Could the Iowa Hawkeyes Be the Dark Horse That Shakes Up the College Football Playoff?

The College Football Playoff, since kicking off back in 2014, has turned the national title chase into a thrilling carousel, giving teams far beyond the usual suspects their shot at glory. Now, with the playoff field expanding to a dozen contenders, the stakes—and the dreams—are higher than ever across the college football landscape. Among the perennial contenders itching to rewrite their story: the Iowa Hawkeyes. Known for scraping the edge year after year—so close, yet just shy of the Playoff stage—they’re quietly gearing up for a breakthrough. Enter Mark Gronowski, a new quarterback many see as the spark Iowa’s offense has desperately needed. Couple that with a roster brimming with potential that analysts predict will shatter their projected wins, and you’ve got a recipe brewing for a landmark season. Could 2025 finally be the year Iowa crashes the Playoff party and asserts itself among college football’s elite? On3’s Ari Wasserman thinks so, spotlighting the Hawkeyes as serious sleepers ready to shake things up in both the Big Ten and SEC. With that signature mix of a rock-solid defense and an offense finally showing pulse, Iowa might just have the ammo to topple giants and grab their postseason ticket at last. LEARN MORE

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7IowaOne team and fan base that has been knocking at the door but not yet entered the College Football Playoff party is the Iowa Hawkeyes. A perennial winning program, Iowa has been on the cusp of making an appearance multiple times, only to fall one game short.

Other Big Ten teams pegged as sleepers by Wasserman include the Illinois Fighting Illini who are ascending rapidly under head coach Bret Bielema who is paired with elite QB Luke Altmyer, the Nebraska Cornhuskers who are looking to continue their growth under head coach Matt Rhule, and the Washington Huskies, a newer team in the Big Ten looking to make a big splash.

When you think about Iowa football, you think about laughably bad offense and great defense. It seems to be the same there every single year. But guess what? Iowa brought in quarterback Mark Gronowski from South Dakota State. If you haven’t watched his tape, do it. The Hawkeyes have a chance at a semi-explosive offense with a healthy Gronowski at the helm. It’s a borderline lock that the Hawkeyes will have an elite defense. Dare to dream. – Wasserman, On3With a defense that is always steady under defensive coordinator Phil Parker, Iowa has a puncher’s chance with a competent offense that shows a pulse. If they can get life from the offense, they become a very dangerous team that could take down a title contender to punch their own ticket to the postseason.

On3’s college football reporter Ari Wasserman believes that could be the case. He has the Iowa Hawkeyes included among his Big Ten and SEC teams that could make noise in the 2025 College Football Playoff.With a new quarterback in Mark Gronowski, who many view as a large upgrade for Iowa, and a roster constructed to blow by their projected win totals, could 2025 be the season Iowa kicks down the door and enters the College Football Playoff?

Since its inception in 2014, the College Football Playoff has opened the door for many more teams to have a chance at a national championship. Once you get into the field, fans have learned that anything can happen. With the field now expanded to 12 teams, there is more hope to be spread around among college football fan bases.