On3 releases preseason Iowa football bowl game prediction

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In less than two weeks, the regular season will kick off for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football program. While there's still a lot of football to play before bowl season, it's never too early to project who and where a team may play come December.

The Hawkeyes have made a bowl game in each of the last 13 seasons, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 year. Under Ferentz, Iowa has only missed a bowl game four times, with two of those instances occurring in his first two years at the helm. The program has been the definition of consistency this century and look primed for another strong season in 2026.

Iowa opens the season with a No. 22 ranking next to its name and high hopes, despite some important roster questions that need answering. Making a bowl game is the floor for this team. The only question that lingers is which bowl game the Hawkeyes will play in.

On3 took a stab at answering that question on Monday. Writer Brett McMurphy released his preseason bowl projections for the 2026 college football season. He has Iowa taking on Virginia Tech in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 26.

The Hawkeyes have played in the Pinstripe Bowl one time in program history. That came back in December of 2017, when they beat Boston College 27-20 inside a bitter cold Yankee Stadium. If McMurphy's projection comes to fruition, it would create a familiar matchup for Iowa.

The Hokies are now led by former Penn State head coach James Franklin. Ferentz and Franklin have coached against each other seven times, with Franklin winning five of those matchups. With a bevy of former Nittany Lions now in Blacksburg, this game would have the potential to be a fun, throwback Big Ten-style clash.

The first step toward making a bowl game comes in less than two weeks, when Iowa opens its season against Northern Illinois.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: On3 releases preseason Iowa football bowl game prediction

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