2021 Preview: Will No. 16 Iowa Take the Next Step?

The steady Hawkeyes look poised for another strong year, but can they challenge Ohio State and Wisconsin for the conference title?

Seven months after the confetti fell on national champion Alabama, a new college football season is nearly here. As part of Sports Illustrated's 2021 preview content, we're rolling out scouting reports for all of SI's preseason top 25 teams, featuring all the names, storylines and big games you need to know. Starting with No. 25 Nevada and running through No. 1 Alabama, we'll be featuring five teams per day from Monday through Friday.

The Big Story: Iowa

Despite the scandals and pandemic complications brought about in 2020, Kirk Ferentz returns to the helm of the Iowa program for his 23rd season, making him the longest-tenured coach in FBS. The Hawkeyes have finished each of the last three years ranked in the AP top 25, but they haven’t been able to make the leap to firmly establish themselves as a dominant team. Perhaps the next step in doing so is making the Big Ten championship game, a feat Iowa accomplished in ’15 but hasn’t been able to achieve since.

Can’t Miss: Tyler Linderbaum

Sure, a center isn’t the most flashy or exciting option, but Linderbaum is undoubtedly the Hawkeyes’ best player—and let’s be honest, Iowa isn’t exactly the most flashy or exciting program. The trenches have long been a staple of successful Iowa teams, and Linderbaum will lead the charge on the offensive end. He was a second team All-America in 2020 and makes a strong case to be one of the best centers in the nation this season.

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press/USA TODAY Network

Key Question: How will the defensive line regroup?

The Hawkeyes are tasked with replacing 2020 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Daviyon Nixon, All-Big Ten defensive end Chauncey Golston and defensive tackle Jack Heflin, among others, in the trenches. Defensive end Zach VanValkenburg enters ’21 as the clear leader of the group, but beyond the super senior the Hawkeyes will need a lot of players to step up, particularly at defensive tackle, to maintain the program’s level of success on defense.

X-Factor: Improvement through the air

If Iowa wants to take a jump as a program, the passing game will need to improve. Starting quarterback Spencer Petras wasn’t anything special last season, completing 57.1% of his passes for nine touchdowns and five interceptions, and the program is without its best two receivers from that campaign in Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith. If Petras can throw it with more accuracy and one of the new crop of wideouts can step up, it would be huge for the Hawkeyes. Junior Tyrone Tracy Jr. has potential as a breakout candidate, as does four-star freshman Keagan Johnson.

Date to circle: Sept. 11 at Iowa State

Rivalry games are always fun, especially when both teams are ranked. No. 16 Iowa vs. No. 7 Iowa State has the makings for a great showdown in Week 2. The Hawkeyes have won the last five games in the series, though last season’s contest never happened due to the shortened season.

The Bottom Line

Iowa football is known for being solid but not spectacular. Is this the year it can break through to something greater?

More Top 25 Team Previews:

• No. 19 Penn State
• No. 18 Florida
• No. 17 Oregon