The University of Iowa football team is receiving votes in both of the national polls. However, the Iowa Hawkeyes are firmly entrenched in the Top 25 that ranks teams that will be bowling later this month by their most recent NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score.
In October, the NCAA reported that the Iowa football team had scored an 81 on the GSR—11 points better than the national average of 70. The Hawkeyes will travel to Tampa for the 2014 Outback Bowl as one of just 16 bowl-bound teams with a GSR greater than 80 and as the highest ranked Big Ten Conference team participating in a bowl game, according to GSR.
Rice (96), Boston College and Notre Dame (94), Stanford (93), and Duke (92) rank first through fifth in the GSR Top 25. Boise State (91) is the only other bowl-bound team with a GSR of 90 or better.
Nebraska (76), and Minnesota and Ohio State (75) rank immediately behind Iowa among the seven Big Ten teams that will be participating in a post-season bowl game this bowl season.
The NCAA introduced the GSR in 2005 to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. Unlike the federal graduation rate, the GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer student-athletes. The GSR also accounts for mid-year enrollees and is calculated for every sport.
Institution | Conference | 2013 NCAA GSR | Bowl Game |
Rice | Conference USA | 96 | AutoZone Liberty |
Boston College | ACC | 94 | AdvoCare V100 |
Notre Dame | Independent | 94 | New Era Pinstripe |
Stanford | Pac-12 | 93 | BCS/Rose |
Duke | ACC | 92 | Chick-fil-A |
Boise State | Mountain West | 91 | Sheraton Hawaii |
Miami, Fla. | ACC | 86 | Russell Athletic |
Rutgers | American | 85 | New Era Pinstripe |
Northern Illinois | Mid-American | 85 | S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia |
Utah State | Western Athletic | 84 | S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia |
Central Florida | Conference USA | 83 | BCS/Fiesta |
Tulane | Conference USA | 82 | R+L Carriers New Orleans |
UCLA | Pac-12 | 82 | Hyundai Sun |
Georgia | Southeastern | 82 | Gator |
Vanderbilt | Southeastern | 82 | BBVA Compass |
IOWA HAWKEYES | Big Ten | 81 | Outback |
Colorado State | Mountain West | 79 | Gildan New Mexico |
Virginia Tech | ACC | 78 | Hyundai Sun |
Clemson | ACC | 77 | BCS/Orange |
Syracuse | ACC | 77 | Texas |
Nebraska | Big Ten | 76 | Gator |
Minnesota | Big Ten | 75 | Texas |
Ohio State | Big Ten | 75 | BCS/Orange |
Washington | Pac-12 | 74 | Fight Hunger |
Missouri | Southeastern | 74 | AT&T Cotton |
LSU | Southeastern | 74 | Outback |
Texas A&M | Southeastern | 74 | Chick-fil-A |
Middle Tennessee | Sun Belt | 73 | Bell Helicopter Armed Forces |
Alabama | Southeastern | 73 | BCS/Sugar |
Texas Tech | Big 12 | 73 | Holiday |
Ohio | Mid-American | 72 | Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg |
Oregon | Pac-12 | 72 | Valero Alamo |
Wisconsin | Big Ten | 72 | Capital One |
Bowling Green | Mid-American | 72 | Little Caesars Pizza |
Fresno State | Mountain West | 70 | Royal Purple Las Vegas |
Auburn | Southeastern | 70 | BCS/National Championship |
Michigan State | Big Ten | 70 | BCS/Rose |
Pittsburgh | American | 70 | Little Caesars Pizza |
Baylor | Big 12 | 68 | BCS/Fiesta |
Louisville | American | 68 | Russell Athletic |
Arizona State | Pac-12 | 68 | Holiday |
Marshall | Conference USA | 67 | Military Bowl |
East Carolina | Conference USA | 67 | Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg |
Oregon State | Pac-12 | 67 | Sheraton Hawaii |
Michigan | Big Ten | 67 | Buffalo Wild Wings |
North Carolina | ACC | 66 | Belk |
Cincinnati | American | 66 | Belk |
North Texas | Sun Belt | 66 | Heart of Dallas |
South Carolina | Southeastern | 66 | Capital One |
Louisiana Lafayette | Sun Belt | 65 | R+L Carriers New Orleans |
Georgia Tech | ACC | 65 | Music City |
Arizona | Pac-12 | 65 | AdvoCare V100 |
Kansas State | Big 12 | 65 | Buffalo Wild Wings |
Buffalo | Mid-American | 65 | Famous Idaho Potato |
Mississippi State | Southeastern | 64 | AutoZone Liberty |
Florida State | ACC | 63 | BCS/National Championship |
Houston | Conference USA | 60 | BBVA Compass |
Brigham Young | Independent | 60 | Fight Hunger |
Washington State | Pac-12 | 59 | Gildan New Mexico |
Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 59 | AT&T Cotton |