The Iowa Hawkeyes put nothing to chance. This team went on the road to a 6-2 Northwestern team and went home with a 24-10 win to get to 7-2 on the season. The win is massive. It continues to propel this team toward its goal.

It also forces the college football world to have a serious conversation. Like it or not, you can't have the College Football Playoff discussion without including the Iowa Hawkeyes. Their odds of that, and their ranking in this week's ESPN FPI, both reflect another climb for Kirk Ferentz's team.

Iowa makes a steady climb in the updated ESPN FPI rankings

Last week saw Iowa take a massive leap in the ESPN FPI rankings. This week, while it isn't as big of a jump, it also sees the Hawkeyes climbing up the updated rankings with better metrics. The Iowa Hawkeyes are now ranked No. 18, a three-spot leap, in the ESPN FPI rankings.

ESPN FPI Predictions for Iowa Football

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