Established at the University of Iowa in 1896, the Iowa Hawkeyes collegiate football program remains one of the oldest in the nation. In addition to several years as an independent program, the school has competed as a member of three National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) divisions, including the Big Ten. Over the decades, Hawkeyes teams have combined for more than 660 wins, numerous conference championships, and a National Championship.

Iowa's football program began with a winning culture. The team competed independently in 1899, winning eight games and tying one before joining the Western Conference and winning seven of eight games, once again finishing the year without a loss. The program did not endure a losing season until 1906. By 1907, the Hawkeyes had earned three conference championships and co-championships.

Iowa hired head coach Howard Jones in 1916 after a few lean years. He gradually improved the program, culminating in a perfect 7-0 season in 1921 and the program's first conference championship since 1907. Coach Jones immediately delivered another perfect season and conference championship in 1922. Jones concluded his time at Iowa University following the 1923 season with a combined record of 42-17-1.

The program's fortunes varied considerably over the following seasons. The team went 6-1-1 in 1924 under new coach Burton Ingwersen and achieved a Top 10 ranking in the Associated Press (AP) Poll during the 1939 season with coach Edward Anderson. Lows, meanwhile, included a 2-13-1 period between 1931 and 1932 and again from 1938 through 1939.

Then, the Hawkeyes established a new period of success for the school during the mid-1950s, shortly after joining the NCAA's Big Ten Conference. The program saw moderated success over the first few years in the Big Ten under coach Forest Evashevski. Still, in 1956, the combination of Ken Ploen's passing and Bill Happel's rushing resulted in a high-powered offense, which catapulted the Hawkeyes to nine wins, a record, and a 5-1 mark in the conference. Iowa finished the season ranked No. 3 in the country, another record. The program won its first conference championship in more than 30 years.

In 1957, the program continued to thrive, winning seven games and finishing the year ranked No. 7 in the nation. In 1958, the Hawkeyes went 8-1-1, finished the year ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll, and earned the university its second conference championship in three seasons. The University of Iowa also celebrated its first and only National Championship.

The 1959 team struggled, peaking at No. 5 in the AP Poll but finishing with five wins and four losses. However, Coach Evashevski's final season resulted in eight wins to one loss, the program's first stint as the No. 1 team in the nation, and the university's eighth overall conference championship.

After this period of prolonged dominance, the Hawkeyes failed to make an impact on the national stage for several seasons. The program's struggles reached a low in 1973 with a 0-11 season. Just eight years later, however, coach Hayden Fry led the team to its first AP ranking in decades and another Big Ten Conference Championship. Additional championships followed in 1985, along with another run as the AP Poll's No. 1 team, and 1990.

Under coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa achieved two more championships in 2002 and 2004. The 2002 team won 11 games, a school record until the 2015 team, also with Ferentz, won 12 games.