Every year ESPN puts together its college football future power rankings.
ESPN’s college football future power rankings is not a one-year projection. Instead, it sets out to predict the best in college football during the next three seasons (2024, 2025, 2026).
To help put together the rankings, ESPN comprises three categories of college football future power rankings: quarterbacks, defenses and offenses. Each team’s personnel picture helps determine its FPR, but track records for coaches, units and overall teams factor in as well.
Like each of the past four offseasons, the Iowa Hawkeyes find themselves inside the top 25 of ESPN’s college football future power rankings. For three years in a row, Iowa is on an upward trajectory, too.
Iowa checks in at No. 18 nationally in ESPN’s latest college football future power rankings. Though the Hawkeyes’ quarterbacks and its offense weren’t ranked in ESPN’s FPR, Iowa’s defense came in at No. 2 nationally.
Here’s what ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg had to say about the Hawkeyes.
Make your jokes about Iowa, but most programs would love to swap records with the Hawkeyes, who are 81-34 since the start of the 2015 season, despite an offense that ranks 104th nationally in scoring during that span. The Hawkeyes’ formula likely isn’t sustainable in the new Big Ten, but consider what the program could become with a functional offense under coordinator Tim Lester. – Rittenberg, ESPN.
Rittenberg also said “Iowa must re-establish itself at the line of scrimmage.” He noted that Iowa returns offensive tackles Mason Richman and Gennings Dunker, center Logan Jones and guard Connor Colby as well as seniors Nick DeJong and Tyler Elsbury and junior Beau Stephens as players along its offensive line with starting experience.
Rittenberg wrote that four-star signees Cody Fox and Will Nolan should help Iowa up front beyond the 2024 season. Rittenberg also broke down the rest of Iowa’s offensive picture.
Tight end Luke Lachey‘s return from injury provides a big boost for 2024, and junior Addison Ostrenga provides a solid second option. Iowa also brings in ESPN four-star recruit Gavin Hoffman this fall. Quarterback is a significant question, as Cade McNamara‘s injury issues precede his time with the Hawkeyes.
Iowa got some insurance with Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan, who started games the last two seasons. Lester’s offense should help a wide receiver group that has fallen off considerably. Kaleb Brownand Seth Anderson both are back with multiple years of eligibility, and Iowa added Northwestern transfer Jacob Gill. But the team must find more capable options. – Rittenberg, ESPN.
Of course, Iowa is best known for its defense. Hawkeye defensive coordinator Phil Parker won the Broyles Award last season after his unit ranked No. 4 nationally in scoring defense (14.8 points per game), No. 5 in passing defense (170.7 yards per game), No. 7 in total defense (282.5 yards per game).
The Hawkeyes were also a top-20 defense in a number of other key categories in the 2023 college football season. Iowa ranked No. 15 in rushing defense (111.8 yards), No. 15 in third down conversion percentage defense (31.3%) and No. 16 in red zone defense (75.8%).
Iowa’s defense checked in at No. 2 nationally in ESPN’s recent returning production rankings.
Naturally, Rittenberg had plenty of nice things to say about Parker’s group.
The Hawkeyes’ defense deserved the No. 2 FPR placement after carrying the team in recent seasons. Iowa has shown it can overcome NFL losses, such as Lukas Van Ness and Jack Campbell in 2023, or Cooper DeJean earlier this year, and continue to produce at high levels. Iowa should be excellent in its back seven, at least through 2024. Seniors Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson will be arguably the nation’s best linebacker tandem, while senior safety Sebastian Castro leads a playmaking secondary.
Castro and seasoned defensive backs Jermari Harris and Quinn Schulte depart after this coming season, but Iowa could have junior safety Xavier Nwankpa on the field through 2025, and cornerback Deshaun Lee through 2026. Iowa will use the 2024 season to develop younger DBs such as John Nestor, TJ Hall and Deavin Hilson. Iowa will have significant turnover at linebacker in 2025 but has recruited well with incoming four-star prospects Preston Ries and Cam Buffington, among others. Seniors Deontae Craig, Yahya Black and Ethan Hurkett lead a strong defensive front, which will turn to junior Aaron Graves and others, including Max Llewellyn, for 2025. – Rittenberg, ESPN.
A number of other Big Ten squads also made ESPN’s future college football power rankings. Ohio State was ranked No. 2, Michigan is No. 5, Oregon is No. 6, Penn State is No. 10, USC is No. 11, and Washington is No. 17.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions.
Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF