Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Re-Enter Top-10 in AP, Coaches Poll

The Iowa Hawkeyes were idle this week, giving fans, players and coaches alike an extra seven days to stew on last week’s embarrassing loss to the Purdue Boilermakers. For their part, Purdue entered the top-25 after the win, but promptly lost to unranked Wisconsin at home this week.

Likewise, Penn State turned a tough road loss against the Hawkeyes into two losses to fall in the rankings this week. Despite having two weeks to recover from the loss in Kinnick, the Nittany Lions spent much of their bye week focused on what could have been and their dislike for all things Iowa, ultimately falling in historic fashion to Illinois.

Penn State wasn’t the only top-10 team to go down while the Hawkeyes watched from afar. Previously 8th ranked Oklahoma State couldn’t do what Iowa did as they fell to the Cyclones in Ames.

With two spots opening in the top-10, the Hawkeyes find themselves climbing back in this week. They re-enter at #9 in the AP poll

Here’s a look at the full AP poll for this week.

1) Georgia, 7-0 (63 first place votes)
2) Cincinnati, 7-0
3) Alabama, 7-1
4) Oklahoma, 8-0
5) Ohio State, 6-1
6) Michigan, 7-0
7) Oregon, 6-1
8) Michigan State, 7-0
9) Iowa, 6-1
10) Ole Miss, 6-1
11) Notre Dame, 6-1
12) Kentucky, 6-1
13) Wake Forest, 7-0
14) Texas A&M, 5-2
15) Oklahoma State, 6-1
16) Baylor, 6-1
17) Pitt, 6-1
18) Auburn, 5-2
19) SMU, 7-0S19)
20) Penn State, 5-2
21) San Diego State, 7-0
22) Iowa State, 5-2
23) UT-San Antonio, 8-0
24) Coastal Carolina, 6-1
25) BYU, 6-2

Others Receiving Votes (Big Ten-only): ~#36 Minnesota

Dropped Out: #18 NC State, #25 Purdue

Over in the Coaches Poll, the Hawkeyes have also climbed despite being idle. They’re one spot lower here at #10 as Ole Miss jumps them.

Here’s the full poll:

1) Georgia, 7-0 (63 first place votes)
2) Cincinnati, 7-0
3) Alabama, 7-1
4) Oklahoma, 8-0
5) Ohio State, 6-1
6) Michigan, 7-0
7) Michigan State, 7-0
8) Oregon, 6-1
9) Ole Miss, 6-1
10) Iowa, 6-1
11) Notre Dame, 6-1
12) Kentucky, 6-1
13) Wake Forest, 7-0
14) Texas A&M, 5-2
15) Oklahoma State, 6-1
16) SMU, 7-0
17) Penn State, 5-2
18) Baylor, 6-1
19) Pitt, 6-1
20) San Diego State, 7-0
21) Auburn, 5-2
22) UT-San Antonio, 8-0
23) Iowa State, 5-2
24) Coastal Carolina, 6-1
25) NC State, 5-2

Others Receiving Votes (Big Ten-only): NA

Dropped Out: #24 Clemson

The SEC leads all conferences with six teams ranked inside the AP top-25. They once again have three teams inside the top-10 with Georgia holding serve at #1, Alabama at #3 and Ole Miss climbing to #10. The Big Ten is close behind with five teams ranked. With Iowa re-entering the top-10, that makes four for the conference once again. Ohio State checks in at #5 while #6 Michigan and #8 Michigan State are set to face off this week. That opens an opportunity for Iowa to climb further in the rankings if they can come away with a win this week.

The Hawkeyes will take on unranked Wisconsin, which just knocked Purdue out of the rankings in a 30-13 beat down. Iowas and Wisconsin will kick off at 11am CT from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. This week’s game will be broadcast on ESPN.