We have Iowa's number over the last 4 years.

Didn't expect it would be Purdue that beat them, though.

With Ohio State's defense finally showing signs of improving, after their defensive coordinator was no longer allowed to call their defensive schemes (but not fired), they might win the Big Ten again. They've certainly recruited well enough to have a decent defense, but their defense has been pretty bad (by tOSU standards) ever since that guy was promoted to defensive coordinator a couple years ago.

I'm sure that Michigan fans (and Harbaugh) are dreading the possibility of losing to them again.

My guess is that Michigan will beat them, but it's already been a wacky season in many ways.

Edit:
And the Spartans have been spoilers to the Buckeyes several times in the past too. It's hard to forget 2015, when J.T. Barrett ran the ball far more against them than Ezekiel Elliott, for crying out loud. (I predict that the Jacksonville Jaguars will eventually realize that Urban Meyer is a great recruiter, which won't help him in the NFL, but not a great field coach at all.)

I'm a big Iowa fan, but no way they're even close to being even a top five team. I've watched every game and I'm very unimpressed with their offense. The QB is average at best. If Penn State's QB wasn't injured last week, they would have blown them out. Iowa's a good example of how the early rankings have little to do with how the season will end.
I still love the Hawkeyes, but realistically, I don't see how they end the season in the top ten.

Had a favorable opportunity with their schedule.

He's won the Big Ten coach of the year award multiple times, mostly because his teams performed far better than most people anticipated.

A strong defense and special teams leads to many close, low-scoring games.



If Clarett had missed more games that year (and he indeed missed a few because of injuries), I don't think their D could've kept saving them.

and clock management.

... in 2002, so that probably didn't help.

I saw that coach doing drills with the offense back then, when ESPN was covering the Spring practices of various college teams, and it involved stuff that I'd expect football players in junior high school to do.

Then ESPN showed USC going through their practices with their offense, and it was far more mature and actually instructive! Pete Carroll even had them practicing plays in slow motion to help the players remember them.

At least the Ohio State defense was incredible that year, but I thought I might faint from the repeated frustration watching their offense.

He was obviously a competent passer during the two plays in that video, but his accuracy was too often horrible.

I saw them play San Diego State the following year (yet another close game), with a seat just a couple rows away from the field, and watching Krenzel's bad throws up-close was even more shocking to me! Television actually made his poor passes not seem so extreme!

After passing baseballs and footballs from the time I was a toddler, I couldn't believe a quarterback at any college could throw so bad.

and the Big Ten is so balanced that Iowa could win or lose all the rest of their games, maybe with the exception of Northwestern this year.

The Big Ten has some real quality coaches, so if you are not bringing your 'A' game every week, you are screwed.

I will also say I think it is time for Brian Ferentz to be moved on.....

Being the coach's kid can only be worth so many boring seasons.
Iowa's a quality program, but will never be elite with this kid drawing up the plays.