After an undefeated week when other teams did not have undefeated weeks, the Iowa Hawkeyes (2-0) have risen to #3 in the AP Poll.

Blair Sanderson has the rundown about just how atmospheric Iowa is operating within its own history:

Since it took me some time to figure this out, the only times it’s happened outside of the 1986-87 season is very early in the 1987-88 campaign (Iowa got the Maui Bump that season) and 2016 (Iowa started the Big Ten campaign 7-0).

So yeah, savor this. Iowa’s ranking right now is the culmination of 11 years of Fran McCaffery and what he’s put into the program. Obviously it speaks highly of Luka Garza and what Iowa returns, but these rankings are fleeting and the above tweet speaks to that.

Additional Takeaways

• Other Big Ten teams come in #4, #5, #8, #23, & #24 in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Rutgers.
• North Carolina moved up a couple spots to #14 and Gonzaga remains #1.
• Speaking of Gonzaga: their big wins over #7 Kansas and Auburn solidified their place as the best in the land. If they continue to win (KenPom currently gives them ~53% chance of winning the next five) and Iowa can do the same (KenPom has it at ~49%), it sets up another #1/#2 showdown, presuming Baylor drops after a loss to Gonzaga on Saturday.
• Old friend Cordell Pemsl also sees himself ranked with Virginia Tech at #17 after winning some tournament put on at the Mohegan Sun with wins over Villanova & South Florida.

What do you think?