CBS Sports Blogpoll Ballot: Week 9

but closer inspection would show you that is not the case. While it is true that Iowa keeps winning games, there are important differences.

First, compare their performance against non-conference opposition. Iowa barely snuck past N Iowa and Arkansas State, beat Arizona by 10 and easily defeated Iowa State 35-3. In 2002 Ohio State crushed San Jose State and Kent, beat Texas Tech 45-21, and defeated Washington State 25-7 (this WSU team would go on the win the Pac-10 and play in the Rose Bowl). They did have a close game against Cincinnati, in Cincinnati, but that was the exception for that Buckeye squad, whereas the Iowa State blowout is the exception for this year’s Hawkeyes.

Next compare the Big Ten from 2002 to today’s Big Ten. I’d argue that Penn State is about as strong today as they were in ‘02 but everybody else is weaker (well, maybe not Northwestern, but we’re not hanging our hats on the Wildcats, also MSU was down in ‘02, but OSU didn’t play them). Michigan is a shell of itself, we’re down, the Buckeyes aren’t top 10 material, Wisconsin is suddenly very blah, Minnesota was an 8-5 team in ‘02, now their first string offense hasn’t scored since they played us. The Big Ten was as strong in 2002 as it’s been in a long time. As a conference they were 5-2 in the Bowl Season, a record the conference hasn’t come close to since. In fact, that’s the last time the Big Ten was .500 or better in the postseason.

Iowa is not doing this against the level of competition that OSU did in 2002. Maybe I’m wrong about this, and if they beat Ohio State in the shoe in a couple weeks I’ll stop complaining, but I just don’t think Iowa is “special” good. I think they’ve been “special” lucky. The big plays that have impacted their season seem to have as much to do with their opponents making mistakes as Iowa being good. Field goals get blocked because of protection errors or poor kicks. The last play last week was terrible defense by MSU (heck the whole last drive, if not the last quarter, was terrible defense). Aside from their win in Happy Valley, I’ve only seen a team that is extremely fortunate to be where they are.

I shudder to think what they look like against USC in the Rose Bowl, or worse, against the Florida/Alabama winner in the Natty.

But again, I could be wrong. Also, I’m not criticizing your ranking of Iowa in the Poll. At this point in the season, you really don’t have any other choice. I’m just taking issue with the comparison to the ’02 OSU team.