How 2026 Iowa Football Stacks Up to Every Team From the 2020s

The 2020s have been an interesting era for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Make no mistake about it, the success has been consistent each year, but the route taken has drastically changed course.

The 2026 bunch has its template and recipe for success on paper, which is all we can measure off of right now as fall camp is underway.

Just how does the template of this year's team stack up to those before them this decade?

2020: Iowa, 6-2

Despite the shortened season due to COVID-19, the 2020 Iowa team was a fun one. This team blew its first two games of the year, then rattled off six straight wins that weren't particularly close.

The passing attack was not as abysmal as some may think. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Sam LaPorta, Brandon Smith, and Tyrone Tracy were a solid core. Tyler Goodson led the way on the ground as a standout for Iowa.

On defense, this unit was No. 6 in scoring, which is a common trend.

The Pick: 2020 Iowa. This defense was loaded. Tyler Goodson was a future NFL talent at the time. This team was well-rounded. Given a 12-game season, this team had 10-win potential written all over it.

2021: Iowa, 10-4

Sep 18, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Tyler Goodson (15) in action against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

This was Tyler Goodson's coming -out party with 1,151 rushing yards and 247 receiving yards. He carried the offense, with Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla splitting time as they threw 12 touchdowns to 11 interceptions.

Defensively, Jack Campbell made his name very well known, tallying 143 tackles. Even more impressive, this defense reeled in a monster 25 interceptions to make life miserable on quarterbacks.

The Pick: 2021 Iowa. Jack Campbell and this defense were next level. They forced turnovers. Held teams to minimal success. The offenses are close, but the defense wins the day.

2022: Iowa, 8-5

Things get interesting here. This team was when the noise began to get very loud about the ineptitude on offense. Iowa threw for just seven touchdowns and ran for only a measly 3.0 yards per carry. It was all bad.

Fortunately, Jack Campbell and Cooper DeJean led the way for a defense that allowed just 13.1 points per game. This unit legitimately won games single-handedly during this campaign.

The Pick: 2026 Iowa. The offense was really that bad. It was brutal to watch at times. The 2026 Hawkeyes have too much talent to only score 17.7 points per game.

2023: Iowa 10-4

Oct 7, 2023; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Deacon Hill (10) warms up before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

This is one of my favorite Iowa teams of recent memory. Deacon Hill, while the stats weren't there, led Iowa to 10 wins. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. Leshon Williams and Kaleb Johnson led the way on the ground, even though Iowa ran for 3.5 yards per carry.

Defensively, it was another year of linebackers dominating the day, with Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson, one of Iowa's best transfer portal additions in this era, leading the way.

Allowing just 14.8 points per game, this unit kept Iowa in games, which is highlighted by eight wins in games decided by 10 points or fewer.

The Pick: 2026 Iowa. The quarterback play should be better than 48.9% completions, 1,661 yards, and nine touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The defense doesn't have to be up to this standard, but it doesn't need to be.

2024: Iowa, 8-5

The 2024 season will long be remembered for Kaleb Johnson willing this team to eight wins on the back of 1,537 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns. It will also be remembered for the heroic bullpen effort from walk-on fourth-string quarterback Jackson Stratton stepping in with success.

It sounds like a record on repeat, but this team held opponents to 17.8 points per game and thrived on turnovers, reeling in 16 interceptions. This is also when we were introduced to Kaden Wetjen in the return game.

The Pick: 2026 Iowa. This team uncharacteristically blew multiple double-digit leads. That's not something Iowa does, and I don't expect it to happen again.

2025: Iowa, 9-4

Oct 25, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The freshest in our minds, the 2025 Iowa squad was led by Mark Gronowski, reminding Iowa fans they are allowed to have a fun, competent quarterback. His dual-threat ability helped Iowa open up the offense.

On defense, they were once again a top-10 unit (No. 8), but did it more by committee than one or two standouts, which may be similar to what the 2026 team sees.

The Pick: 2025 Iowa. As Curt Cignetti said, this team was the most underrated one in America. Iowa had College Football Playoff teams on the ropes, but couldn't close. Still, this team was closer to the top than any this decade.

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