The Iowa Hawkeyes enter the 2026 college football season with expectations higher than they’ve been in years. After winning nine games in 2025 and earning a spot among ESPN’s preseason Top 25, Iowa has the talent to compete with the Big Ten’s best. But one critical question still hangs over Kirk Ferentz’s team and it could determine whether the Hawkeyes become legitimate championship contenders or fall short once again.
According to ESPN’s preseason analysis of every ranked Big Ten program, Iowa’s biggest unanswered question isn’t on defense or along the offensive line. Instead, it centers on the quarterback position, where an intense battle continues between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski to replace former starter Mark Gronowski.
With the season just over a month away, the quarterback competition has become one of the most closely watched storylines in Iowa City. Whoever wins the job won’t simply be replacing Gronowski they’ll be tasked with leading an offense expected to take another step forward after a successful 2025 campaign.
Gronowski provided steady leadership last season, throwing for 1,741 yards and 10 touchdowns while helping guide the Hawkeyes to a nine-win season. His departure leaves a significant vacancy at the game’s most important position, forcing Iowa’s coaching staff to decide which young quarterback gives the program its best chance to challenge the nation’s elite.
Unlike several of their Big Ten rivals, the Hawkeyes don’t have an established veteran returning under center. That uncertainty is exactly why ESPN identified Iowa’s quarterback battle as the program’s defining storyline entering the season.
Brown and Hecklinski both gained valuable experience in limited opportunities during the 2025 season, but neither has been asked to carry the offense over a full campaign. Now, they’ll compete for one of the conference’s most important starting jobs, with every practice and scrimmage carrying extra significance.
The decision won’t only affect Iowa’s offense it could influence the team’s entire season. A confident, productive quarterback would complement one of the conference’s traditionally strong defenses and could give the Hawkeyes enough balance to compete with the Big Ten’s top contenders.
ESPN’s preseason rankings include eight Big Ten teams in the national Top 25, highlighting just how competitive the conference is expected to be in 2026. Ohio State and Oregon headline the league inside the top five, while Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, Washington, Iowa, and USC all enter the year with playoff aspirations.
Each contender has its own major question heading into the season. Ohio State must prove its offensive line can regain the dominant form that powered previous championship runs after the unit struggled during last year’s postseason losses to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and Miami in the College Football Playoff.
Oregon, meanwhile, faces questions about whether it can finally deliver when the stakes are highest. The Ducks reached the College Football Playoff semifinals last season before suffering a heavy defeat to eventual national champion Indiana, extending the program’s wait for its first national title.
Indiana enters the year with transfer quarterback Josh Hoover replacing Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Hoover arrives after four seasons at TCU, where he threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns, giving the Hoosiers confidence they can keep one of college football’s most explosive offenses rolling.
Michigan’s hopes rest heavily on former five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood taking a major leap under new head coach Kyle Whittingham. Penn State begins a new era under Matt Campbell after longtime coach James Franklin departed, while Washington looks for dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr. to build on a season in which he threw for 3,065 yards, 25 touchdowns, and added 611 rushing yards with six more scores.
USC also enters the season surrounded by optimism. Lincoln Riley believes quarterback Jayden Maiava can lead the Trojans back into the national championship conversation after a 9-4 finish in 2025.
For Iowa, however, everything begins with the quarterback decision. The Hawkeyes have already shown they can consistently win games under Kirk Ferentz, but reaching the next level may depend on whether Brown or Hecklinski can provide the stability, playmaking ability, and leadership required to guide Iowa through one of the toughest schedules in college football.
As preseason camp continues, every throw, every drive, and every practice rep will be closely evaluated. The winner won’t just earn the starting job they’ll inherit the responsibility of leading a ranked Hawkeyes team with Big Ten title ambitions and the opportunity to prove ESPN’s biggest question has the right answer.
