🏈 Fan Watch

#14Iowa Hawkeyes

4–0 · 1–0 BIG TEN
In the books
WEEK 5 · 2026
Week 5 pregame guide

Iowa's rebuilt front faces Sayin and Smith after a second-half slide

Iowa's line lost seven of its top eight 2025 players and is not generating pressure. Now Ohio State brings the Sayin to Smith connection to Kinnick.

Read the rooting guide →
Iowa football players in black-and-gold uniforms take the field at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa takes the field before the 2024 Cy-Hawk game.
CreditPhoto creditUnknown author Unknown authorWikimedia Commons · Public domainCropped to 16:9, resized and converted to WebP by Fan Watch.

Your game

Ohio State at Iowa
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CBS
Final
Ohio State
Final · Ohio State 31–14 IowaWent the other way ✗
Iowa

Other impactful games

the highlighted team was the result Iowa wanted
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BTN
Impact 1
Indiana
at
Rooted for
Rutgers
Final · Indiana 47–15 RutgersWent the other way ✗
Projected 3.5-point playoff boost

Indiana won instead, so Iowa did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection33% if Rutgers won29% with the other result3.5-point differenceIowa playoff chance
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FOX
Impact 2
Penn State
at
Rooted for
Northwestern
Final · Penn State 13–34 NorthwesternWish granted ✓
Projected 2.2-point playoff boost

Northwestern won and stayed ranked ahead of its Week 10 game against Iowa.

Entering-week projection31% if Northwestern won29% with the other result2.2-point differenceIowa playoff chance
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FOX
Impact 3
Michigan
at
Rooted for
Minnesota
Final · Michigan 14–20 MinnesotaWish granted ✓
Projected 2.0-point playoff boost

Michigan lost again, helping keep them behind Iowa.

Entering-week projection31% if Minnesota won29% with the other result2-point differenceIowa playoff chance
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NBC
Impact 4
Rooted for
Washington
at
USC
Final · Washington 21–25 USCWent the other way ✗
Projected 1.5-point playoff boost

USC won instead, so Iowa did not get the result it wanted.

Entering-week projection30% if Washington won29% with the other result1.5-point differenceIowa playoff chance
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BTN
Impact 5
Michigan State
at
Rooted for
Wisconsin
Final · Michigan State 3–31 WisconsinWish granted ✓
Projected 1.3-point playoff boost

Wisconsin won and stayed ranked ahead of its Week 9 game against Iowa.

Entering-week projection29% if Wisconsin won28% with the other result1.3-point differenceIowa playoff chance
50 other games had little impact
Western Kentucky at New Mexico State · CBSSN
North Texas at Tulsa · ESPN
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech · ESPN
Liberty at Delaware · CBSSN
Memphis at Charlotte · ESPN+
Alabama at Mississippi State · ABC
Middle Tennessee at Kansas · ESPNU
UCF at Houston · ESPN2
West Virginia at Iowa State · TNT
Boston College at SMU · The CW Network
Notre Dame at North Carolina · ESPN
Stanford at Wake Forest · ACC Network
Syracuse at UConn · CBSSN
Navy at Air Force · CBS
Vanderbilt at Georgia · SEC Network
Western Michigan at Buffalo · ESPN+
Toledo at Ball State · ESPN+
Florida at Missouri · ABC
Auburn at Tennessee · ESPN
California at UNLV · CBSSN
Louisville at NC State · ACC Network
Virginia at Florida State · ESPN2
Wyoming at North Dakota State · The CW Network
Akron at Central Michigan · ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at Massachusetts · ESPN+
Ohio at Kent State · ESPN+
Bowling Green at Miami (OH) · ESPN+
Old Dominion at Georgia State · ESPN+
Marshall at James Madison · ESPNU
Maryland at Nebraska · FS1
UTEP at New Mexico · MW+
Kentucky at South Carolina · SEC Network
Purdue at Illinois · BTN
Oregon State at Colorado State · USA Network
Arkansas at Texas A&M · ESPN2
BYU at TCU · ESPN
UTSA at Rice · ESPN+
Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina · ESPN+
UL Monroe at South Alabama · ESPN+
Texas Tech at Colorado · FOX
Miami at Clemson · ABC
Utah State at Boise State · CBSSN
Temple at South Florida · ESPNU
Army at Louisiana Tech · ESPN+
Arkansas State at Louisiana · ESPN+
Fresno State at Washington State · USA Network
Baylor at Arizona State · ESPN
Texas State at San Diego State · The CW Network
Cincinnati at Arizona · FOX
San José State at Hawai'i · MW+
The rooting list was:Iowa, then Rutgers, Northwestern, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin.

Based on 50,000 season simulations entering week 5, anchored to the AP Top 25 (week 5). How the model works.