Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Climb in ESPN FPI and Force the CFP Conversation

The Iowa Hawkeyes put nothing to chance. This team went on the road to a 6-2 Northwestern team and went home with a 24-10 win to get to 7-2 on the season. The win is massive. It continues to propel this team toward its goal.

It also forces the college football world to have a serious conversation. Like it or not, you can't have the College Football Playoff discussion without including the Iowa Hawkeyes. Their odds of that, and their ranking in this week's ESPN FPI, both reflect another climb for Kirk Ferentz's team.

Iowa makes a steady climb in the updated ESPN FPI rankings

Last week saw Iowa take a massive leap in the ESPN FPI rankings. This week, while it isn't as big of a jump, it also sees the Hawkeyes climbing up the updated rankings with better metrics. The Iowa Hawkeyes are now ranked No. 18, a three-spot leap, in the ESPN FPI rankings.

ESPN FPI Predictions for Iowa Football

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Whether you want to believe it or not, the Iowa Hawkeyes are closer to controlling their own destiny than needing help. The Hawkeyes' win total has surpassed the nine-win mark for the first time in the ESPN FPI metrics.

What stands out is the jump in the chance to win out. Iowa is now giving nearly a one-in-three chance of running the table against Purdue, Illinois, and Nebraska. Easy? No. Doable? Absolutely. Keep winning and watch the chance to make the CFP continue to tick up in a hurry.

Projected Record: 9.1-2.9

Chance to Win Out: 31.5%

Chance to Make a Bowl Game: 100.0%

Chacne to Win the Big Ten: 1.6%

Chance to Make the College Football Playoff: 20.9%

Chance to Make the National Championship: 0.9%

Chance to Win the National Championship: 0.3%

Riley Donald's Quick Thoughts

I don't love ranking teams on data or metrics. It's a bit of a flawed system that can have biases based on what humans input. That said, the Hawkeyes metrics continue to improve at a steady rate. This team isn't fluctuating, which tells me that the success is sustainable, not a flash in the pan.

The Iowa Hawkeyes may not have style points. They may not score a million points. They may do it with special teams, defense, and timely big plays. And that's fine. Winning games has to matter, and the Iowa Hawkeyes are taking care of business in that category, which is the main one.

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