The preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll dropped on Monday afternoon.
The Iowa Hawkeyes check in as the nation’s No. 25 team, just sneaking into the rankings. Iowa received 140 points and joined fellow Big Ten squads Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and USC as league members inside the preseason top 25.
After the preseason top 25 was unveiled, ESPN picks the biggest early-season game for every AP top 25 team.
For the Hawkeyes, ESPN’s Jake Trotter said Iowa’s Oct. 5 date at Ohio State was the Hawkeyes’ biggest early-season game.
With no Penn State, Oregon, Michigan or USC on the schedule, the Hawkeyes own one of the Big Ten’s more favorable slates. The Hawkeyes don’t have to knock off Ohio State to make it to the Big Ten championship game. But an upset victory in Columbus could elevate Iowa into prime position to make it to Indy, and potentially, the playoff. – Trotter, ESPN.
Even if Iowa doesn’t win at Ohio State, the Hawkeyes will earn some brownie points nationally if they can just keep it competitive. That’s how highly the voters think of the Buckeyes.
Obviously, an upset win in Columbus would signal to everyone in the nation that Iowa is for real. It would also represent Iowa’s first win at Ohio State since a 16-9 triumph on Nov. 2, 1991.
The Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series is always a pivotal early-season game for Iowa. With Iowa State expected to perhaps make some noise in the Big 12 and in the receiving votes category of the preseason AP Top 25 poll, that Sept. 7 date versus the Cyclones takes on serious importance.
Iowa can’t afford to stub its toe versus Iowa State from Kinnick Stadium like they did in a 10-7 home loss versus the Cyclones in the 2022 season. That was the first loss in a 3-4 start to the 2022 campaign.
Really, Iowa needs to take care of business in every game other than at Ohio State leading up to its Nov. 2 showdown versus Wisconsin. Right now, it looks like the Hawkeyes should be favored in every game leading up to that Wisconsin date outside of their trip to Columbus.
If Iowa can get that accomplished, the Hawkeyes will be looking at a four-game slate of Wisconsin on Nov. 2, at UCLA on Nov. 8, at Maryland on Nov. 23 and versus Nebraska on Nov. 29 to close their 2024 regular season.
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