It seems the College Football Playoff committee is starting to warm up to the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ brand of football.
After a shutout win over Rutgers where the Hawkeyes surrendered just 127 yards of offense to the Scarlet Knights, Iowa made a big move up the Week 12 College Football Playoff Rankings board.
After making their CFP season debut last week at No. 22, Iowa jumped up six spots to No. 16 in Tuesday night’s set of rankings. The Hawkeyes’ six-spot climb was the largest of any team inside the CFP top 25.
It’s the highest CFP ranking for Iowa since being ranked No. 13 entering the 2021 Big Ten Championship game against Michigan.
⬆️1️⃣6️⃣@CFBPlayoff | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/mtNVMgCQnT
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 15, 2023
Sophomore quarterback Deacon Hill had his best game of the season versus Rutgers, passing for 223 yards on with one touchdown pass. Junior running back Leshon Williams, sophomore running back Kaleb Johnson and redshirt freshman running back Jaziun Patterson each eclipsed 53 rushing yards. Patterson had a four-yard rushing score.
Though two were running backs, seven different Hawkeyes caught a pass against Rutgers. Sophomore tight end Addison Ostrenga finished with eight catches for 47 yards, while sixth-year receiver Nico Ragaini reeled in four grabs for 48 yards.
Sophomore receiver Kaleb Brown had three receptions and his first career touchdown, a 10-yard catch-and-run score in the fourth quarter to help ice the win.
Meanwhile, defensively, senior safety Quinn Schulte came away with an interception to set up a score. The Hawkeyes allowed just 34 rushing yards on 23 carries, or 1.5 yards per rush.
Now, Iowa turns its attention to its final home date against Illinois (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten). The Hawkeyes can clinch the Big Ten West title and a trip to Indianapolis for a date against the winner of Michigan-Ohio State.
Here’s a look at the full Week 12 College Football Playoff Rankings:
| Rank | Team | Record | Change |
| 1 | Georgia | 10-0 | +1 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 10-0 | -1 |
| 3 | Michigan | 10-0 | — |
| 4 | Florida State | 10-0 | — |
| 5 | Washington | 10-0 | — |
| 6 | Oregon | 9-1 | — |
| 7 | Texas | 9-1 | — |
| 8 | Alabama | 9-1 | — |
| 9 | Missouri | 9-1 | +5 |
| 10 | Louisville | 9-1 | +1 |
| 11 | Oregon State | 8-2 | +1 |
| 12 | Penn State | 8-2 | -2 |
| 13 | Ole Miss | 8-2 | -4 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 8-2 | +3 |
| 15 | LSU | 7-3 | +4 |
| 16 | Iowa | 8-2 | +6 |
| 17 | Arizona | 7-3 | +4 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 7-2 | -5 |
| 19 | Notre Dame | 7-3 | +1 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 8-2 | +4 |
| 21 | Kansas State | 7-3 | +4 |
| 22 | Utah | 7-3 | -4 |
| 23 | Oklahoma State | 7-3 | -8 |
| 24 | Tulane | 9-1 | -1 |
| 25 | Kansas | 7-3 | -9 |
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