James Franklin not alone in struggles vs. Top 10 opponents

Kirk Ferentz – Iowa

1999
0-1 L Nebraska (5) 42-7
0-2 L Penn State (2) 31-7
0-3 L @ Wisconsin (9) 41-3

2000
0-4 L @ Kansas State (8) 27-7
0-5 L @ Nebraska (1) 42-13

2001
0-6 L Michigan (8) 32-26

2002
1-6 W @ Michigan (8) 34-9
1-7 L USC (5) 38-17

2003
2-7 W Michigan (9) 30-27
2-8 L @ Ohio State (8) 19-10

2004
3-8 W Wisconsin (9) 30-7

2005
3-9 L @ Ohio State (8) 31-6

2006
3-10 L Ohio State (1) 38-17
3-11 L @ Michigan (2) 20-6

2007
3-12 L @ Wisconsin (9) 17-13

2008
4-12 W Penn State (3) 24-23

2009
5-12 W @ Penn State (5) 21-10
5-13 L @ Ohio State (10) 27-24
6-13 W Georgia Tech (9) 24-14

2010
6-14 L Wisconsin (10) 31-30
7-14 W Michigan State (5) 37-6
7-15 L Ohio State (8) 20-17

2011
None

2012
None

2013
7-16 L @ Ohio State (4) 34-24

2014
None

2015
7-17 L Michigan State (5) 16-13 (B1G Championship)
7-18 L Stanford (5) 45-16

2016
7-19 L Wisconsin (10) 17-9
8-19 W Michigan (2) 14-13

2017
8-20 L Penn State (4) 21-19
9-20 W Ohio State (3) 55-24
9-21 L @ Wisconsin (6) 38-14

2018
None

2019
9-22 L Penn State (10) 17-12
10-22 W Minnesota (7) 23-19

2020
None

2021
11-22 W @ Iowa State (9) 27-17
12-22 W Penn State (4) 23-20

Conclusion

Much like Franklin, Ferentz really struggled against top 10 foes early in his tenure at Iowa.

Ferentz’s first win didn’t happen until the seventh game of his fourth season as head coach of the Hawkeyes.

Furthermore, after his ninth season, Ferentz only had a record of 3-12.

It wasn’t until the late 2000s until the Hawkeyes finally saw some success against the top-ranked competition.

One other item to note, look at how many seasons Iowa did not end up playing a single opponent ranked in the top 10. The B1G West is a weak football division even by ACC standards, and this further proves it.

But, any way you slice it, Ferentz has still tacked on 12 wins against 22 losses in his career.