RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesAfter the Indiana Hoosiers claimed their first national championship with a spectacular 16-0 season last year, USA TODAY Sports revealed its 2026 Big Ten program rankings as a new college football season nears.
Despite Indiana capturing its first crown to cap the 2025 season, it's the Ohio State Buckeyes that top USA TODAY Sports' best Big Ten programs ranking. Indiana is ranked No. 2, followed by Oregon at No. 3, Michigan at No. 4 and Penn State at No. 5.
But, where does an Iowa program coming off another successful 9-4 (6-3 Big Ten) record rank? The Hawkeyes just missed the top five, coming in as the No. 6 Big Ten program entering the 2026 college football season.
As Kirk Ferentz enters his 28th season at the helm, USA TODAY Sports has plenty of respect for what he and the Iowa Hawkeyes have accomplished on a consistent basis:
No. 6: Iowa football
Iowa has been a model of consistency dating to the end of the last century, when a then-44-year-old Kirk Ferentz replaced a retiring Hayden Fry. The Hawkeyes have just one losing season since 2006 and qualified for bowl games in the last 24 of his 25 seasons. The current run is the best of the Ferentz era: Iowa has won at least seven games in every year since 2013 and has played for two Big Ten crowns since 2021.
While Iowa's defense and special teams have and continue to be staples of its identity, the recent improvement in offensive productivity and efficiency under offensive coordinator Tim Lester is likely one of the major reasons for the Hawkeyes' placement in USA TODAY Sports' Big Ten program rankings.
The Hawkeyes will look to prove their worth and potentially improve on their ranking when they open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 by hosting Northern Illinois at 3:15 p.m. CT at Kinnick Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Where is Iowa in USA TODAY's Big Ten football program rankings?
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