Should the Big Ten Schedule Early Season Conference Games?

Discussed on the Big Ten Network on Wednesday night. Our answer is "NO" since the conference schedule is better for October and November, with the new Big Ten Championship Game in December. Play the out of conference games first, then open the Big Ten and work to avoid any out of conference once the Big Ten season begins. It can occur now, with an equal number of teams again.

In other conference races, we saw a couple of conference games in Week 1. There was an ACC conference opener, along with an conference opener in the Sun Belt in Week 1.

• Miami-FL @ Maryland was a great game, with the Terps winning 32-24 over the Hurricane, in the first games for new head coaches at both schools. Maryland's Randy Edsall beat Miami-FL's Al Golden in College Park, as both coaches began their respective eras as head coaches.


• North Texas @ FIU was a blowout. FIU beat North Texas and coach Dan McCarney's debut, with a 41-16 win in Miami. McCarney's first game in Denton will be in Week 2, as Houston (1-0) comes to town on the heals of a 38-34 home win over UCLA (0-1)

In Week 2 - There are some monster in-conference openers:

• In the ACC, North Carolina State (1-0) @ Wake Forest (0-1)


• In the C-USA, Southern Miss (1-0) @ Marshall (0-1); Tulsa (0-1) @ Tulane (1-0); and UTEP (1-0) @ SMU (0-1)


• In the MAC, Temple (1-0) @ Akron (0-1)


• In the MWC, TCU (0-1) @ Air Force (1-0)


• In the Pac 12, California (1-0) @ Colorado; Utah (1-0) @ #21 USC, as both newcomers of the new Pac 12 open conference play for the first time in their new conferences.


• In the SEC, #16 Mississippi State @ #25 Auburn; #14 South Carolina @ Georgia

Again, we are thankful, the Big Ten remains in the out of conference heading into Week 2. It should be an interesting Week 2.

Thursday, September 8Th

Arizona at #9 Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN (HD) (3D) / espn3

• Do we really expect coach Mike Stoops and the Arizona Wildcats to upset the #9 team on their home field in Stillwater? Not really, but we sure hope the former Hawkeye football player can lead his Wildcats to victory.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (6-5) heading into the final OOC tune up in basketball before the Big Ten season opens next week vs. Illinois

The Fran McCaffery era will soon open up Big Ten Conference play next week. The Hawkeyes (6-5) final OOC tune up will take place at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Tuesday night, when Iowa hosts Louisiana Tech (9-4). It's Bobblehead Night featuring Iowa coach Fran McCaffery live from Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where the first 3,000 in attendance will receive a bobblehead of Iowa's head coach.

The Hawkeyes are very young, with only one senior and two juniors, with previous Big Ten experience on the Iowa roster. They could have picked up a couple more victories, but they came up short @ Wake Forest (6-5) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge and the Hawkeyes missed an opportunity at home vs. in-state rival, Iowa State (10-2).

A YOUNG SQUAD - U of I Athletics
Iowa's roster of 15 players includes six freshmen, two sophomores, five
juniors and two seniors. The freshmen are Melsahn Basabe (6-7, 225), Cody Cox (6-4, 190), Roy Devyn Marble (6-5,190), Zach McCabe (6-7, 225), Darius Stokes (6-7,190) and Branden Stubbs (6-2, 170). The sophomores are Eric May and Cully
Payne. In addition, juniors Bryce Cartwright (6-1, 180) and Jordan Stoermer (6-2,185) are in their first year at Iowa. Cartwright played as a rookie at Fresno State and Paris JC (Texas) his sophomore campaign. Stoermer played his first two seasons at Kirkwood CC (Iowa).

The play of Iowa's three freshmen (pictured is 1 Melsahn Basabe) and Juco transfer have made Iowa basketball exciting none the less. The Big Ten will be very challenging, but it should be more interesting as Iowa seeks to become relevant again in college basketball.

December 21, 2010 - Live Blogging From Carver-Hawkeye Arena - U of Iowa Athletics
December 21, 2010 - A Year Older, A Year Wiser - U of Iowa Athletics

peace

The Iowa Hawkeyes fall 27-34 @ Arizona in Week 3

Iowa's previous loss was 24-27 in OT at Ohio State last year. In a way, the Iowa loss @ Arizona in Week 3 was similar to the loss in '09 @ Ohio State. Both games witnessed an Iowa opponent on their home field gain separation, due to Iowa's poor execution or turnovers.

