Iowa Leads Most Voted For Unranked Teams

How a team is ranked, perceived and slated in the national light can have a serious impact on their season's eventual turnout, for better or worse. At 6-2 (4-1), bordering on a medal-placement in what is arguably the best conference in football, the Iowa Hawkeyes somehow remain unranked through the bulk of their 2025-26 season.

Not to mention the team's three-game win streak and, especially last week, utter domination of a previously dubbed formidable B1G opponent. No matter how you label this issue's importance, it begins to feel more and more disrespectful as the weeks go on.

Number Next to the Name

Sure, this specific problem is (mostly) semantic. Though even an AP ranking carries little technical purpose, it can still sway the minds of people in important seeding positions and paint the reputation of a team on a wider, less-specific level.

Ranking college football's top 25 teams on a weekly basis according to their trends, statistics and other such similar numerals, the AP Poll is often seen as a basic indicator of a team's success and prestige at any point in a campaign. In simpler terms, it's the number next to a good team's name on the scoreboard.

To that point, what makes Iowa's being snuffed worse is that the team is getting votes by the AP committee; only, they haven't yet been enough.

Hanging around the Top 25 👀 Should any of these teams be ranked? pic.twitter.com/agqE3gUXxr
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 3, 2025

According to FOX College Football on X (Twitter) the Hawkeyes are at the top of the list of notable teams receiving AP votes without being granted a resulting ranking. Below Iowa's tally at 71 are the James Madison Dukes (53), Pittsburgh Panthers (35), San Diego State Aztecs (30) and the North Texas Mean Green (27).

Representing the largest gap on that list and, once more, competing in a comparatively much tougher conference, the Hawkeyes appear to stand out in the most obvious and frustrating way.

A Golden Opportunity

That said, Iowa has the perfect chance this coming weekend to prove to voters that they belong in the rankings with a home matchup against the #6 Oregon Ducks. Not only is Oregon a visiting B1G team, but a top 10 win would undoubtedly put the Hawkeyes over the edge when it comes to finally being ranked.

The duel is arguably Iowa's most important of the season so far, and a golden opportunity to set themselves above as a team capable of competing on a high level.

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