Iowa's Kirk Ferentz May Have Coached Final Home Game

The Iowa Hawkeyes needed a walk-off field goal to take down Michigan State, 20-17. After trailing by 10 points late in the game, they put together as good of a fourth quarter as you could ask to come back and beat the Spartans.

Had Iowa lost, this would've been an entirely different conversation. Instead, head coach Kirk Ferentz has a chance to go out with his head held high. There's still the regular season finale at Nebraska, along with the bowl game, but this could've indeed been the final time Ferentz coached a game at Kinnick Stadium.

Kirk Ferentz Coaching Career Nears The End

"I guess as you get older the highs are a little higher and the lows are a little lower."

An emotional Kirk Ferentz says wins make him feel good for his players, "kind of like being a dad." pic.twitter.com/GJDYVwjwmm
— KCRG Sports (@KCRG_Sports) November 23, 2025

This seems to be a discussion every year, but Ferentz is 70 years old. He's been with the Hawkeyes since 1999 and is the all-time winningest head coach in Big Ten history. What he's done for Iowa has been nothing short of incredible, but the team knows that at some point, they'll need to move on.

Every year, fans speculate if it is going to be Ferentz's last. Coming off an unforgettable comeback on senior day, one that had fans on the edge of their seats, Hawkeyes fans know there will never be another Kirk Ferentz.

Nov 22, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz enters Kinnick Stadium before the game against the Michigan State Spartans. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

He isn't the flashiest coach in the world, but his style of play and the identity he brought to Iowa will never be forgotten. His record is far from perfect — he has no national championships, but he's a national treasure and is someone that most Hawkeyes fans would hate to see go.

Kirk Ferentz Storied Career

"He's been emotional almost after every-single win. Just because of how much he cares and how much he puts into this program."

Mark Gronowski on Kirk Ferentz this season: https://t.co/C9bNRknkW5 pic.twitter.com/yPKQfLRSpN
— KCRG Sports (@KCRG_Sports) November 23, 2025

After taking down the Spartans, Ferentz now has a career record of 211-128. He's lost plenty of games, but this is an Iowa team that seemingly never gets embarrassed. Whenever it's a one-score game, they're in it until the very end, even if the result doesn't go their way.

In the modern era of college football, Ferentz has relied on his assistants to guide him through the transfer portal and NIL packages. When it comes to recruiting, Iowa is still elite. One would have to question how many recruits would look elsewhere if Ferentz decided to call it quits after this season.

That doesn't seem to be the case, but there's a world where Iowa could finally pull the plug. If there was ever a year for the Hawkeyes to make the College Football Playoff, it was this year.

Regardless, Ferentz has been in good spirits and is extremely proud of this team. It's safe to assume he'll be back, but it's worth noting the MSU game could've indeed been his final at Kinnick.

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