Iowa Wins! Banks for Heisman!

[Jack of Clubs]

Iowa Hawkeyes Play for Recognition

[Jack of Clubs]

The unheralded but mighty Iowa Hawkeyes won big again today, while teams ahead of them in the standings and the BCS struggled. What will it take for Iowa to earn recognition for it's remarkable accomplishments this season?

They will at least share a portion of the Big Ten Championship; this is their first undefeated run in the Big Ten since Calvin Coolidge was president; yet they might still be screwed out of a BCS bid. They're 11-1, guys!

C'mon, all you media-types! Break out of the mold. Reward the teams that play to achieve their status.

And if you don't think Brad Banks deserves a shot at the Heisman, you ain't that knowledgable about College Ball.

Kirk Ferentz for Coach of the Year!

[DeaconBenjamin]

Oh, for a second I thought y'all were 12-0 also. By the way, Kliff Kingsbury put up some pretty fancy numbers against #3/4 Texas -- does Banks have 4500 yards for the season? Kliff also had 6 touchdowns against Texas. Strange, I don't think he was nearly as successful against the Bucks.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Relax, Iowa is going to the BCS. If Ohio State and Miami win out, the Rose and Orange get to pick the replacements, and they'll take Iowa and Notre Dame(go USC!) If one of them loses, they'll drop below Iowa. Texas choked, so you have already moved up a slot. OU, Georgia, Washington State, Miami, and Notre Dame all have at least 1 tough game remaining in which they could lose, and most have 2 left. So Iowa still has a shot at playing for the mythical Nat'l Title.

I hope every one of those teams lose, Iowa moves to #1, and the BCS is once again shown to be the total fraud that it is.

[Diddle E. Squat]

That was Texas Tech's first game of the season, AT Ohio State. Actually OSU is proving to be the most overrated team since Texas and VA Tech. Still, it would be nice if OSU, Georgia, Wash. State, or Iowa won the nat'l title, we need some new blood in the mythical national championship game.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Forgot to mention, all Iowa has to do is move up to #4 in the BCS, and they are guaranteed a spot in the BCS. Any team rank #4 that doesn't win its conference championship is guaranteed a BCS slot.

[DeaconBenjamin]

You're right. We should lower teams in the rankings for winning ugly.

FWIW, I don't see Ohio State as the second best team in the country. But, as one analyst pointed out, they are winning with defense, much as Oklahoma did in 2000.

BTW, there are no senior starters on Ohio State's offense. I can hope they will improve with age.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Remember Penn State vs. Jimmy Johnson's Miami? Perhaps some parallel this year?

[DeaconBenjamin]

In a word: no. Did I miss anything?

[kwyjibo]

Iowa is pretty much guaranteed nothing worse than the Rose Bowl. The Hawkeyes have a slight chance at the Fiesta Bowl. You've nothing to worry about.

[kwyjibo]

One more thing... Who was the genius who decided that teams' performance in NON-CONFERENCE games would serve as a tiebreaker for teams that finish tied atop the Big Ten standings? Sounds like Ohio State will be crowned conference champs simply because a team from the Big 12 beat Iowa. That stinks.

Why not use something like total net TDs in conference games for instance?

[kwyjibo]

...they are winning with defense, much as Oklahoma did in 2000.

Actually, Oklahoma won its first eight games with offense that season, and was forced to win with defense after Heupel's elbow wore out from throwing 80 passes a game.

As tough as it is to go undefeated in a major conference today, winning ugly is good enough to compete for the Sears Trophy. As long as the Buckeyes outscore their opponents in every game, it's a victory, and they're doing what they're supposed to do. Though I don't personally think Ohio State is even the best team in its own conference, they have gotten it done on the field. Time for the Scarlet and Gray to start packing for Tempe. No way Michigan wins the game at the Horseshoe.

[Jack of Clubs]

Pardon my exuberance. I was suffering from Budweiser poisoning. I have now fully recovered.

I agree with you about Kinsbury; he's incredible. Why is he not in the top 6 in the Heisman Watch? And why should the Heisman be a "Lifetime Achievement Award" (if given to Dorsey?)