ESPN releases Iowa's future college football power ranking

In the current day and age of college football, projecting anything more than a season out may seem foolish.

With the rampant transfer portal usage, coaches leaving at will, court cases, injunctions, and congressional bills, rosters have no guarantee that they'll remain consistent. Even a team with a ton of talented underclassmen can see that future go the wayside in a snap.

That's what makes what Kirk Ferentz and Iowa have done recently so impressive.

The Hawkeyes have avoided massive roster turnovers over the past few years. That's led to a lot of roster continuity and success on the field. That continuity no doubt helped Iowa land near the top of a major sports media outlet's most recent list.

ESPN compiled a list ranking the future of all 68 Power 4 college football teams. The list focused on teams' futures through the 2027 season, looking at the quarterback room, offensive and defensive lines, roster management, star power, and coaching staff. Iowa landed at 21st on the list.

Over the next two years, who will be the best overall CFB team? 🤔@ESPNRittenberg dives into future power rankings 👀

More: https://t.co/gxYSSI9Z3Fpic.twitter.com/i4enrXkFsA

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) June 9, 2026

Writer Adam Rittenberg was complimentary of Iowa's offensive line, roster management, and coaching staff led by Kirk Ferentz. He named defensive back Zach Lutmer and running back Kamari Moulton as the next breakout stars for the Hawkeyes. Rittenberg also profiled Iowa's underheralded transfer portal class as a strength for the program going forward.

His concerns with Iowa over the next two seasons started with the quarterback position, where the Hawkeyes will be starting someone new in 2026. Rittenberg mentioned Iowa's defensive line and the loss of special teams coordinator LeVar Woods as areas of concern that will need to be addressed.

Overall, Iowa was the seventh-highest Big Ten team on the list and in the top half of the ranking. While the Hawkeyes' ceiling can certainly be questioned, Ferentz has built a program with an extremely high floor. It's not always flashy, but that floor gives Iowa a chance to compete year in and year out. And it's earned the respect of Rittenberg and college football media around the country.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: ESPN releases Iowa's future college football power ranking