2014–2026 performance history

Iowa over time

Season-by-season offense and defense game grades, with head-coaching changes placed on the timeline.

Big TenHead coach: Kirk FerentzView Iowa games →
Offense · 2026 estimate56.6/100

67.3 average through 1 game

55.2 prior · 8 equivalent games
Defense · 2026 estimate81.8/100

97.7 average through 1 game

77.9 prior · 8 equivalent games

The trajectory

Game and Season Unit Ratings

Each small dot is one offensive or defensive game rating, arranged in the order played. For completed seasons, the short bar is that season’s average game rating. Both dot and bar values are labeled on a percentile scale. For 2026, the bar is the Bayesian estimate, while the outlined circle is the empirical games-only mean. Labeled background bands show each head coach’s era.

Iowa individual offense and defense game grades by seasonEach small point is one game. Horizontal bars show completed-season means and the Bayesian estimate for 2026. The outlined 2026 circle is the empirical games-only mean. Alternating labeled bands identify head-coaching eras.Ferentz · ’14–’26Kirk Ferentz, 2014–2026offenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Iowa vs. Northern Iowa · W 31–23; offense 24.8 percentile2014 Week 2: Iowa vs. Ball State · W 17–13; offense 41.8 percentile2014 Week 3: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 17–20; offense 11.6 percentile2014 Week 4: Iowa at Pittsburgh · W 24–20; offense 75.5 percentile2014 Week 5: Iowa at Purdue · W 24–10; offense 22.5 percentile2014 Week 7: Iowa vs. Indiana · W 45–29; offense 50.6 percentile2014 Week 8: Iowa at Maryland · L 31–38; offense 35.5 percentile2014 Week 10: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 48–7; offense 82.0 percentile2014 Week 11: Iowa at Minnesota · L 14–51; offense 19.2 percentile2014 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 30–14; offense 76.4 percentile2014 Week 13: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 24–26; offense 89.1 percentile2014 Week 14: Iowa vs. Nebraska · L 34–37; offense 30.5 percentile2014 Week 1: Iowa vs. Tennessee · L 28–45; offense 43.5 percentile2015 Week 1: Iowa vs. Illinois State · W 31–14; offense 41.7 percentile2015 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 31–17; offense 64.1 percentile2015 Week 3: Iowa vs. Pittsburgh · W 27–24; offense 70.0 percentile2015 Week 4: Iowa vs. North Texas · W 62–16; offense 71.0 percentile2015 Week 5: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 10–6; offense 45.2 percentile2015 Week 6: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 29–20; offense 58.9 percentile2015 Week 7: Iowa at Northwestern · W 40–10; offense 97.7 percentile2015 Week 9: Iowa vs. Maryland · W 31–15; offense 30.0 percentile2015 Week 10: Iowa at Indiana · W 35–27; offense 71.4 percentile2015 Week 11: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 40–35; offense 96.0 percentile2015 Week 12: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 40–20; offense 81.8 percentile2015 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 28–20; offense 23.0 percentile2015 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan State · L 13–16; offense 30.2 percentile2015 Week 1: Iowa vs. Stanford · L 16–45; offense 8.3 percentile2016 Week 1: Iowa vs. Miami (OH) · W 45–21; offense 98.8 percentile2016 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · W 42–3; offense 83.6 percentile2016 Week 3: Iowa vs. North Dakota State · L 21–23; offense 3.7 percentile2016 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 14–7; offense 13.0 percentile2016 Week 5: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 31–38; offense 42.8 percentile2016 Week 6: Iowa at Minnesota · W 14–7; offense 28.2 percentile2016 Week 7: Iowa at Purdue · W 49–35; offense 85.4 percentile2016 Week 8: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 9–17; offense 17.8 percentile2016 Week 10: Iowa at Penn State · L 14–41; offense 25.9 percentile2016 Week 11: Iowa vs. Michigan · W 14–13; offense 52.0 percentile2016 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 28–0; offense 20.6 percentile2016 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 40–10; offense 83.7 percentile2016 Week 1: Iowa vs. Florida · L 3–30; offense 32.3 percentile2017 Week 1: Iowa