ESPN omits Iowa Hawkeyes from post-spring college football top 25 Power Rankings
The itch for college football is starting to pick up and we are getting updated power rankings, new top 25 polls, and will have plenty of anticipatory conversations as the season approaches.
ESPN has just released their post-spring top 25 Power Rankings for college football and there are some shakeups across the board. The movement is based on what teams showed in their spring games, transfers in and out, and what new coaching staffs have shown they are bringing for the first time.
The top of the board didn’t shock too many people with the top dogs in college football holding serve. They may have slid a spot or two, but, at this point, that slippage is nothing to those teams as long as they are within striking distance.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are one of the teams that did get caught in the shakeup, though. The Hawkeyes were booted from ESPN’s top 25 Power Rankings this time around and are on the outside looking in. In a curious decision, it appears that the substitute is the previously unranked Wisconsin Badgers.
Iowa was previously ranked 25th in ESPN and Mark Schlabach’s initial way-too-early top 25 rankings back in January.
Check out the entire top 25, some thoughts on what is going on with Iowa, and a look at the rest of the Big Ten that finds themselves present.
Thoughts on Iowa slipping out of the top 25
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
Why it makes sense: It isn’t hard to see where the decision of excluding Iowa from the new rankings comes from. Yes, Cade McNamara is an upgrade at quarterback, but it is yet to be seen how he can perform with a full stable of wide receivers. Iowa has to get healthy and they desperately need someone to emerge. Sure, Luke Lachey and Erick All are a stellar tight end duo, but at some point, there has to be the threat of an explosive play on the outside. The exclusion is for no other reason than the offensive question marks. And don’t forget, it isn’t as though Iowa has been forgotten about. They are right on the cusp of these rankings.
Why it doesn’t make sense: Looking at this logically, slotting the Badgers above Iowa doesn’t quite jive for a few reasons. One, Iowa handled Wisconsin last year. I know that doesn’t matter now but Iowa did so with an offense that really struggled compared to what this year’s should do. Secondly, the Hawkeyes return some stars from one of the game’s most historic defenses. This unit won games at times and shows no signs of letting up. Add that unit paired with one of the most well-coached special teams units in America provides the Hawkeyes the ability to own field position. Knocking Iowa for trying to upgrade on offense by jumping them for a team with a new coach and a complete makeover on offense is questionable at best.
No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Can Wisconsin become a team that successfully airs it out? That is the biggest question they face. They have a star running back in Braelon Allen who will test their willpower of throwing the ball, especially late in the season in Big Ten play when it is cold and bad weather. Luke Fickell has received all of the hype, the support, and been given the keys to the car, but how quickly can he reach top speed?
Post-spring outlook: Under new coach Luke Fickell, the Badgers have ditched the “three yards and a cloud of dust” offense that had been a staple since Barry Alvarez was roaming the sidelines. Now, Wisconsin is running offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s version of the up-tempo Air Raid attack. Quarterback Tanner Mordecai, a two-year starter at SMU, struggled in the spring game but performed well otherwise. Four transfer receivers — Quincy Burroughs (Cincinnati), Will Pauling (Cincinnati), CJ Williams (USC) and Bryson Green (Oklahoma State) — were also brought in to help with the transformation. Longo wants the Badgers to be balanced; tailbacks Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi combined to run for 1,715 yards in 2022. – Schlabach, ESPN
No. 8 Penn State Nittany Lions
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Let’s have a discussion about Penn State. There seems to be a lot of growing noise that they may be the next big thing in the Big Ten. I get the talent with Drew Allar. But to be in your first year starting and take down the goliaths of Michigan and Ohio State is a mighty task. As always, they will be rock solid defensively, but they have to push their quarterback ceiling higher to compete.
Post-spring outlook: Can the Nittany Lions finally get past Michigan and Ohio State in the Big Ten East and contend for their first league title since 2016? It’s going to be difficult to do it this season, but they feel like they’ve got one of their better chances with Drew Allar, the No. 2 pocket passer in the 2022 ESPN 300, taking over the offense. Penn State has two very good tailbacks in Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Kent State transfer Dante Cephas should help a receiver corps that already includes KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace III. The offensive line, led by left tackle Olu Fashanu, should be better and deeper. The defense was much better under coordinator Manny Diaz last season, and cornerback Kalen King and linebacker Abdul Carter are stars. – Schlabach, ESPN
No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes
Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch
Not to take anything away from whatever quarterback starts for the Buckeyes, but when you have Marvin Harrison Jr. leading a wide receiver room that pumps out first round picks, all you have to do is complete the easy balls and let them go to work. It’s simple for Ohio State, though. It all hinges on beating Michigan and stopping a two-year skid after a decade of dominance.
