Iowa football: Final rankings in the AP, FanPulse polls

Well, another season of college football has passed.

The Associated Press released its final rankings for the 2019-20 season, and the Hawkeyes rank 15th — a one-spot jump from the poll released prior to bowl season.

In terms of the Big Ten, Iowa finished behind No. 3 Ohio State, No. 9 Penn State, No. 10 Minnesota, and No. 11 Wisconsin. Michigan was the final Big Ten team, coming in at 18th.

I can’t complain too much with these rankings. The only team I’d make (somewhat) of an argument against would be Minnesota. Yes, the Hawkeyes beat the Gophers earlier this season, but Minnesota balled out against Auburn in the Outback Bowl. Give credit where credit is due.

Regarding the FanPule final poll, the Hawkeyes finished 21st. Here’s where I’ve got beef.

I do not think Cincinnati, Air Force, Boise State, and Appalachian State had better years than Iowa this season (also, bold move to put Alabama behind Penn State). None of those programs had a better resume than Iowa this season.

In terms of confidence, the fans made it clear: Iowa finished at its best this season. I wouldn’t expect anything less.

The Hawkeyes rattled off four consecutive wins to end the season, three of which coming against bowl-eligible teams (sorry, Nebraska).

The win over then-No. 8 Minnesota stands out the most — it was another signature win against a top-10 team at Kinnick. And hey, smacking No. 22 USC is great, too.

Disagree with Iowa’s rankings in either poll? Let us know what you think in the comments.