What a time to be an Iowa football fan. After capturing the attention of the college football world with their Friday night humiliation of Maryland, the Hawkeyes will have an opportunity to show their mettle and solidify their place in the playoff conversation by securing their first home win against Penn State since 2010 in a matchup between two Top Five teams.
With Iowa only five weeks into its 2021 season, it seems far too early to write a column dedicated to breaking down the team’s path to a conference championship and a playoff berth. Yet it is entirely appropriate; for the first time since 2015, the Hawkeyes not only find themselves in the driver’s seat to win the Big Ten West but are laying the groundwork for what could become a compelling case for inclusion in the College Football Playoff.