Iowa deserves to be #1

[MgoMatt]

At least at this point in the season, Iowa ought to be #1 (and the unbiased computers agree with me). The only reason they aren't ranked higher is that their name is "Iowa". If you slapped their season on a program named "Florida" or "Penn State", they would easily be #1 or #2 right now.

Why do they deserve the top spot? Strength of schedule.

Just look at the unbeaten's non-conference games. Sorted by most to least impressive:

Florida
--------
Florida State (ACC) (4-4)
Troy (Sun Belt) (6-2)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Charleston Southern (I-AA) (3-5)

Texas
--------
UCF (C-USA) (4-3)
Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt) (4-4)
Wyoming (Mountain West) (4-4)
UTEP (C-USA) (3-5)

Alabama
--------
#24 Virginia Tech (ACC) (5-3)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
North Texas (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Chattanooga (I-AA) (5-3)

Iowa
--------
#19 Arizona (Pac 10) (5-2)
Iowa State (Big 12) (5-4)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) (2-5)
Northern Iowa (I-AA) (5-3)

Cincinnati
------------
Oregon State (Pac 10) (5-3)
Fresno State (WAC) (5-3)
Illionis (Big Ten) (2-6)
Miami OH (MAC) (1-8)
Southeast Missouri State (I-AA) (1-7)


Texas won't even play a team from a BCS conference. Florida's best game hasn't been played yet. Alabama and Cincy at least have an argument, but Iowa by far has the most dominant schedule and most impressive win.

My ranking

#1 Iowa
#2 Alabama
#3 Cincinnati
#4 Florida
#5 Texas

[NorCal Buckeye]

At least at this point in the season, Iowa ought to be #1 (and the unbiased computers agree with me). The only reason they aren't ranked higher is that their name is "Iowa". If you slapped their season on a program named "Florida" or "Penn State", they would easily be #1 or #2 right now.

Why do they deserve the top spot? Strength of schedule.

Just look at the unbeaten's non-conference games. Sorted by most to least impressive:

Florida
--------
Florida State (ACC) (4-4)
Troy (Sun Belt) (6-2)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Charleston Southern (I-AA) (3-5)

Texas
--------
UCF (C-USA) (4-3)
Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt) (4-4)
Wyoming (Mountain West) (4-4)
UTEP (C-USA) (3-5)

Alabama
--------
#24 Virginia Tech (ACC) (5-3)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
North Texas (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Chattanooga (I-AA) (5-3)

Iowa
--------
#19 Arizona (Pac 10) (5-2)
Iowa State (Big 12) (5-4)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) (2-5)
Northern Iowa (I-AA) (5-3)

Cincinnati
------------
Oregon State (Pac 10) (5-3)
Fresno State (WAC) (5-3)
Illionis (Big Ten) (2-6)
Miami OH (MAC) (1-8)
Southeast Missouri State (I-AA) (1-7)


Texas won't even play a team from a BCS conference. Florida's best game hasn't been played yet. Alabama and Cincy at least have an argument, but Iowa by far has the most dominant schedule and most impressive win.

My ranking

#1 Iowa
#2 Alabama
#3 Cincinnati
#4 Florida
#5 Texas

Don't waste your time thinking about. OSU will put them in the rankings where they really belong.:D

[gator]

At least at this point in the season, Iowa ought to be #1 (and the unbiased computers agree with me). The only reason they aren't ranked higher is that their name is "Iowa". If you slapped their season on a program named "Florida" or "Penn State", they would easily be #1 or #2 right now.

Why do they deserve the top spot? Strength of schedule.

Just look at the unbeaten's non-conference games. Sorted by most to least impressive:

Florida
--------
Florida State (ACC) (4-4)
Troy (Sun Belt) (6-2)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Charleston Southern (I-AA) (3-5)

Texas
--------
UCF (C-USA) (4-3)
Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt) (4-4)
Wyoming (Mountain West) (4-4)
UTEP (C-USA) (3-5)

Alabama
--------
#24 Virginia Tech (ACC) (5-3)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
North Texas (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Chattanooga (I-AA) (5-3)

Iowa
--------
#19 Arizona (Pac 10) (5-2)
Iowa State (Big 12) (5-4)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) (2-5)
Northern Iowa (I-AA) (5-3)

Cincinnati
------------
Oregon State (Pac 10) (5-3)
Fresno State (WAC) (5-3)
Illionis (Big Ten) (2-6)
Miami OH (MAC) (1-8)
Southeast Missouri State (I-AA) (1-7)


Texas won't even play a team from a BCS conference. Florida's best game hasn't been played yet. Alabama and Cincy at least have an argument, but Iowa by far has the most dominant schedule and most impressive win.

My ranking

#1 Iowa
#2 Alabama
#3 Cincinnati
#4 Florida
#5 Texas

I'm sorry...was that a serious post???

One of my biggest gripes with some of you BigTen guys (and if you've read my posts before, you alreadt know this) is that you put way too much emphasis on the OOC schedule. Mgo, why only list the OOC games? Traditionally, FL's SOS rankes pretty high but not so much this year because of the way their conference games from the west fell. However, they did have the #1 and #2 (according to NCAA) SOS rankings as recently as 2006 and 2008, respectively (both NC years). They had strong schedules despite most of the country's criticisms about the OOC schedules those years.

Personally, I don't think rankings even matter at this point in the season, but just induldge me. Florida, whose already beaten LSU (at LSU) and Tenn (not the bad team everyone thought), will still have to beat S. Car, FSU, and either Bama or LSU again to make it to the NC. Bama, whose already beaten VT, S. Carolina, and Tennessee, will still have to beat LSU and FL to make the NC game. Neither of these two teams will make the NC without being tested, and one of them certainly will not, so what's the big gripe? Iowa, on the other hand, has won against PSU and Arizona, and only has OSU left.