vs. Wyoming · W 24–3; offense 48.7 percentile2017 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 44–41; offense 67.7 percentile2017 Week 3: Iowa vs. North Texas · W 31–14; offense 49.5 percentile2017 Week 4: Iowa vs. Penn State · L 19–21; offense 42.5 percentile2017 Week 5: Iowa at Michigan State · L 10–17; offense 7.3 percentile2017 Week 6: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 45–16; offense 84.1 percentile2017 Week 8: Iowa at Northwestern · L 10–17; offense 36.7 percentile2017 Week 9: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 17–10; offense 21.3 percentile2017 Week 10: Iowa vs. Ohio State · W 55–24; offense 97.8 percentile2017 Week 11: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 14–38; offense 4.7 percentile2017 Week 12: Iowa vs. Purdue · L 15–24; offense 25.6 percentile2017 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 56–14; offense 80.1 percentile2017 Week 1: Iowa vs. Boston College · W 27–20; offense 27.5 percentile2018 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · W 13–3; offense 17.3 percentile2018 Week 3: Iowa vs. Northern Iowa · W 38–14; offense 54.2 percentile2018 Week 4: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 17–28; offense 65.5 percentile2018 Week 6: Iowa at Minnesota · W 48–31; offense 57.5 percentile2018 Week 7: Iowa at Indiana · W 42–16; offense 96.1 percentile2018 Week 8: Iowa vs. Maryland · W 23–0; offense 54.9 percentile2018 Week 9: Iowa at Penn State · L 24–30; offense 34.3 percentile2018 Week 10: Iowa at Purdue · L 36–38; offense 70.4 percentile2018 Week 11: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 10–14; offense 16.5 percentile2018 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 63–0; offense 65.8 percentile2018 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 31–28; offense 83.9 percentile2018 Week 1: Iowa vs. Mississippi State · W 27–22; offense 43.5 percentile2019 Week 1: Iowa vs. Miami (OH) · W 38–14; offense 96.3 percentile2019 Week 2: Iowa vs. Rutgers · W 30–0; offense 30.1 percentile2019 Week 3: Iowa at Iowa State · W 18–17; offense 32.0 percentile2019 Week 5: Iowa vs. Middle Tennessee · W 48–3; offense 97.9 percentile2019 Week 6: Iowa at Michigan · L 3–10; offense 13.4 percentile2019 Week 7: Iowa vs. Penn State · L 12–17; offense 22.6 percentile2019 Week 8: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 26–20; offense 26.5 percentile2019 Week 9: Iowa at Northwestern · W 20–0; offense 37.5 percentile2019 Week 11: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 22–24; offense 78.4 percentile2019 Week 12: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 23–19; offense 65.5 percentile2019 Week 13: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 19–10; offense 21.9 percentile2019 Week 14: Iowa at Nebraska · W 27–24; offense 33.7 percentile2019 Week 1: Iowa vs. USC · W 49–24; offense 65.8 percentile2020 Week 8: Iowa at Purdue · L 20–24; offense 51.7 percentile2020 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 20–21; offense 26.9 percentile2020 Week 10: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 49–7; offense 71.2 percentile2020 Week 11: Iowa at Minnesota · W 35–7; offense 68.8 percentile2020 Week 12: Iowa at Penn State · W 41–21; offense 58.6 percentile2020 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 26–20; offense 19.7 percentile2020 Week 14: Iowa at Illinois · W 35–21; offense 54.0 percentile2020 Week 15: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 28–7; offense 26.5 percentile2021 Week 1: Iowa vs. Indiana · W 34–6; offense 9.0 percentile2021 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 27–17; offense 10.7 percentile2021 Week 3: Iowa vs. Kent State · W 30–7; offense 16.7 percentile2021 Week 4: Iowa vs. Colorado State · W 24–14; offense 31.6 percentile2021 Week 5: Iowa at Maryland · W 51–14; offense 53.9 percentile2021 Week 6: Iowa vs. Penn State · W 23–20; offense 17.9 percentile2021 Week 7: Iowa vs. Purdue · L 7–24; offense 15.7 percentile2021 Week 9: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 7–27; offense 7.4 percentile2021 Week 10: Iowa at Northwestern · W 17–12; offense 11.0 percentile2021 Week 11: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 27–22; offense 53.6 percentile2021 Week 12: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 