Kirk Herbstreit outlines College Football Playoff path for Iowa Hawkeyes
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 12, 2026, 12:25 AM
Last updated Sep 12, 2026
The No. 21 Iowa Hawkeyes enter Saturday’s matchup against Iowa State while pursuing their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Despite Kirk Ferentz holding the record as the Big Ten’s all-time winningest coach, the program has yet to reach the postseason tournament. Kirk Herbstreit suggested that Iowa’s path to the playoff requires a 2-1 performance in an upcoming three-game stretch that includes road contests against Michigan and Washington, along with a home game versus Ohio State. Herbstreit identified quarterback play as the primary factor for the team's potential success, noting that the Hawkeyes must prove they can compete against top-tier conference opponents. The team faces these challenges following a running back injury sustained in practice this week.
- •Iowa hosts Iowa State on Saturday.
- •Kirk Herbstreit identified a 2-1 record in games against Michigan, Ohio State, and Washington as a playoff path.
- •The Hawkeyes deal with a running back injury ahead of the Iowa State game.
- •Quarterback performance is highlighted as the primary factor for the team's postseason potential.
- 12:25 AMYahoo Sports — Iowa football news: How Hawkeyes can snap Playoff drought, per Kirk Herbstreit
"Kirk Ferentz is the Big Ten’s all-time winningest football coach, but Ferentz has never led his team, the Iowa Hawkeyes, to the College Football Playoff and isn’t a favorite to do so this season. The No. 21 Hawkeyes made a big quarterback decision Friday and have a tough task ahead on Saturday vs. Iowa State, with hope springing anew for a […] The post Iowa football news: How Hawkeyes can snap Playoff drought, per Kirk Herbstreit appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 2:02 AMRiley says USC 'right place for me' and 'I'm the right person to be here'
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 1:36 AMBrian Kelly Clears Stance on Firing Spree & Calls 3 HC Role Openings "Very Attractive"
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 1:30 AMPaul Finebaum opens up about receiving death threats: ‘That did concern me’
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 1:28 AMBob Chesney is building something in UCLA... and he isn't going anywhere
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 1:11 AMBaylor Emerging as ‘Wildcard’ for Ex-Big 12 Rival Coach But There’s a Catch
NCAAF•Oct 28, 2026, 12:45 AMWhere does Utah rank in some of Morgan Scalley’s key stats for success?