In both games, Iowa scored a big touchdown in the endzone by WR Marvin McNutt in the come back. But, at the end, the Iowa play calling couldn't keep the momentum on track as another opponent pulled the game out.

Former Iowa safety and now seventh year head coach Mike Stoops at Arizona appeared to have everything riding on the Iowa @ Arizona game in Week 3. He paced, he shouted, he disagreed with just about every negative play that impacted his Wildcats, despite what replay would have suggested as a good call on the field.

On the flip side, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz remained calm and quiet in his demeanor as Iowa fell behind 7-27 at halftime in Tucson. The Hawkeyes midway in the fourth quarter came back to tie the game 27-27. A missed extra point became costly, on a night where Iowa's special teams were not playing well.

"Both teams had their share of sloppy plays, but we got off to a fast start in
that department. That makes it tough, but our guys battled back." - Kirk Ferentz

Arizona blocked an Iowa punt deep in Iowa territory on Iowa's first possession. Arizona went on to take a 7-0 lead. Iowa made some positive plays in their next possession taking the ball nearly into the Arizona redzone, only to drop a pass that deflected right into the hands of Arizona CB Trevin Wade for a pick 6. Wade scored a pick 6 in Iowa's 27-17 win in '09 in Iowa City.

Iowa bounced back with another drive to make the score 7-14, but on the next kickoff, Arizona took the kickoff 100 yards for another Wildcat touchdown. Turnovers and special teams lead to 21 points right out of the gate for the Wildcats in what the ESPN television coverage called a "Hawkeye ambush." The "red out" was working in Arizona Stadium on Saturday night in the Desert in Tucson. And that was all in the first 16 minutes of the game.

The Hawkeyes (2-1) gave it a great effort in the second half, with Broderick Binns returning the pick-six favor with 8-minutes, 12-seconds left to knot the score at 27. Iowa also scored a touchdown after cornerback Shaun Prater recovered a muffed Wildcat punt.

After Iowa tied the ball game up 27-27, with solid defense in the second half and a mix of patient passing and several big plays, it was time for one final drive for the Wildcats. The #21 Arizona Wildcats (3-0) secured the upset by executing a 73-yard scoring drive late in the nonconference contest. #4 Iowa falls in the desert, after running out of momentum on the heals of the missed PAT.

Iowa allowed the most points since Indiana scored 38 in 2007 against the Hawkeyes. "They made the plays they had to make at the end and we didn't get it done," Ferentz said.

"The bottom line is that we made too many mistakes to win the game," UI linebacker Jeff Tarpinian said. "We knew we had to stop them and we didn't get it done." Tarpinian led the Hawkeye defense with 12 tackles. It was the second week in the row the new starting MLB has lead Iowa in tackles.

"We're going to go in (Sunday) and it will be a good teaching tool for us," Tarpinian said. Iowa will regroup with one final nonconference game, before the eight game conference schedule begins in the Big Ten.

Iowa will host Ball State at Kinnick on Saturday, September 25Th. The game will be telecast nationally on the Big Ten Network with an 11 a.m. Central Time start.

peace

It's 9/11: College Football and time for reflection

In Iowa City, it will the 58Th meeting in the Cy-Hawk series, as Iowa State visits #4 Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. It should be an outstanding game between in-state rivals from the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences, respectively. The game will be on ABC in the surrounding areas and ESPN2 for the rest of the nation.

Remembering 9/11

"September 11 should be a day of prayer for rebuilding and restoring relationships, and for reaching out to find ways to work and live together in this world."

