Hawkeyes return to relevance after late season efforts

By Colin Schultz

Iowa football is back on track after a disappointing 5-4 start.

At the beginning of the season, Iowa started out ranked No. 17 i.n the AP top 25, eventually getting to No. 13 before getting upset by North Dakota State 23-21 in week three.

After three more losses to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Penn State, it very much seemed like the Iowa season was over, as if to validate the scrutiny they received after getting trounced by Stanford in the Rose Bowl last year.

But Iowa has turned it around these past three weeks, as the Hawkeyes beat Michigan who was unbeaten at the time, as well as beating No. 17 Nebraska last week.

Now the Hawkeyes are No. 17 in this week’s AP poll, despite not being ranked at all in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Iowa’s strong defense has really been one of the keys to keeping the team competitive this entire year, as the offense has struggled plenty throughout the entire season.

Iowa’s game has almost always been keeping the contest a low scoring one. Iowa is not made to to be an offensive shootout, which has gotten them in trouble in certain games.

CJ Beathard was supposed to be more of a gunslinger quarterback, but he has looked somewhat shaky this season due to his reliance on the checkdown.

Losses against Northwestern and Penn State are good examples of Iowa’s struggles.

Iowa lost 38-31 to Northwestern and 41-14 to Penn State.

Iowa’s running game has been one of the only things offensively that they can rely on. In every single one of Iowa’s wins, the two main running backs, Akrum Wadley and Leshun Daniels Jr., have combined for at least 150 yards on the ground.

The Iowa hecklers have been real Fox Sports media personality Colin Cowherd has ripped into Iowa on several occasions, calling them the fake I.D of college football, and questioning their non-conference scheduling, calling them weak.

After Iowa beat Michigan 14-13 and destroyed Nebraska 40-10, my man Cowherd hasn’t said anything, so Iowa silenced the haters, and the return to the top 25 proves it.

Iowa has proven that they have flaws, especially on offense, but still deserve to be considered a top football program.

Iowa has returned to relevance in college football, and is now back on the prowl on the top of college football.