Football
113-54.
67.7% winning percentage.
13 bowl trips.
That’s the Iowa Hawkeyes’ resume since 2013, almost a decade and a half of sustained, consistent success.
With the FBS now ballooned to feature 138 teams, it’s impossible to know the exact number, but it’s a fair statement to say that at least 110 programs in America would gladly take that level of consistent success.
Success like that doesn’t make Iowa a blue blood, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but it does put them in the conversation for that next tier and being within striking distance.
How does Iowa stack up against the rest of college football?
Iowa Hawkeyes
No one is going to sit here and put Iowa on a pedestal with some other programs, but it is certainly impossible to tell the story of college football without having a chapter about the Hawkeyes.
In USA TODAY Sports’ rankings of the top college football programs, Iowa settled in at No. 23 in the nation, a spot that feels low, if we can all speak freely.
Iowa owns the 14th-best winning percentage over the last decade at .677. That is better than the likes of college football powerhouses like Texas and Miami, among others.
Indiana Hoosiers & Recency Bias
Recency bias can be one hell of a drug, which is how to best describe Indiana slotting in as the No. 17 program in college football. Sure, they have the national title, but are we ignoring 715 losses that are the most of any Power Four team in America?
Auburn Tigers Recent Struggles
And Auburn. Let’s talk about you. There was the Cam Newton title. I’ll give you that one. What about the last decade, though? Consistency has to matter.
Texas A&M Aggies Consistent Shortcomings
Don’t get me started on Texas A&M, either. If this were a ranking of teams given preseason top 10 nods and falling apart, they would be No. 1 on the list, but it’s about success, and it just isn’t there enough for the Aggies.
Nebraska Cornhuskers & Living in the Past
Do we want to talk about Nebraska? This might strike a nerve, but this is a list for 2026 we are talking about, not 1999. I’ll give respect to the past, but the present Cornhuskers are closer to Purdue than blue bloods.
What makes a team a blue blood of college football?
The term “blue blood” is thrown around way too freely in today’s college football world. It needs to be held to a much higher standard, and it can’t just be past or recent success; it has to be both. The group has to remain exclusive, too. There is no need for more than four or five blue bloods in the sport.
Lastly, to be a blue blood, a national championship is a non-negotiable box that has to be checked.
Riley Donald’s College Football Blue Bloods
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Talk about iconic. Notre Dame has the history, the past success, the recent success, but it also has the brand going. No logo, name, or helmet may be more iconic than the Fighting Irish. It doesn’t hurt that Marcus Freeman is elevating this program to another level.
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes have put themselves among the elite. They have done it for decades under different coaches, and it hasn’t changed a thing. Ohio State has earned its blue blood status and is only getting stronger.
Alabama Crimson Tide
The biggest brand in college football, the Crimson Tide are more than just that. They are deeply woven into the DNA and fabric of the sport and the fans. The success has been sustained for decades.
The only question is if Kalen DeBoer can hold Alabama to its standards.
Michigan Wolverines
For as much as Michigan and Ohio State hate each other, they are very similar in their blue blood status. Both have done it under multiple head coaches. They have the shared history, the past titles, the recent titles, but Michigan needs to return to its standard after a recent stumble.
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