BIG TEN FOOTBALL COMPANION GUIDE • ALPHABETICAL 3 OF 18
2026 Season Snapshot • Iowa City, Iowa
9-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
B1G
Live schedule, lines and results for Iowa.
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HEAD COACH
Kirk Ferentz — 28th season at Iowa
LIFETIME COACHING RECORD
221–149 overall (209–128 at Iowa)
The longest-tenured active head coach in FBS and, as of Sept. 2026, the Big Ten's all-time winningest coach, surpassing Bo Schembechler. Two Big Ten titles (2002, 2004) and three West Division titles. Iowa's defensive-driven, run-first identity under Ferentz has been remarkably stable for over two decades, even as the sport transforms around him.
IOWA ATS RECORD
No single published career ATS figure
2025 finished 9-4 (6-3 Big Ten), capped by a ReliaQuest Bowl win over then- No. 14 Vanderbilt, 34-27. Iowa's defense (Phil Parker, 15th season) has been the program's stable foundation for over a decade, even through several offensive transitions.
HEAD COACH SALARY (2026)
$7.175M
TEAM NIL VALUATION (EST.)
$20M+ (est.)
PRIMARY NIL COLLECTIVE
Swarm Collective
Coach salary per Des Moines Register open-records request (FY2026 total comp: $500K base + $5.675M supplemental + $1M longevity bonus). NIL figure is a rough industry estimate; Iowa's own reporting says Swarm has met 100% of its NIL obligations but funding lags several Big Ten peers.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Tim Lester — 3rd season • West Coast
Enters year three with, for the first time in his Iowa tenure, both top QB candidates (Brown, Hecklinski) already inside his own system for a second year — real continuity after Iowa cycled through Cade McNamara and Gronowski in back-to-back seasons.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Phil Parker — 15th season • Base 4-2-5
The steady architect of Iowa's defensive identity for over a decade; 2023 Broyles Award winner (nation's top assistant) and paid like it ($2.052M, 7th nationally among all assistants). Must replace CB TJ Hall and S Xavier Nwankpa but returns breakout corner Zach Lutmer.
2025 RECORD
9–4 (6–3 Big Ten)
ReliaQuest Bowl: W 34-27 vs. Vanderbilt. A the-program-as-usual season — strong defense, physical run game, a QB (Gronowski) who outperformed the system's reputation before departing.
HOME FIELD
Kinnick Stadium
Artificial turf (FieldTurf), Iowa City. The Kids Day open practice and Wave to the Kids tradition (waving to the Stead Family Children's Hospital between the 1st and 2nd quarters) has made Kinnick one of the sport's most beloved, distinctive gameday environments.
| SLOT | PLAYER | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Jeremy Hecklinski / Hank | — | — | TOP TRANSFER Both three-star 2025 transfers (Wake Forest and Auburn, respectively) with a year in Lester's system; Ferentz has declined to name a starter, calling it a true "let it ride" competition entering Week 1. |
| QB1 | — | Soph/Jr | ★★★★★ | Iowa's leading rusher in 2025 (878 yards, 5.2 ypc); lightly recruited out of high school but earned the bell-cow role. Compared internally to an NFL Pro Bowl back by his own position coach. |
| — | Brown | — | — | The presumptive X receiver after missing the first half of 2025 with a foot injury (15 catches, 219 yds, 2 TD in limited action); the top of a receiver room being rewritten after losing 3 of its top 5 producers. |
| RB1 | Kamari Moulton | Jr | ★★★★★ | Brings a physical edge the WR room has lacked; one of the names Iowa insiders point to as a breakout candidate for 2026. |
| WR1 | Reece Vander Zee | Jr | ★★★★★ | |
| WR2 | Tony Diaz | — | ★★★★★ |
Both three-star 2025 transfers (Wake Forest and Auburn, respectively) with a year in Lester's system; Ferentz has declined to name a starter, calling it a true "let it ride" competition entering Week 1.
Iowa's leading rusher in 2025 (878 yards, 5.2 ypc); lightly recruited out of high school but earned the bell-cow role. Compared internally to an NFL Pro Bowl back by his own position coach.
The presumptive X receiver after missing the first half of 2025 with a foot injury (15 catches, 219 yds, 2 TD in limited action); the top of a receiver room being rewritten after losing 3 of its top 5 producers.
