Inside The Hawkeyes

This Five-Game Stretch Will Define Iowa's Season

If Iowa Hawkeyes fans thought the UConn game was bad, they're in for a rude awakening.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Iowa Hawkeyes women' basketball head coach Jan Jensen calls a play during the first quarter against Iowa State in the NCAA women’s basketball Cy-Hawk Series on Dec. 10, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes women' basketball head coach Jan Jensen calls a play during the first quarter against Iowa State in the NCAA women’s basketball Cy-Hawk Series on Dec. 10, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

To no surprise, the Iowa Hawkeyes learned on December 22 that they'd be falling in the AP Poll. Thankfully for their sake, they fell just three spots.

Women's basketball is hotter than ever, and there are so many teams vying for that top spot. UConn is the undeniable No. 1 team, but there are plenty of others that could do some damage come tournament time.

Iowa is absolutely in that mix. They're currently ranked No. 14, but there's a five-game stretch on their schedule that will define their season and determine just how good this team truly is.

Five Ranked Opponents Await From January 18 to February 1

While there are no guarantees all of these teams will be ranked by the time this stretch comes around, it's still going to be quite the challenge. Currently, Iowa is set to host No. 24 Michigan State, play at No. 7 Maryland, host No. 19 Ohio State, and then play on the road against No. 17 USC and No. 4 UCLA.

Looking at those games, there's no doubt this will be the stretch that defines their season. The two game road stretch in California is absolutely brutal, and they'll return home on just a few days rest before hosting Minnesota and Washington.

Keep in mind, those aren't the only ranked teams on Iowa's schedule. They also have No. 29 Nebraska and No. 6 Michigan to deal with. The B1G is no joke, and head coach Jan Jensen is just weeks away from finding out how well she's done in her second year.

Running Through The Gauntlet

In no world does anyone expect Iowa to go 5-0 in that stretch, but they at least need to come out of it with a winning record. Between now and January 18, they have five games on their schedule. They'll only play one ranked opponent, the Cornhuskers, and that game benefits the Hawkeyes as it's at home.

Penn State is their next opponent with that game taking place on December 28. ESPN Analytics loves the Hawkeyes as they give Iowa a 96.8% chance to beat a Nittany Lions team that is 7-5.

At the end of the day, anyone can win any game. The B1G is no joke, and at this point it could be the best conference in women's college basketball. Iowa's schedule is far from easy, but they're hoping to get back on track with four or five wins after the UConn loss before taking on one of the most brutal stretches any team will see this season.

Don't forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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