Iowa Men's Basketball: Hawkeyes Need to be Higher in Final Preseason Bracketology

The Iowa Hawkeyes took care of business in an exhibition matchup against Illinois Springfield, notching an 88-64 win. It was good at times, clunky at times, but overall, a good sign of things to come, with a lot of players seeing action.

With that in the rearview mirror, it's time to turn attention to Iowa's rapidly approaching regular season. As soon as the calendar flips to November, it's college basketball time, and the Hawkeyes are right into it.

Iowa opens up with two home games next week. The Hawkeyes host Lipscomb and Eastern Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena to get their 2026-27 campaign underway, which is already being doubted by some before the season has even begun.

Iowa's Final Preseason Bracketology

Listen, I'm not saying that just because Iowa made a run to the Elite 8, they deserve a bump in any sort of rankings or bracketology.

I think this team needs to be held in higher regard due to Ben McCollum in his second year, with a roster he has had a full year to build through recruiting and the portal.

Past success doesn't always prove future success, but McCollum has proven he has the stuff to succeed. If he can lead Iowa to a No. 9 seed last year, with a makeshift roster of small-school transfers and transfer portal mercenaries, what's stopping him now?

With a full year to continue to implement his system, a roster built the way he wants to, and some weaknesses filled, McCollum can run more of what he wants, how he wants. I'm taking Iowa to outperform last year's seeding, even without Bennett Stirtz. The entirety is more well-rounded.

ESPN Bracketology

Iowa is not being treated kindly in ESPN's NCAA Tournament bracketology. Iowa is barely sneaking into the newly expanded 76-team field. The Hawkeyes are one of the final teams in the field, drawing a No. 10 seed and playing the Georgia Bulldogs to get into the field of 64, against No. 7 Villanova.

CBS Sports Bracketology

It's not much better, but it's better. In CBS Sports bracketology, the Hawkeyes are bumped up one seed line. They are being handed a No. 9 seed in the Midwest region, which would pit them against the No. 8 BYU Cougars.

Iowa Men's Basketball Schedule

Here is a look at Iowa's schedule through the month of November. We are set to find out a lot about this team in a three-game stretch against Virginia Tech, Creighton, and Xavier. Fortunately, Iowa gets to play all of those games within the state of Iowa except one.

Iowa Basketball Schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 3: Lipscomb, 7 p.m. CT (Iowa City, Iowa)

Friday, Nov. 6: Eastern Illinois, 7:30 p.m. CT (Iowa City, Iowa)

Tuesday, November 10: Virginia Tech, 6 p.m. CT (Sioux City, Iowa)

Sunday, November 15: Creighton, 2 p.m. CT (Des Moines, Iowa)

Friday, November 20: at Xavier, 6:30 p.m. CT (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Tuesday, November 24: UMBC, 6 p.m. CT (Iowa City, Iowa)

Saturday, November 28: Prairie Via A&M, 1 p.m. CT (Iowa City, Iowa)

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