NCAA vacates four Iowa wins in tampering case

Q: Why did Iowa have to vacate four wins in the 2023 season?

Iowa had to vacate four wins due to NCAA violations related to tampering with quarterback Cade McNamara before he entered the transfer portal.

Q: What penalties did Iowa's coaching staff face for the tampering case?

Iowa's coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr were suspended for the 2024 season opener as part of a school-imposed penalty for their involvement in the tampering violations.

Iowa will have to vacate four victories from the 2023 season for tampering with quarterback Cade McNamara before he'd entered the transfer portal, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

The NCAA said that Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and assistant Jon Budmayr participated in 13 phone calls with McNamara and sent two text messages prior to him entering the portal in November of 2022. McNamara left Michigan a few days later and transferred to Iowa.

Both Ferentz and Budmayr were suspended for the 2024 season opener in a school-imposed penalty for the violations.

McNamara went 4-1 with the Hawkeyes in 2023 before suffering a knee injury. The NCAA ruled that McNamara was ineligible for those wins over Utah State, Iowa State, Western Michigan and Michigan State, which will now be vacated.

McNamara played for the Hawkeyes for one more year before transferring again to East Tennessee State for the 2025 season.