IOWA CITY — Iowa football checked in at 22nd in the 2026 Associated Press preseason poll, which was released on Aug. 17.
This comes after the Hawkeyes were also ranked 22nd in the preseason US LBM Coaches poll.
With Kirk Ferentz entering his 28th season as the program’s head coach, the Hawkeyes have key questions looming at quarterback, defensive line and special teams.
Three teams on Iowa’s 2026 regular-season schedule also cracked the AP preseason Top 25: Ohio State (1), Michigan (16) and Washington (17).
The Hawkeyes face that trio of opponents in consecutive fashion. After opening the season with three non-conference opponents at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa goes to Michigan (Sept. 26), hosts Ohio State (Oct. 3) and then travels to the Pacific Northwest to face Washington (Oct. 9).
That those three teams are ranked in the preseason coaches poll further validates how difficult that three-game stretch is expected to be, especially considering two are on the road.
The good news is that, at least on paper, Iowa’s schedule lightens up the rest of the season. But the Hawkeyes will be tested very quickly in Big Ten play.
Iowa’s 2026 season kicks off in less than three weeks. The Hawkeyes host Northern Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Kinnick Stadium.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at TTachman@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Hawk Central: Did Iowa football land in Associated Press preseason poll?
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Hawk Central
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