33–23; offense 8.6 percentile2021 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 28–21; offense 82.2 percentile2021 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 3–42; offense 21.9 percentile2021 Week 1: Iowa vs. Kentucky · L 17–20; offense 63.0 percentile2022 Week 1: Iowa vs. South Dakota State · W 7–3; offense 0.1 percentile2022 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 7–10; offense 3.0 percentile2022 Week 3: Iowa vs. Nevada · W 27–0; offense 27.2 percentile2022 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 27–10; offense 20.7 percentile2022 Week 5: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 14–27; offense 44.4 percentile2022 Week 6: Iowa at Illinois · L 6–9; offense 30.0 percentile2022 Week 8: Iowa at Ohio State · L 10–54; offense 16.3 percentile2022 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 33–13; offense 70.4 percentile2022 Week 10: Iowa at Purdue · W 24–3; offense 31.4 percentile2022 Week 11: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 24–10; offense 7.8 percentile2022 Week 12: Iowa at Minnesota · W 13–10; offense 38.6 percentile2022 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · L 17–24; offense 14.0 percentile2022 Week 1: Iowa vs. Kentucky · W 21–0; offense 4.8 percentile2023 Week 1: Iowa vs. Utah State · W 24–14; offense 7.4 percentile2023 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 20–13; offense 17.4 percentile2023 Week 3: Iowa vs. Western Michigan · W 41–10; offense 49.4 percentile2023 Week 4: Iowa at Penn State · L 0–31; offense 4.3 percentile2023 Week 5: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 26–16; offense 3.4 percentile2023 Week 6: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 20–14; offense 9.0 percentile2023 Week 7: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 15–6; offense 5.7 percentile2023 Week 8: Iowa vs. Minnesota · L 10–12; offense 0.2 percentile2023 Week 10: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 10–7; offense 8.0 percentile2023 Week 11: Iowa vs. Rutgers · W 22–0; offense 36.3 percentile2023 Week 12: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 15–13; offense 5.9 percentile2023 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 13–10; offense 19.9 percentile2023 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 0–26; offense 7.3 percentile2023 Week 1: Iowa vs. Tennessee · L 0–35; offense 8.4 percentile2024 Week 1: Iowa vs. Illinois State · W 40–0; offense 18.3 percentile2024 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 19–20; offense 11.1 percentile2024 Week 3: Iowa vs. Troy · W 38–21; offense 72.2 percentile2024 Week 4: Iowa at Minnesota · W 31–14; offense 76.3 percentile2024 Week 7: Iowa vs. Washington · W 40–16; offense 70.9 percentile2024 Week 8: Iowa at Michigan State · L 20–32; offense 36.4 percentile2024 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 40–14; offense 49.8 percentile2024 Week 10: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 42–10; offense 94.8 percentile2024 Week 11: Iowa at UCLA · L 17–20; offense 20.6 percentile2024 Week 13: Iowa at Maryland · W 29–13; offense 48.2 percentile2024 Week 14: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 13–10; offense 1.3 percentile2024 Week 1: Iowa vs. Missouri · L 24–27; offense 43.1 percentile2025 Week 1: Iowa vs. UAlbany · W 34–7; offense 42.8 percentile2025 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · L 13–16; offense 22.2 percentile2025 Week 3: Iowa vs. Massachusetts · W 47–7; offense 80.6 percentile2025 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 38–28; offense 51.2 percentile2025 Week 5: Iowa vs. Indiana · L 15–20; offense 23.3 percentile2025 Week 7: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 37–0; offense 79.0 percentile2025 Week 8: Iowa vs. Penn State · W 25–24; offense 69.7 percentile2025 Week 9: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 41–3; offense 40.5 percentile2025 Week 11: Iowa vs. Oregon · L 16–18; offense 58.9 percentile2025 Week 12: Iowa at USC · L 21–26; offense 62.9 percentile2025 Week 13: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 20–17; offense 11.4 percentile2025 Week 14: Iowa at Nebraska · W 40–16; offense 81.5 percentile2025 Week 1: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt · W 34–27; offense 87.3 percentile2026 Week 1: Iowa vs. Northern Illinois · W 40–0; offense 67.3 percentile2014 offense season mean: 46.4 percentile2015 offense season mean: 59.5 percentile2016 offense season mean: 46.3 percentile2017 offense season mean: 45.6 percentile2018 offense season mean: 56.7 percentile2019 offense season mean: 51.3 percentile2020 offense season mean: 46.6 percentile2021 offense season mean: 25.3 percentile2022 offense season mean: 16.7 percentile2023 offense season mean: 9.1 percentile2024 offense season mean: 42.6 percentile2025 offense season mean: 55.2 percentile2026 offense Bayesian estimate: 56.6 percentile2026 offense empirical mean: 67.3 percentiledefenseGame-grade percentile · higher is better9975502512014 Week 1: Iowa vs. Northern Iowa · W 31–23; defense 13.9 percentile2014 Week 2: Iowa vs. Ball State · W 17–13; defense 95.8 percentile2014 Week 3: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 17–20; defense 41.6 percentile2014 Week 4: Iowa at Pittsburgh · W 24–20; defense 64.7 percentile2014 Week 5: Iowa at Purdue · W 24–10; defense 91.1 percentile2014 Week 7: Iowa vs. Indiana · W 45–29; defense 35.9 percentile2014 Week 8: Iowa at Maryland · L 31–38; defense 40.4 percentile2014 Week 10: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 48–7; defense 84.7 percentile2014 Week 11: Iowa at Minnesota · L 14–51; defense 9.4 percentile2014 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 30–14; defense 80.7 percentile2014 Week 13: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 24–26; defense 37.8 percentile2014 Week 14: Iowa vs. Nebraska · L 34–37; defense 69.7 percentile2014 Week 1: Iowa vs. Tennessee · L 28–45; defense 4.6 percentile2015 Week 1: Iowa vs. Illinois State · W 31–14; defense 54.8 percentile2015 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 31–17; defense 84.2 percentile2015 Week 3: Iowa vs. Pittsburgh · W 27–24; defense 84.1 percentile2015 Week 4: Iowa vs. North Texas · W 62–16; defense 24.7 percentile2015 Week 5: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 10–6; defense 92.1 percentile2015 Week 6: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 29–20; defense 45.9 percentile2015 Week 7: Iowa at Northwestern · W 40–10; defense 81.7 percentile2015 Week 9: Iowa vs. Maryland · W 31–15; defense 59.2 percentile2015 Week 10: Iowa at Indiana · W 35–27; defense 48.5 percentile2015 Week 11: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 40–35; defense 3.2 percentile2015 Week 12: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 40–20; defense 53.0 percentile2015 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 28–20; defense 77.7 percentile2015 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan State · L 13–16; defense 62.8 percentile2015 Week 1: Iowa vs. Stanford · L 16–45; defense 43.6 percentile2016 Week 1: Iowa vs. Miami (OH) · W 45–21; defense 11.8 percentile2016 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · W 42–3; defense 83.7 percentile2016 Week 3: Iowa vs. North Dakota State · L 21–23; defense 21.6 percentile2016 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 14–7; defense 42.7 percentile2016 Week 5: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 31–38; defense 32.3 percentile2016 Week 6: Iowa at Minnesota · W 14–7; defense 80.7 percentile2016 Week 7: Iowa at Purdue · W 49–35; defense 35.6 percentile2016 Week 8: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 9–17; defense 48.5 percentile2016 Week 10: Iowa at Penn State · L 14–41; defense 4.1 percentile2016 Week 11: Iowa vs. Michigan · W 14–13; defense 94.7 percentile2016 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 28–0; defense 93.8 percentile2016 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 40–10; defense 84.6 percentile2016 Week 1: Iowa vs. Florida · L 3–30; defense 40.7 percentile2017 Week 1: Iowa vs. Wyoming · W 24–3; defense 80.1 percentile2017 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 44–41; defense 17.4 percentile2017 Week 3: Iowa vs. North Texas · W 31–14; defense 52.5 percentile2017 Week 4: Iowa vs. Penn State · L 19–21; defense 65.5 percentile2017 Week 5: Iowa at Michigan State · L 10–17; defense 84.0 percentile2017 Week 6: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 45–16; defense 9.6 