College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2020

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 13: Terrace Marshall Jr. #6 of the LSU Tigers celebrates his touchdown against Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

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player. Pick Analysis. Iowa Hawkeyes. won Holiday Bowl 49-24 vs. USC. 24. 878. Scouting Report. 10-3 in 2019

Iowa quietly has one consistent season after another, occasionally challenging for the Big Ten West and finishing in the top three of the division each of the past five years. This season, even after finishing behind Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Hawkeyes won 10 games for the sixth time in 21 seasons with Kirk Ferentz at the helm.

In the postseason, the Hawkeyes went to San Diego and obliterated USC 49-24 in the Holiday Bowl. Iowa’s defense was especially impressive, rendering the Trojans one-dimensional as they were held to only 22 total rushing yards as a team. Ihmir Smith-Marsette had a huge game in victory, scoring three ways on a kick return, a touchdown reception, and a run into the endzone.

That 10th win was especially impressive and will likely provide the bump necessary to get Iowa into the preseason AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. Ferentz and his staff will have to replace quarterback Nate Stanley, but they get back the bulk of the defense that ranked fifth nationally in points allowed. From that foundation, the Hawkeyes will challenge once again for the Big Ten West.

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