Preseason Coaches' Poll Puts Hawkeyes At No. 10

Honestly, the preseason polls help Iowa a ton right now. If the season ends with an undefeated Iowa, Texas and SEC winner, I’m not sure that it’s Iowa that gets left out in the cold.

To get there Texas would have to beat OU and Nebraska twice (assuming that Nebraska gets into the Big XII title game) but other than that the Big XII is kind of soft. The Texas non-conf schedule is Rice, Wyoming, UCLA and Florida Atlantic.

Iowa, OTOH would have to beat Wisconsin, Penn State and, assumably, an undefeated and second-ranked tOSU in the second-to-last week of the season. Plus a non-conf schedule that includes Arizona, that some people consider to be a dark horse for the Pac-10 (for whatever THAT’S worth). I think there’s a better-than-average chance that an undefeated Iowa would get into the national title game ahead of an undefeated Texas.

there is still a lot of defensive talent on that team, 8 returning defensive starters (10 if you count 4 returning CBS), and an offense that returns 10 starters. So their offense shouldn’t couldn’t be any worse and their defense may even improve. Besides, Suh said the defense would be better in 2010 than 2009, and I’m not one to argue with him.

I’m not really sold on either of those teams (or any team, including Iowa, for that matter) but the winner will suddenly find themselves in the national title discussion because they beat a “top ten team”.

They’re returning 21 starters froma team that won 14 games last year. Meanwhile, the number 1 team in the land has to replace 80% of their defense.

The entire state of Iowa would jump off the map and scream “FUCK YEAH!”

Even though later in the season it will be abundantly clear that Florida is nowhere near #3. (See: Alabama ‘08, whose pre-SEC-title-game SOS was actually worse than Utah’s.)

1. vs #10 in the pre-season polls does not mean that Nebraska is “better” than Iowa.

Let the games happen, and the results on the field will determine who is the better team.

Compared to Nebraska, I almost think it is more bullsh!t that Oklahoma is ranked ahead of us.

Iowa was the “underdog” on the betting line for Michigan, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Coming in with a higher ranking, a 9-12 game winning streak, with Michigan squeaking out a win over Indiana, etc…

Betting lines mean so very little. But I would imagine most of the betting community has the same faith in the 2010 Hawks as they did in 2009. Doesn’t effect outcomes anywhere but Vegas.

I’m trying to think of a fourth direction you could go and it’s melting my neural synapsis.

described my emotions/though process of this long off season. Well done, chicken.

neither of them would fill out a ballot. Reasoning, I think, being they actually need to see the teams play prior to making any judgments.

Paterno was included until the Auburn controversy. He wanted to split his vote but was told he had to vote for the BCS game winner. He said f&@k you and quit voting. One of my favorite Paterno stories.

And I’m enjoying the Magritte-inspired signature.

…..IS ‘ALL-CAPS YELLING MAN’! YOU LIKE THAT NAME, SON! DROP AND GIVE ME FIFTY!"

6 or 7 starters from their defense. But they have BEAMER BALL!!!!! so it’s completely justified. Ugh, really don’t know who I want to lose more in the VT-Boise State game.

does the same thing. Seem to recall a few years ago where every team Texas had/would face was one Mack Brown’s Top 25 list, including such stalwarts as Baylor.

…“I imagine Freud is smiling smoking.”

The hatred I feel for that team can kill a small child at 100 yards

The Orange Bowel was the perfect film for all other ACC teams to look at when they play GT. There is nothing that hasn’t been said about the game here already, so looking at it from Miami/Florida State/Clemson perspective, I would be taking notes on that game more than once.

And why is North Carolina again ranked so high in the pre-season? They didn’t do shit last year!

…that BTS haven’t been named best local band for life in the Boise area, by now, is a travesty.

Nice one. Never heard that before.

“We play one good team a year and everybody loves us in spite of that”, I would agree with them. Fuck Boise and TCU. If they want love, play a real schedule.

Their overall star count alone justifies their rankings in the eyes of coaches who don’t really look much into their ranking. That and their names. Let’s face it, a lot of coaches don’t have a clue what’s going on at the far end of the country with a team they don’t play, and yet they rank that team, and that ranking helps determine whether that team goes to a BCS bowl. No wonder Kirk Ferentz and Joe Paterno don’t vote in the Coaches Poll.

And were ranked #4 and the computers had us at #1

First, if Iowa gives up 17 points to Eastern Illinois, they may or may not deserve to hold steady at 10. Second, Miami will not beat Ohio State, or, at least, I hope they won’t. Third, who cares about this? It’s a long trudge to bowl season, and the teams that sprint out of the gates (for the most part) run out of gas before they get to the end. Iowa hopefully will stay in the race to the end. If they remain undefeated against very strong Ohio State and Wisconsin teams, as well as also powerful Penn State, Arizona, and MIchigan State programs, the sky is the limit.

Of course, for karma’s sake, none of that will ever happen, the stars won’t align, and Iowa will go to the Caesar’s Motor City/Pizza Bowl and get mugged in Detroit by a MACrifice team. Iowa City will then burn to the ground. Maybe if we’re lucky, University Heights will go, too.

If Iowa gets to 5-0 they will have beaten Arizona on the road and Penn State at home. Arizona may not be ranked at the time but Penn State will, even if they lose in Tuscaloosa. They will not fall to #15 with that sort of resume.