Iowa: 2026 Week 11 recap

Iowa sits at 23rd in GIE's latest rankings with a 6–2 record, holding steady after last week's dominant 30–0 shutout of Wisconsin. The rating hasn't budged, which tells you the Hawkeyes are performing roughly as the model expected—no breakthrough, no stumble. The offense has been uneven: a red-zone TD rate of 19% suggests missed opportunities in the scoring zone, while third-down conversion at 40% keeps drives stalling. Iowa heads to Northwestern this week, a matchup that shouldn't shift the needle much. The model projects 8.5 expected wins for the season, so the path forward depends on closing out games decisively and converting chances when they matter most.