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.
One 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.
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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?
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.
Iowa
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, On3
With 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.
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.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: On3 names Iowa Hawkeyes a College Football Playoff sleeper team