percentile2017 Week 8: Iowa at Northwestern · L 10–17; defense 79.2 percentile2017 Week 9: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 17–10; defense 81.7 percentile2017 Week 10: Iowa vs. Ohio State · W 55–24; defense 57.1 percentile2017 Week 11: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 14–38; defense 43.8 percentile2017 Week 12: Iowa vs. Purdue · L 15–24; defense 57.5 percentile2017 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 56–14; defense 81.3 percentile2017 Week 1: Iowa vs. Boston College · W 27–20; defense 41.7 percentile2018 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · W 13–3; defense 98.4 percentile2018 Week 3: Iowa vs. Northern Iowa · W 38–14; defense 76.9 percentile2018 Week 4: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · L 17–28; defense 38.2 percentile2018 Week 6: Iowa at Minnesota · W 48–31; defense 58.7 percentile2018 Week 7: Iowa at Indiana · W 42–16; defense 60.0 percentile2018 Week 8: Iowa vs. Maryland · W 23–0; defense 95.9 percentile2018 Week 9: Iowa at Penn State · L 24–30; defense 67.9 percentile2018 Week 10: Iowa at Purdue · L 36–38; defense 29.3 percentile2018 Week 11: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 10–14; defense 56.3 percentile2018 Week 12: Iowa at Illinois · W 63–0; defense 99.0 percentile2018 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 31–28; defense 23.6 percentile2018 Week 1: Iowa vs. Mississippi State · W 27–22; defense 84.5 percentile2019 Week 1: Iowa vs. Miami (OH) · W 38–14; defense 52.6 percentile2019 Week 2: Iowa vs. Rutgers · W 30–0; defense 78.3 percentile2019 Week 3: Iowa at Iowa State · W 18–17; defense 47.8 percentile2019 Week 5: Iowa vs. Middle Tennessee · W 48–3; defense 92.0 percentile2019 Week 6: Iowa at Michigan · L 3–10; defense 88.6 percentile2019 Week 7: Iowa vs. Penn State · L 12–17; defense 72.3 percentile2019 Week 8: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 26–20; defense 74.9 percentile2019 Week 9: Iowa at Northwestern · W 20–0; defense 97.2 percentile2019 Week 11: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 22–24; defense 33.6 percentile2019 Week 12: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 23–19; defense 77.3 percentile2019 Week 13: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 19–10; defense 60.5 percentile2019 Week 14: Iowa at Nebraska · W 27–24; defense 83.4 percentile2019 Week 1: Iowa vs. USC · W 49–24; defense 83.0 percentile2020 Week 8: Iowa at Purdue · L 20–24; defense 59.4 percentile2020 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · L 20–21; defense 69.3 percentile2020 Week 10: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 49–7; defense 73.1 percentile2020 Week 11: Iowa at Minnesota · W 35–7; defense 73.0 percentile2020 Week 12: Iowa at Penn State · W 41–21; defense 77.7 percentile2020 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 26–20; defense 67.8 percentile2020 Week 14: Iowa at Illinois · W 35–21; defense 56.3 percentile2020 Week 15: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 28–7; defense 98.3 percentile2021 Week 1: Iowa vs. Indiana · W 34–6; defense 71.1 percentile2021 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 27–17; defense 90.1 percentile2021 Week 3: Iowa vs. Kent State · W 30–7; defense 95.3 percentile2021 Week 4: Iowa vs. Colorado State · W 24–14; defense 89.8 percentile2021 Week 5: Iowa at Maryland · W 51–14; defense 66.9 percentile2021 Week 6: Iowa vs. Penn State · W 23–20; defense 77.8 percentile2021 Week 7: Iowa vs. Purdue · L 7–24; defense 53.3 percentile2021 Week 9: Iowa at Wisconsin · L 7–27; defense 77.9 percentile2021 Week 10: Iowa at Northwestern · W 17–12; defense 67.9 percentile2021 Week 11: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 27–22; defense 62.9 percentile2021 Week 12: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 33–23; defense 64.0 percentile2021 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 28–21; defense 56.5 percentile2021 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 3–42; defense 56.0 percentile2021 Week 1: Iowa vs. Kentucky · L 17–20; defense 87.7 percentile2022 Week 1: Iowa vs. South Dakota State · W 7–3; defense 90.4 percentile2022 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 7–10; defense 67.4 percentile2022 Week 3: Iowa vs. Nevada · W 27–0; defense 97.7 percentile2022 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 27–10; defense 44.5 percentile2022 Week 5: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 14–27; defense 72.4 percentile2022 Week 6: Iowa at Illinois · L 6–9; defense 54.2 percentile2022 Week 8: Iowa at Ohio State · L 10–54; defense 71.1 percentile2022 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 33–13; defense 77.3 percentile2022 Week 10: Iowa at Purdue · W 24–3; defense 97.1 percentile2022 Week 11: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 24–10; defense 97.0 percentile2022 Week 12: Iowa at Minnesota · W 13–10; defense 63.1 percentile2022 Week 13: Iowa vs. Nebraska · L 17–24; defense 69.6 percentile2022 Week 1: Iowa vs. Kentucky · W 21–0; defense 98.5 percentile2023 Week 1: Iowa vs. Utah State · W 24–14; defense 72.6 percentile2023 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · W 20–13; defense 94.4 percentile2023 Week 3: Iowa vs. Western Michigan · W 41–10; defense 87.0 percentile2023 Week 4: Iowa at Penn State · L 0–31; defense 59.0 percentile2023 Week 5: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 26–16; defense 56.9 percentile2023 Week 6: Iowa vs. Purdue · W 20–14; defense 75.6 percentile2023 Week 7: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 15–6; defense 96.7 percentile2023 Week 8: Iowa vs. Minnesota · L 10–12; defense 91.7 percentile2023 Week 10: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 10–7; defense 93.5 percentile2023 Week 11: Iowa vs. Rutgers · W 22–0; defense 99.6 percentile2023 Week 12: Iowa vs. Illinois · W 15–13; defense 88.7 percentile2023 Week 13: Iowa at Nebraska · W 13–10; defense 82.4 percentile2023 Week 14: Iowa vs. Michigan · L 0–26; defense 91.2 percentile2023 Week 1: Iowa vs. Tennessee · L 0–35; defense 72.8 percentile2024 Week 1: Iowa vs. Illinois State · W 40–0; defense 83.7 percentile2024 Week 2: Iowa vs. Iowa State · L 19–20; defense 71.0 percentile2024 Week 3: Iowa vs. Troy · W 38–21; defense 73.7 percentile2024 Week 4: Iowa at Minnesota · W 31–14; defense 72.9 percentile2024 Week 7: Iowa vs. Washington · W 40–16; defense 64.5 percentile2024 Week 8: Iowa at Michigan State · L 20–32; defense 6.2 percentile2024 Week 9: Iowa vs. Northwestern · W 40–14; defense 95.0 percentile2024 Week 10: Iowa vs. Wisconsin · W 42–10; defense 66.3 percentile2024 Week 11: Iowa at UCLA · L 17–20; defense 15.6 percentile2024 Week 13: Iowa at Maryland · W 29–13; defense 77.9 percentile2024 Week 14: Iowa vs. Nebraska · W 13–10; defense 79.8 percentile2024 Week 1: Iowa vs. Missouri · L 24–27; defense 59.0 percentile2025 Week 1: Iowa vs. UAlbany · W 34–7; defense 57.9 percentile2025 Week 2: Iowa at Iowa State · L 13–16; defense 70.7 percentile2025 Week 3: Iowa vs. Massachusetts · W 47–7; defense 92.0 percentile2025 Week 4: Iowa at Rutgers · W 38–28; defense 53.6 percentile2025 Week 5: Iowa vs. Indiana · L 15–20; defense 80.4 percentile2025 Week 7: Iowa at Wisconsin · W 37–0; defense 94.1 percentile2025 Week 8: Iowa vs. Penn State · W 25–24; defense 92.1 percentile2025 Week 9: Iowa vs. Minnesota · W 41–3; defense 89.7 percentile2025 Week 11: Iowa vs. Oregon · L 16–18; defense 63.6 percentile2025 Week 12: Iowa at USC · L 21–26; defense 78.5 percentile2025 Week 13: Iowa vs. Michigan State · W 20–17; defense 74.1 percentile2025 Week 14: Iowa at Nebraska · W 40–16; defense 61.2 percentile2025 Week 1: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt · W 34–27; defense 73.1 percentile2026 Week 1: Iowa vs. Northern Illinois · W 40–0; defense 97.7 percentile2014 defense season mean: 52.0 percentile2015 defense season mean: 58.5 percentile2016 defense season mean: 53.1 percentile2017 defense season mean: 58.1 percentile2018 defense season mean: 73.4 percentile2019 defense season mean: 75.8 percentile2020 defense season mean: 75.3 percentile2021 defense season mean: 75.1 percentile2022 defense season mean: 83.0 percentile2023 defense season mean: 87.2 percentile2024 defense season mean: 64.6 percentile2025 defense season mean: 77.9 percentile2026 defense Bayesian estimate: 81.8 percentile2026 defense empirical mean: 97.7 percentile2014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Individual gameSeason bar · 2026 is the estimate2026 empirical meanCoaching-era band

