Iowa Football Bowl Projections: Hawkeyes' Destinations Span Nationwide

Iowa was settling into some predictable bowl destinations, but recent happenings have the Hawkeyes tied to bowl games across the country against new teams.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz high fives Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Zach Ortwerth (48) Oct. 24, 2026 during a Big Ten football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Iowa Hawkeyes are getting a crash course on how quickly the landscape of college football and a season outlook can change this week after the loss to Minnesota. That said, Iowa is 5-2, and while the Hawkeyes need one more game to officially go bowling, they can think about bowl games.

Iowa Football Bowl Projections

Iowa was being tied to the Citrus Bowl quite a bit, as well as College Football Playoff bracket predictions, but things have seen a shakeup after the loss to Minnesota.

Iowa's bowl destination looks as murky as it has been all season, with new teams and new destinations dotting the projections.

Sports Illustrated

Iowa lost, sure, but the Hawkeyes are still 5-2. Based on Sports Illustrated's projections, you'd think Iowa was closer to fighting for bowl eligiblity than anything. The Hawkeyes are sent to New York for the Pinstripe Bowl against the SMU Mustangs.

College Football News

While others are sliding the Hawkeyes down to the mid-tier of bowl games, College Football News is holding steady. In a fun matchup in these projections, Iowa is drawing the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Citrus Bowl.

ESPN

The two bowl projections from ESPN have Iowa landing in rather different spots. One projection sends Iowa to New York for the Pinstripe Bowl against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The other keeps Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, drawing a very fun matchup against the LSU Tigers and their well-known head coach Lane Kiffin.

CBS Sports

No time was wasted by CBS Sports in sliding the Hawkeyes down a rung in the Big Ten bowl hierarchy. CBS Sports is sending Iowa to a wildly familiar bowl destination, the Music City Bowl, to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Riley Donald's Iowa Hawkeyes Bowl Projection

Having played in the ReliaQuest Bowl last season really makes things a bit wonky for Iowa's bowl projections, because I really doubt the bowl or conferences want to have the Hawkeyes in the same bowl for two years in a row, even though it feels like an ideal fit at the moment.

Riley Donald's Iowa Hawkeyes Bowl Projection: Iowa vs. Tennessee, Citrus Bowl

Let's say three Big Ten teams get into the CFP. That leaves quite the group vying for the Citrus Bowl, ReliaQuest Bowl, and Music City Bowl. I think Iowa is in that group. If Iowa ends the year at least 8-4, this tier of bowl games will want a Hawkeyes team that has a fanbase that travels well.

Like Iowa, Tennessee fell victim to a conference loss on the road. So, week over week, I am keeping the same SEC opponent for Iowa, but with the two falling out of the CFP in my projection.