Iowa, Ohio State and a 31-point margin

There is a difference between disrespect and perceived disrespect.

The first, of course, is real and tangible. The second? Perhaps it’s not as serious as a person is making it out to be.

On a Sunday where a 31-point Iowa win over Ohio State is somehow connected to one of the biggest stories of the day — Alabama getting into the College Football Playoff — I’m trying to decide which one I’m feeling.

There’s arguments to be had on both sides. Iowa did finish the season 7-5 with a bad loss to Purdue and, uh, four losses to top-25 teams?

Think about it. Iowa was literally three inches from beating No. 9 Penn State. Lost 17-10 against No. 16 Michigan State. Lost in overtime against No. 21 Northwestern. Got blown out in Madison by a sixth-ranked Wisconsin team that was seven points from the Playoff.

Somehow, though, Iowa is an objectively terrible team. From The Ringer’s piece on Ohio State and the College Football Playoff:

I disagree. And I sort of doubt the author of the piece actually rewatched the tape. It is a complicated decision. The game was lopsided, yes, but not as much as it may have seemed on the scoreboard. J.T. Barrett’s interceptions were really the difference in that game and apparently changed the entire college football season.

And of course they bring up the buyout. All people really know about the Hawkeyes is that it’s hard to play in Kinnick, we punt a lot, and Kirk Ferentz has a big buyout.

It’s frustrating.

This isn’t so much that Ohio State deserved to be in the playoff over Alabama (even though they did), but the idea that once again the Big Ten West is Apparently The Worst Power Five Division.

Something along those lines, I guess.

But it’s not just national media people who aren’t putting the Big Ten in the same light as they do to the SEC and ACC. It’s the College Football Playoff Committee too, which is downright disturbing.

Kirby Hocutt, who’s on the board:

Iowa was ranked the week following the win over Ohio State.

So, fine. The Hawkeyes are terrible and we have a bad non-conference sched- oh, wait, you’re saying that we beat the team that beat both TCU and Oklahoma?

Yes. Iowa is bad and you’re bad and LORD KNOWS two SEC teams deserve to be in the playoff. It Just Means More, right?

I’m tired of the national perception of this program. I’m tired of being a laughingstock. Tired of being a ‘foil’ for teams that “deserve” to be in the College Football Playoff. It’s ridiculous and insulting.

I mean, after all, Iowa was a play away from making the Playoff two years ago. But despite that, we’re just a joke team that ruins “more deserving” team’s chances to compete for a National Title, right?