If you ask me, Bama has APPEARED to be the most dominant team so far this season. Almost every NC team has a close game on their resume, so I don't fault Bama for that Tennesse game, especially since Tennessee is starting to look like the real deal. It is true that FL has struggled offensively this year, but they still have the firepower to run you out of the building in a hurry. Moreover, FL was largely in control of their close games (except Arkansas), even though they did not win by a large margin. I believe Iowa has trailed in the 4th qtr four times this year, once to an FCS team. Iowa had to win on the last play against MSU; and it took that miracle interception, bad referrees, and 28 4th qtr points to hold off Indiana. Yeah, Iowa looks like a clear cut #1.:D

I also hate to pull this one out on you, but it isn't like FL hasn't proven itself recently on the BIG stage. I normally do not approve of a team getting votes based on their past reputation, but the EXACT same defense and major components of the offense are back from last year, a national championship WINNER. While I agree that things change (even week to week), it's not like FL being #1 is completely outlandish. Saying that Iowa should certainly be ranked #1 may be the dumbest thing I have ever read on this board.

[Hawks]

At least at this point in the season, Iowa ought to be #1 (and the unbiased computers agree with me). The only reason they aren't ranked higher is that their name is "Iowa". If you slapped their season on a program named "Florida" or "Penn State", they would easily be #1 or #2 right now.

Why do they deserve the top spot? Strength of schedule.

Just look at the unbeaten's non-conference games. Sorted by most to least impressive:

Florida
--------
Florida State (ACC) (4-4)
Troy (Sun Belt) (6-2)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Charleston Southern (I-AA) (3-5)

Texas
--------
UCF (C-USA) (4-3)
Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt) (4-4)
Wyoming (Mountain West) (4-4)
UTEP (C-USA) (3-5)

Alabama
--------
#24 Virginia Tech (ACC) (5-3)
Florida International (Sun Belt) (2-6)
North Texas (Sun Belt) (2-6)
Chattanooga (I-AA) (5-3)

Iowa
--------
#19 Arizona (Pac 10) (5-2)
Iowa State (Big 12) (5-4)
Arkansas State (Sun Belt) (2-5)
Northern Iowa (I-AA) (5-3)

Cincinnati
------------
Oregon State (Pac 10) (5-3)
Fresno State (WAC) (5-3)
Illionis (Big Ten) (2-6)
Miami OH (MAC) (1-8)
Southeast Missouri State (I-AA) (1-7)


Texas won't even play a team from a BCS conference. Florida's best game hasn't been played yet. Alabama and Cincy at least have an argument, but Iowa by far has the most dominant schedule and most impressive win.

My ranking

#1 Iowa
#2 Alabama
#3 Cincinnati
#4 Florida
#5 Texas

If they were named OSU, PSU, or Michigan, I bet they would still be higher than they are.

You no what is funny, is in the beginning of the season they gave my hawks no chance. No way does Iowa win on the road with their schedule. If they won 2 on the road it would be a great accomplishment. Now that we won four out of the five road games, the media is saying we have played nobody. Even though the same people said our schedule was hell and we would not win the Big Ten in the beginning of the season. Computers don't lie, on to Northwestern.

Oh ya, we should be ranked higher than Texas, there schedule is a joke.

[NorCal Buckeye]

If they were named OSU, PSU, or Michigan, I bet they would still be higher than they are.

You no what is funny, is in the beginning of the season they gave my hawks no chance. No way does Iowa win on the road with their schedule. If they won 2 on the road it would be a great accomplishment. Now that we won four out of the five road games, the media is saying we have played nobody. Even though the same people said our schedule was hell and we would not win the Big Ten in the beginning of the season. Computers don't lie, on to Northwestern.

Oh ya, we should be ranked higher than Texas, there schedule is a joke.

Why are you still crying about your ranking now when it will become a moot point after you play Ohio State and they pin a loss on your ass that you have been so lucky to avoid so far?

You should be in silent meditation praying that your team can somehow steal a win from Ohio State and make it to the end of the season undefeated. Then and only then could you make a claim to be deserving of a chance at the national title. Of course, even if you do make it to the big dance everyone knows you will get your asses handed to you by either Texas, Florida, Alabama, or god forbid, Cincinnati!

Go Buckeyes!:D

[Hawks]

Why are you still crying about your ranking now when it will become a moot point after you play Ohio State and they pin a loss on your ass that you have been so lucky to avoid so far?

You should be in silent meditation praying that your team can somehow steal a win from Ohio State and make it to the end of the season undefeated. Then and only then could you make a claim to be deserving of a chance at the national title. Of course, even if you do make it to the big dance everyone knows you will get your asses handed to you by either Texas, Florida, Alabama, or god forbid, Cincinnati!

Go Buckeyes!:D

Who is OSU? Who is The Buckeyes? Oh, I remember now, they lost to Purdue. Are the Buckeyes on our schedule? I'm too worried about Northwestern to worry about games down the road:D

[NorCal Buckeye]

Who is OSU? Who is The Buckeyes? Oh, I remember now, they lost to Purdue. Are the Buckeyes on our schedule? I'm too worried about Northwestern to worry about games down the road:D

Good post, worried as you should be. You never know when luck is going to run out. We'll see who is the last, and best, team standing after all of the conference games are played. Ohio State, who Ricky Stanzi will soon never forget, is lucky too. We get to play Michigan (haha) last. What a gimme game that should be!:D