After Iowa (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) put together another strong performance on Saturday in their 24-10 win at Northwestern (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten), the second College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night rewarded the Hawkeyes' continued success. Iowa was rewarded with a four-spot rise to No. 15.
Many fans and media members are starting to believe this Hawkeyes team could clinch its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history if they can win out across their three remaining regular-season games.
Iowa closes its regular season with a home date against Purdue (3-6, 2-4 Big Ten), at Illinois (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten), and by hosting Nebraska (5-4, 2-4 Big Ten).
As Iowa prepares for its Nov. 14 home matchup against the Boilermakers, here are some
of the notable fan and media reactions to the second College Football Playoff rankings:
November ๐ CFP Selection Committee Rankings
โ CFP (@CFBPlayoff) November 11, 2026
1๏ธโฃ5๏ธโฃ. Iowa Hawkeyes // @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/Nh84s2Rair
Iowa doesnโt get jumped by USC or Oregon ๐ช๐ป
โ Joe Hugen (@Joe_Hugen) November 11, 2026
Everything in front of the Hawks for a CFP bid. https://t.co/ijON837dQ1
๐๐ฎ๐ซ #15 ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ
โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ง (@ChinLovesIowa) November 11, 2026
In better news, Iowa 15th in the CFP Poll! Not dead yet..
โ Ben Stan (@HawkeyeBBFan) November 11, 2026
Looking ahead, here's the funkiest thing to watch out for. Would the CFP REALLY put a 10-2 Houston in ahead of a 10-2 Iowa?
โ Pete Fiutak (@PeteFiutak) November 11, 2026
Your 15th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes! https://t.co/9VycMa1APx
โ Mike Ott (Lover of beer and green bean casserole) (@DustyBottoms04) November 11, 2026
Nothing can ruin this night.
โ Ben McCollum is my hero (@MountMcKeever) November 11, 2026
The committee just moved Iowa up 4 spots in 1 week.
They only need to move up 4 more spots to make the CFP. https://t.co/55AebBrgIQ
Iowa jumps 4 spots in the CFP ranking to #15, narrowly beating their AP ranking of #16 ๐ฏ https://t.co/Fk4KznWH9l
โ Slater (@SlaterKinnick_) November 11, 2026
#Hawkeyes come in at #15 in the latest #CFP rankings.
โ Joel Kellar (@KellarJoel) November 11, 2026
A big jump for Iowa. I think this bodes well for their chances if they can win out.
Iowa is going to be a very interesting 10-2 team for the CFP committee.
โ Matt Schick (@ESPN_Schick) November 8, 2026
Iowa is in prime position right now at #15.
โ Hawkeye Rewinds (@HawkeyeRewinds) November 11, 2026
A few potential upsets this weekend:
- #13 Wake Forest a slight underdog (+1.5) at SMU
- #11 Kentucky a slight favorite (-3.5) hosting Florida
- #8 Tennessee less than a FG favorite (-2.5) at Texas A&M
Could very likely be lookingโฆ
"No one's talking about Iowa, but they better start!" ๐ค@AdamBreneman81 #Scoreboard pic.twitter.com/RiUMilAHWN
โ CBS Sports College Football ๐ (@CBSSportsCFB) November 11, 2026
"I don't think Iowa gets enough credit for what they've accomplished. They have everything you want in a football team. Their defense is elite, and nobody can argue with that."
โ Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) November 11, 2026
Biff Poggi on where @HawkeyeFootball stands in the CFP rankings ๐#B1GToday pic.twitter.com/vuxFI5KJTO
.@CFBPlayoff Rankings REACTION
โ David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 11, 2026
the case for Alabama and against Indiana
...and the case for @HawkeyeFootball & @Vol_Football pic.twitter.com/9YQ5feAxzT
in playoff contention pic.twitter.com/OvzgFUcIMv
โ Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) November 11, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: How Iowa football fans, media reacted to second CFP rankings, Hawkeyes' rise