Post-spring outlook: Junior Kyle McCord took the first step in taking over the reins from C.J. Stroud with a solid performance in the spring. Sophomore Devin Brown, another contender, missed the spring game with a finger injury. Coach Ryan Day won’t name a starting quarterback until preseason camp. The Buckeyes are loaded at running back and receiver (Carnell Tate, a freshman from IMG Academy, was a star in the spring), but the offensive line remains a work in progress. Senior Josh Fryar was the No. 1 left tackle in the spring; sophomore Tegra Tshabola was working on the right. After ugly performances in losses to Michigan and Georgia last season, the defense seemed to make some much-needed strides in the spring. Safety Cameron Martinez might help shore up a leaky secondary. Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau are going to be stars up front. – Schlabach, ESPN
No. 2 Michigan Wolverines
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Hard to argue this. The Wolverines are looking to break through in the College Football Playoffs and go from attendees to an annual date in the title game. The talent oozes from J.J. McCarthy as long as he doesn’t get reckless and Blake Corum is back. Michigan has high goals of beating Ohio State, making it to the playoff, and ultimately winning it. They are one of the few teams equipped to check those boxes.
Post-spring outlook: With Jim Harbaugh firmly committed to staying at his alma mater, the Wolverines seem to have turned the corner — on the field and the recruiting trail. They defeated rival Ohio State and reached the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons. The next step, obviously, is winning a game in the CFP. Harbaugh and his staff dipped deep into the transfer portal to shore up the offensive line. They didn’t have LaDarius Henderson, a left tackle from Arizona State, in the spring. Stanford transfers Drake Nugent and Myles Hinton were banged up. Receiver Peyton O’Leary, a former walk-on, and Benjamin Hall, a lightly recruited tailback, were big surprises in the spring game. Josaiah Stewart, a star pass-rusher at Coastal Carolina, had five tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Linebacker Ernest Hausmann, a starter at Nebraska, had eight tackles and a forced fumble. – Schlabach, ESPN
Full Top 25
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Here is the current top 25 in ESPN’s most recent Power Rankings:
Rank | Team | Previous | 2022 Record | Conference |
1 | 1 | 15-0 (8-0) | SEC | |
2 | 3 | 13-1 (9-0) | Big Ten | |
3 | Florida State | 4 | 10-3 (5-3) | ACC |
4 | 7 | 11-3 (8-1) | Pac-12 | |
5 | 2 | 11-2 (8-1) | Big Ten | |
6 | 5 | 11-2 (6-2) | SEC | |
7 | 8 | 10-4 (6-2) | SEC | |
8 | 6 | 11-2 (7-2) | Big Ten | |
9 | 15 | 11-3 (8-0) | ACC | |
10 | 16 | 8-5 (6-3) | Big 12 | |
11 | 10 | 11-2 (6-2) | SEC | |
12 | Washington | 11 | 11-2 (7-2) | Pac-12 |
13 | 14 | 9-4 | Independent | |
14 | Utah | 13 | 10-4 (7-2) | Pac-12 |
15 | Oregon | 9 | 10-3 (7-2) | Pac-12 |
16 | TCU | 12 | 13-2 (9-0) | Big 12 |
17 | Oregon State | 17 | 10-3 (6-3) | Pac-12 |
18 | Kansas State | 18 | 10-4 (7-2) | Big 12 |
19 | Tulane | 19 | 12-2 (7-1) | AAC |
20 | Texas Tech | 23 | 8-5 (5-4) | Big 12 |
21 | 21 | 9-5 (6-2) | ACC | |
22 | Ole Miss | 20 | 8-5 (4-4) | SEC |
23 | UTSA | 22 | 11-3 (8-0) | C-USA |
24 | Kentucky | NR | 7-6 (3-5) | SEC |
25 | NR | 7-6 (4-5) |
Dropped out: Iowa, James Madison
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