Iowa's Future Getting Bleaker After Bowl Game Meltdown

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a very murky future following their brutal loss to the Missouri Tigers in the Music City Bowl.

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz watches warmups before the football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes actually looked good early on in the Music City Bowl. Brendan Sullivan appeared to be in control of the offense, Kaden Wetjen had an explosive kick return touchdown and Kamari Moulton was doing his best Kaleb Johnson impression.

Heck, Iowa had a 21-14 over the Missouri Tigers at halftime. That many points from Iowa's offense at the half? Without Johnson?

It seemed too good to be true.

And it was.

The Hawkeyes managed just three points in the second half and ended up falling to Missouri by a score of 27-24, ending their 2024 campaign with a whimper.

And honestly, right now, it doesn't look like 2025 will be a heck of a lot better.

Iowa still doesn't have a clear-cut answer at quarterback. Is it Sullivan? Is it Auburn transfer Hank Brown? Maybe incoming freshman Jimmy Sullivan will have a shot?

The Hawkeyes also don't have any top-flight wide receiver talent to speak of, and their defense—which isn't nearly as stout as it was in 2023—will be losing multiple key pieces, headlined by elite linebacker Jay Higgins.

Iowa didn't land anyone of note in the transfer portal outside of defensive lineman Jonah Pace. Its 2025 recruiting class? Meh. Mediocre.

So just how are the Hawkeyes, who are falling further and further into obscurity in the Big Ten, going to be any better next season?

The same issues still exist for Iowa, and fans are becoming beyond frustrated with head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Honestly, say all you want about Ferentz, but it's tough to compete with conference powers like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State for recruits, especially when the NIL funding probably just isn't there.

Iowa is a good program, but it isn't a behemoth. It kind of sits in the middle, and that's the problem.

It's hard to imagine the Hawkeyes ever truly emerging as national championship contenders. Not with the way things are currently going.

I mean, at least Iowa put up a better fight against a ranked opponent this time, as it had previously been outscored 127-7 over its preceding four games versus top-25 schools.

But the end result was ultimately still the same: a loss.

It's a brutal reality for Hawkeyes fans, but you can't say they aren't used to it. And unfortunately, it probably won't get any better. At least not in the near future.