For years, Iowa football fans have dreamed of seeing the Hawkeyes return to college football’s mountaintop. While the program hasn’t celebrated a national championship or produced a Heisman Trophy winner in decades, fans will finally get the chance to rewrite history themselves at least virtually.
EA Sports officially revealed its ratings for College Football 27, and the latest rankings have sparked plenty of debate across college football circles. For Iowa supporters, the release brought a mix of excitement and disappointment.
The highly anticipated video game, the 24th installment in the historic series and the third edition since EA Sports revived the franchise in 2024 after an 11-year hiatus, officially launches on July 9 with a retail price of $69.99. Players who preorder select editions can begin playing as early as July 2.
Yet as fans eagerly prepare to guide their favorite programs to championships, many Iowa faithful were left stunned by where the Hawkeyes landed in the rankings.
Iowa Falls in National Ratings
According to EA Sports’ latest team ratings, Iowa enters College Football 27 as the No. 48 overall team in the nation.
That ranking places the Hawkeyes behind several programs that many fans didn’t expect to see ahead of them, including Vanderbilt, Pittsburgh and Colorado.
Even more surprising, Iowa’s overall team rating dropped compared to last year’s edition.
In College Football 26, the Hawkeyes carried an overall rating of 82, powered by an 84-rated defense and an 80-rated offense. This year, Iowa checks in with an overall team rating of 80, signaling a noticeable decline in EA’s evaluation of the program.
Within the Big Ten Conference, the Hawkeyes sit in a tie for eighth place alongside Maryland and Michigan State.
Big Ten Team Rankings in EA Sports College Football 27
The conference ratings reveal just how competitive the Big Ten has become.
- Oregon — 91 overall
- Ohio State — 90 overall (tied)
- Indiana — 90 overall (tied)
- USC — 86 overall
- Michigan — 85 overall
- Nebraska — 83 overall (tied)
- Penn State — 83 overall (tied)
- Washington — 83 overall (tied)
- UCLA — 82 overall
- Minnesota — 81 overall
- Iowa — 80 overall (tied)
- Maryland — 80 overall (tied)
- Michigan State — 80 overall (tied)
- Illinois — 79 overall (tied)
- Northwestern — 79 overall (tied)
- Wisconsin — 79 overall (tied)
- Rutgers — 78 overall
- Purdue — 77 overall
Oregon sits atop the conference with a dominant 91 overall rating, while defending powers Ohio State and surprising Big Ten contender Indiana are right behind at 90.
For Iowa, being grouped with teams such as Maryland and Michigan State rather than perennial conference heavyweights is certain to fuel offseason conversations.
Three Hawkeyes Earn Elite Recognition
Despite Iowa’s lower team ranking, EA Sports still recognized several Hawkeyes as among the nation’s best.
On June 24, EA Sports unveiled the top 140 players in College Football 27 along with select school standouts. Iowa placed three players inside the prestigious top 140 rankings, including one player who cracked the game’s top 10 overall.
That recognition highlights a fascinating contradiction surrounding the Hawkeyes entering the 2026 season: while the team rating slipped, several individual stars remain highly respected nationally.
Among Iowa’s most notable standouts are offensive linemen Gennings Dunker Pieper and Lauck, two veterans expected to anchor the trenches this season.
Pieper and Lauck carry enormous importance for Iowa’s offense. They are the only returning starters from last season’s offensive line, a unit that captured the prestigious Joe Moore Award, given annually to the nation’s top offensive line.
Replacing the departed talent from that championship-caliber group won’t be easy, making the experience of the returning veterans even more valuable.
Vonnahme Expected to Take Center Stage
Another Hawkeye receiving significant attention is wide receiver Jacob Gill Vonnahme, who appears poised for a breakout season.
Vonnahme appeared in 12 games during the 2025 campaign and produced 29 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers may not leap off the page compared to some of college football’s elite receivers, but they demonstrate steady production and reliability within Iowa’s offensive system.
Entering 2026, Vonnahme is projected to step into a starting role, and EA Sports clearly believes his impact could be substantial.
If he develops into a true No. 1 target, Iowa’s offense could take a significant step forward both on the field and in future video game editions.
Familiar Face Returns — In Rival Colors
One of the more intriguing Iowa connections in the game belongs to a player who won’t be wearing black and gold this season.
Former Hawkeye punter Rhys Dakin, who transferred to Michigan State during the offseason after following longtime special teams coordinator LeVar Woods, remains one of the most highly rated specialists in the entire game.
Dakin earned an impressive 84 overall rating in College Football 27, making him the No. 130-ranked player nationally.
He is also tied as the second-highest-rated punter in the game.
For Iowa fans, seeing Dakin excel in virtual form while representing a conference rival may create mixed emotions.
Opportunity to Rewrite History
While rankings always generate debate, one thing remains certain: once the game launches, ratings become secondary.
Whether Iowa is ranked No. 48 or No. 1, Hawkeye fans will have complete control over their program’s destiny.
National championships. Heisman Trophy campaigns. Undefeated seasons.
Everything that has eluded Iowa in recent decades can suddenly become possible inside EA Sports College Football 27.
And if history has shown anything, it’s that Hawkeye fans never shy away from proving doubters wrong.