Brings a physical edge the WR room has lacked; one of the names Iowa insiders point to as a breakout candidate for 2026.
| PLAYER | POS | YEAR | HS Stars | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kade Pieper | C | — | ★★★★★ | 2026 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten (Athlon); anchors a line replacing three starters (Logan Jones, Beau Stephens, Gennings Dunker) off last year's Joe Moore Award-winning unit, moving from guard to center. |
| Trevor Lauck | OT | — | ★★★★★ | Four-star signee (Indianapolis, 2023 class); started all 13 games at left tackle in 2025, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors and a 2026 preseason Outland Trophy watch list nod. |
| Trent Wilson | OG | — | ★★★★★ | James Madison transfer pushing for a starting guard job; played all 14 games as a true freshman there, adding instant depth at multiple spots. |
2026 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten (Athlon); anchors a line replacing three starters (Logan Jones, Beau Stephens, Gennings Dunker) off last year's Joe Moore Award-winning unit, moving from guard to center.
Four-star signee (Indianapolis, 2023 class); started all 13 games at left tackle in 2025, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors and a 2026 preseason Outland Trophy watch list nod.
James Madison transfer pushing for a starting guard job; played all 14 games as a true freshman there, adding instant depth at multiple spots.
| PLAYER | POS | NOTES |
|---|---|---|
| Iose Epenesa | DL | 5-STAR Iowa's most decorated recruit in years — a legacy five-star (No. 15 overall, 2025 class; brother AJ was a Day 2 NFL pick) finally in line for a starting role after a limited true-freshman season. |
| Kenneth Merrieweather | DL | Returning rotation piece and the most established name in a defensive line room replacing five key departures. |
| Kahmari Brown | Edge | Elon transfer specifically recruited to add proven pass-rush production opposite Epenesa. |
Iowa's most decorated recruit in years — a legacy five-star (No. 15 overall, 2025 class; brother AJ was a Day 2 NFL pick) finally in line for a starting role after a limited true-freshman season.
Returning rotation piece and the most established name in a defensive line room replacing five key departures.
Elon transfer specifically recruited to add proven pass-rush production opposite Epenesa.
| PLAYER | POS | HS Stars | NOTES / NFL OUTLOOK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Lutmer | DB | ★★★★★ | 2026 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten (Athlon); broke out in 2025 with 71 tackles, 3 INT and a TD, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches. The clear building block of a secondary that must replace CB TJ Hall and S Xavier Nwankpa. |
| Deshaun Lee | CB | ★★★★★ | Coming off the best season of his college career; a steady returning piece in the back end. |
| Xavier Styles | DB | ★★★★★ | Robert Morris transfer, the third defensive back addition of Iowa's 2026 offseason. |
2026 Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten (Athlon); broke out in 2025 with 71 tackles, 3 INT and a TD, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches. The clear building block of a secondary that must replace CB TJ Hall and S Xavier Nwankpa.
Coming off the best season of his college career; a steady returning piece in the back end.
Robert Morris transfer, the third defensive back addition of Iowa's 2026 offseason.
2025 ATS
9-4
69.2% cover rate — 6th of 82
2025 Straight up
9-4
Point differential +172
Scoring environment
45.4
Combined points per game — 73rd highest of 82
Home / road ATS
4-3 · 4-1
Totals 7-6 O/U (3-4 home, 3-2 road)
Points scored / allowed
29.3 per game scored (38th) · 16.1 allowed (6th)
Margin & schedule
Margin of victory +13.2 (13th) · Strength of schedule +3.7
SRS power rating
+14.3
9th of 82 — projected points vs. a league-average team on a neutral field
Offensive SRS
+5.9
22nd of 82
Defensive SRS
+14.1
5th of 82
Points (margin of victory)
+13.2 · 13th of 82
Against the spread
9-4 (69.2%) · 6th of 82
Totals (combined PPG)
45.4 · 73rd of 82
Computed from CollegeFootballData 2025 results and closing consensus lines.
Saved Just J research for Iowa.
Record-setting transfer Mark Gronowski is gone; Iowa again turns to an unresolved QB battle (Hank Brown vs. Jeremy Hecklinski, both 2025 transfers) — early-season passing-game variance is a real, repeatable Iowa pattern under OC Tim Lester.
Phil Parker enters year 15 as DC, the nation's 7th-highest-paid assistant — Iowa's defensive identity is the most predictable, stable variable in this guide.
Iowa's own reporting acknowledges Swarm Collective funding trails several Big Ten peers spending $20M+ — worth watching whether that shows up in high-leverage portal battles for skill talent.
Losing the Joe Moore Award-winning unit's top three is real turnover for a program whose entire offensive identity is physicality up front — a genuine swing factor for both QB candidates.
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