This offseason, Iowa became one of the Big Ten’s most intriguing teams. The Hawkeyes made a notable splash in the transfer portal by landing quarterback Mark Gronowski, who had a decorated career at the FCS level at South Dakota State.
Gronowski’s ability to run Tim Lester’s offense is a storyline to watch in Iowa City this year. In fact, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said he’s a reason the Hawkeyes won his 2025 Preseason Herbie Award as the sleeper in the Big Ten.
Between a new quarterback and a schedule that doesn’t include Ohio State or Michigan, Herbstreit said Iowa is in the conversation along with Illinois to be a sleeper team in the league. He added the Hawkeyes are typically in that mix, but they could really make some noise this year…