Iowa Earns Spot in Penultimate CFP Rankings

Per the CFB official release, the selection committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season. The five highest-ranked conference champions and the following seven highest-ranked teams will be seeded into a 12-team bracket based on the final ranking, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye.

The teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the CFP First Round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds. The Playoff Quarterfinals and Playoff Semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The rankings were revealed on the evening of Dec. 2.

Hawkeyes Clinch No. 23 CFB Ranking

Iowa concluded with a 6-3 record in the Big Ten after blowing out Nebraska in the regular season finale.

The Hawkeyes' four losses came by a combined 15 points and all were against ranked opponents. Additionally, three of those losses have come against programs ranked within the top 20 of this week's CFP poll. However, Iowa — led by head coach Kirk Ferentz — also posted some blowout victories in Big Ten trophy games, demolishing Wisconsin, Minnesota and the previously referenced Nebraska by a combined score of 118-19.

Iowa slots in ahead of both North Texas (11-1) and James Madison (11-1).

The Big Ten also had five other programs listed, including No. 1 Ohio State (12-0), No. 2 Indiana (12-0), No. 5 Oregon (11-1), No. 16 USC, and No. 19 Michigan.

With the Hawkeyes' 47-7 win over UMass earlier this year, Ferentz also became the winningest coach in Big Ten history. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti at the time said that Iowa's success has been a testament to Ferentz's hard work.

"On behalf of the Big Ten Conference, I want to congratulate Kirk Ferentz on becoming the winningest head coach in Big Ten football history.," Petitti previously said. "This achievement is a testament to his leadership, consistency and commitment to excellence over nearly three decades at the University of Iowa. The impact he has made on student-athletes, colleagues, the sport of football and the Iowa City community is immeasurable. We celebrate this historic milestone and the legacy he continues to build within the Big Ten.”

Iowa will find out its bowl game destination on Dec. 7.