No. 20 Iowa faced the unenviable task of traveling two times zones for Friday night's game at Washington on short rest after a physically taxing Week 5 loss to Ohio State. Further complicating matters for the Hawkeyes was a shoulder injury that kept starting quarterback Hank Brown out.
But with backup Jeremy Hecklinski slinging the rock, Iowa jumped out to an early four-touchdown lead and stunned the Huskies 41-24. In the process, the Hawkeyes reinserted themselves into the College Football Playoff hunt. At 5-1 and 2-1 in the Big Ten, Iowa is entering the second half of its schedule with a realistic path to a 10-2 record or even 11-1 if it runs the table.
A 10-2 Iowa team would have roughly a 60% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, according to the CBS Sports College Football Forecaster.
Big Ten Power Rankings: The league's old West Division demands respect entering Week 6 Robby Kalland
The Hawkeyes are one of the strongest Power Four programs to have never made a CFP appearance. While the path ahead isn't necessarily easy, it's notable for what it doesn't include. There is no Indiana or Oregon on the docket. In fact, not a single team ranked in the AP Top 25 entering Week 6 action remains on Iowa's slate.
Kamari Moulton takes it 56 yards up the middle to the HOUSE for @HawkeyeFootball 💨 pic.twitter.com/JQnyPyPVXE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2026
With Ohio State in the rearview mirror and Iowa's lone West Coast trip in the books as a resounding victory, Hawkeyes fans can enter a bye week with honest belief in their team's playoff potential.
Big Ten West lays ahead
The Big Ten dissolved its divisional structure after the 2023 season as it welcomed four former Pac-12 programs to the fold amid an expansion from 14 to 18 teams. But for those who remember the pre-realignment life, the best way to explain Iowa's remaining schedule is that it's literally the old Big Ten West. The CBS Sports College Football Forecaster gives the Hawkeyes between a 44% and 79% chance of winning every remaining game on their schedule.
- Oct. 24 at Minnesota (58%)
- Oct. 31 vs. Wisconsin (57%)
- Nov. 7 at Northwestern (50%)
- Nov. 14 vs. Purdue (79%)
- Nov. 21 at Illinois (56%)
- Nov. 27 vs. Nebraska (44%)
Putting it in those terms brings into focus how attainable a 5-1 or 6-0 finish could be for Iowa. The Hawkeyes won the division in 2015, 2021 and 2023 while competing against the six teams remaining on their schedule.
Revitalized Iowa offense
Iowa appears to have a quarterback controversy on its hands. Hecklinski completed 14 of 19 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns in Friday night's win at Washington as the Hawkeyes racked up 465 total yards, including 279 in the first half. It was the first time since 2018 that the Hawkeyes produced 465 or more yards against a Big Ten opponent. Will Hecklinski keep the job once Brown is healthy?
The Hawkeyes have built their identity on a ruthless defense and elite special teams during the NIL era, but having an offense with a pulse makes Iowa a different type of challenge. Furthermore, the defense racked up six sacks and nine tackles for loss against Washington. This team's identity is a bit different than it has been in the past, but the defense remains potent.
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