While the Iowa football team has worked hard to improve in key areas such as quarterback and offense in general, the ESPN FPI remains unsure of how it will all come together for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes.
In a projection of wins and losses for Big Ten Conference teams, along with the chances of each league school to win the conference title, the Hawkeyes find themselves 10th overall between Illinois and Wisconsin.
Ohio State, the defending national champion, is first with Penn State a close second followed by Oregon, Michigan and USC.
However, the power index has Iowa ranked No. 39 in the country, five spots ahead of Illinois and one behind Wisconsin. The projected win-loss record is at 6-6, with a 65 percent chance to win six games and qualify for the postseason once more.
Leading rusher Kaleb Johnson is in the NFL taking handoffs from Aaron Rodgers with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ferentz brought in one of the top transfer portal quarterbacks in Mark Gronowski, who won FCS titles with South Dakota State.
Kamari Moulton is expected to replace Johnson at running back while Reece Vander Zee, Jacob Gill and Seth Anderson are the top wide receivers. Both Gill and Anderson are transfers.
Iowa opens the 2025 season at home on Saturday, August 30 against UAlbany before heading to Ames to face rival Iowa State a week later. After hosting Massachusetts, the Hawkeyes open conference play on Friday, September 19 at Rutgers.
Other Big Ten games for Iowa include Indiana, Wisconsin, Penn State, Minnesota, Oregon, USC, Michigan State and Nebraska.