list has Iowa Men's Basketball as a top 30 team

The time for talk is over: college basketball is officially here!

Iowa Men's Basketball underwent a massive offseason overhaul after an abysmal finish to the 2024-2025 season.

After finishing 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) under Fran McCaffery last year, Iowa promptly fired the long-time head coach, replacing him with Drake Bulldogs' head coach Ben McCollum.

In the seven months since moving to Iowa City, McCollum has rebuilt the Iowa coaching staff and roster, diligently preparing for his first season in major college basketball within the Big Ten Conference.

McCollum has also been active in the community, trying to drum up support for the program, and he is adamant that the program cannot succeed without the assistance of the community and all Hawkeye Hoops fans.

McCollum has a stellar track record of rebuilding programs, including Northwest Missouri State and Drake, and he has the same opportunity in front of him before his first season in Iowa City.

He has also won at every stop he has made in his career, with a lifetime 82 percent winning percentage (426-95) and four Division II National Championships.

Even with all the success McCollum has had in the past, he does not have any experience in the Big Ten or at the high Division I level.

McCollum is a proven winner, and one analyst thinks that will be enough for Iowa to make some noise next season.

CBS Sports senior college basketball writer Matt Norlander released his annual preseason list of the top 100 programs in men's college basketball.

He ranked Iowa No. 30 overall, which is somewhat surprising given that both the new head coach and most of the players have no experience in the Big Ten.

Norlander believes that McCollum's leadership and the play of star guard Bennet Stirtz will be the difference for the Hawkeyes this season.

Norlander also mentioned that this pick is either going to blow up in his face or make him look brilliant. There is no in-between.