How to read 2026

The current-season estimate intelligently blends last season with new data.

The 2026 estimate is a Bayesian weighted average of normal-score Z-values. The 2025 season mean counts like 8 games of prior evidence; each completed 2026 game counts once. The result is then translated back to the 0–100 percentile scale.

2026 Z = (8 × 2025 mean Z + games played × 2026 mean Z) ÷ (8 + games played)

Season record

Every annual grade and coach

Retrospective rows average the available single-game grades in normal-score space. The result is shown as a percentile. Roughly speaking, a 95th-percentile season corresponds to about the eighth-best team in a 160-team field.

SeasonHead coachGamesOffenseDefense
2026Live estimateKirk Ferentz1
56.6 estimate67.3 games-only average
81.8 estimate97.7 games-only average
2025Kirk Ferentz1355.277.9
2024Kirk Ferentz1242.664.6
2023Kirk Ferentz149.187.2
2022Kirk Ferentz1316.783.0
2021Kirk Ferentz1425.375.1
2020Kirk Ferentz846.675.3
2019Kirk Ferentz1351.375.8
2018Kirk Ferentz1256.773.4
2017Kirk Ferentz1345.658.1
2016Kirk Ferentz1346.353.1
2015Kirk Ferentz1459.558.5
2014Kirk Ferentz1346.452.0