A battle for third in the conference looms in Iowa football’s bye week

IOWA CITY — A 3-0 stretch for Iowa football means the Hawkeyes are gearing up for the all-important November with a bowl game in hand.

After a dominant win over Minnesota to close out October, Iowa has the week off before its biggest game of the season. Saturday’s win to secure Floyd of Rosedale puts the Hawkeyes above every other unranked team in the Big Ten, and Iowa now can sit and watch this week play out.

Here’s a few notes around the conference, and what to expect in the off week.

How the weekend changed the Big Ten

This week’s AP Top 25 poll had the Hawkeyes receiving votes for the first time since Week 2, putting Iowa at the de facto No. 29 spot behind Navy, Tulane and Washington. The Hawkeyes are one of three teams in the Big Ten receiving votes, with Washington receiving 46 and Illinois receiving three.

Six members of the AP poll ranked the Hawkeyes, with the highest placement at No. 18.

Five teams made it inside the top 25 — No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten), No. 2 Indiana (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten), No. 6 Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten), No. 21 Michigan (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) and No. 23 USC (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten).

Notes on Iowa

With the Hawkeyes on their second bye week, it’s another opportunity to rehab and readjust before the final month of the regular season.

Unlike the first bye week, Iowa isn’t nearly as injury-ridden, though. Iowa’s two running backs, Jaziun Patterson and TJ Washington Jr., both returned from their injuries against Minnesota. Linebacker Jaden Harrell made his return from an injury, too, after being questionable heading into the matchup with the Golden Gophers.

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Iowa offensive lineman Beau Stephens left the game with a lower body injury against Minnesota and didn’t return, but head coach Kirk Ferentz said Stephens could have returned to the game if they needed him to.

With the 41-3 win over Minnesota, Iowa has allowed an average 83.9 rushing yards and 12.3 points per game this season — good for fourth in the country. The Hawkeyes are averaging 31.25 points per game offensively, including 48 points off turnovers.

Game of the week

Iowa’s game against Oregon won’t have a confirmed start time until later this week due to a six-day selection with three other matchups. The Big Ten confirmed the game times will be announced by Sunday afternoon.

The six-day selection happens when the networks broadcasting the football games choose to wait and see what happens with games leading up to the selection dates before choosing which game to run on its channel.

Beyond the waiting game for the Hawkeyes’ game, No. 23 USC travels to Nebraska this week. Iowa faces both teams in November, including the West Coast trip following the Oregon game. USC is returning from its bye week after a 34-24 loss to Notre Dame, while Nebraska bounced back from its loss against Minnesota with a 28-21 win over Northwestern.

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