Saturday, September 11Th

• Duke at Wake Forest, 11:00 a.m., Raycom (HD) *3 / ESPN-GP *2


• Florida Atlantic vs. Michigan State (Detroit), 11:00 a.m., ESPNU (HD)


• #14 Georgia at South Carolina, 11:00 a.m., ESPN2 (HD)


• #19 Georgia Tech at Kansas, 11:00 a.m., FSN (HD)


• Hawaii at Army, 11:00 a.m., CBSC (HD)


• Illinois State at Northwestern, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)


• Indiana State at Cincinnati, 11:00 a.m., FSOH / ESPN-GP *2


• Idaho at #15 Nebraska, 11:00 a.m., PPV


• San Jose State at #10 Wisconsin, 11:00 a.m., ESPN (HD)


• South Dakota at Minnesota, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)


• Texas Southern at Connecticut, 11:00 a.m., SNY / ERTV (cable) / ESPN-GP


• Western Illinois at Purdue, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD) DirecTV: 612 (SD)


• South Florida at #6 Florida, 11:21 a.m., SEC Network / ESPN-GP


• Eastern Michigan at Miami (Ohio), 1:00 p.m., STO / ESPN-GP *2 / Cable (OH, MI)


• Arkansas State at Louisiana-Lafayette, 2:30 p.m., ESPN-GP *2 / (CSS & CST) (cable)


• Colorado at California, 2:30 p.m., FSN (HD) / CSNB


• #21 Florida State at #18 Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m., ABC / ESPN2 *7


• Georgia Southern at Navy, 2:30 p.m., CBSC (HD)


• Eastern Kentucky at Louisville, 2:30 p.m., ESPN-GP / SNY (j.i.p.) / ERTV (cable)


• Iowa State at #4 Iowa, 2:30 p.m., ABC / ESPN2 *7


• Kent State at Boston College, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)


• Michigan at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m., NBC (HD)


• #11 Miami (Floirda) at #2 Ohio State, 2:40 p.m., ESPN (HD) / ESPN 3D


• #13 BYU at Air Force, 3:00 p.m., Versus (HD)


• UNLV at #12 Utah, 3:00 p.m., MTN (HD)


• Arkansas vs. Louisiana-Monroe (Little Rock), 6:00 p.m., FSS (HD) / SUN / ESPN-GP *2


• Buffalo at Baylor, 6:00 p.m., DirecTV - 617 / FCS Central (cable)


• #17 LSU at Vanderbilt, 6:00 p.m., ESPNU (HD)


• McNeese State at Missouri, 6:00 p.m., PPV


• Montana State at Washington State, 6:00 p.m., FSNWa / FCS Pacific (cable)


• #9 Oregon at Tennessee, 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 (HD)


• #20 Penn State at #1 Alabama, 6:00 p.m., ESPN (HD)


• Syracuse at Washington, 6:00 p.m., FSNW / FCS Atlantic (cable)


• Wyoming at #5 Texas, 6:00 p.m.,FSN (HD)


• North Carolina State at Central Florida, 6:30 p.m., CBSC (HD)


• Southern Illinois at Illinois, 6:30 p.m.,BTN (HD)


• Western Kentucky at Kentucky, 6:30 p.m., ESPN-GP *2 / CSS (cable)


• Rutgers at Florida International, 7:00 p.m., SNY / ESPN-GP *2 / ERTV (cable)


• San Diego State at New Mexico State, 7:00 p.m., ALT2 / ESPN-GP


• #16 Texas Tech at New Mexico, 7:00 p.m., MTN (HD)


• Northern Arizona at Arizona State, 8:00 p.m., FSAZ+ / FCS Atlantic (cable)


• Ole Miss at Tulane, 8:00 p.m., ESPN-CL (ESPN2 following OU at UT)


• The Citadel at #23 Arizona, 9:00 p.m., DirecTV - 623 / FCS Pacific (cable)


• Colorado State at Nevada, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)


• Stanford at UCLA, 9:30 p.m., ESPN (HD)


• Virginia at #22 USC, 9:30 p.m., FSN (HD)

Games not selected for nationally available networks.

• Austin Peay at Middle Tennessee, 6:00 p.m.


• Bowling Green at Tulsa, 6:00 p.m.


• Gardner-Webb at Akron, 11:00 a.m.


• Idaho State at Utah State, 7:00 p.m.


• James Madison at #9 Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m., espn3.com


• Liberty at Ball State, 6:00 p.m.


• Louisiana Tech at Texas A&M, 6:00 p.m.


• Memphis at East Carolina, 11:00 a.m., (CSS / WITN) (cable)


• Missouri State at Kansas State, 6:10 p.m.


• Morgan State at Maryland, 5:00 p.m., espn3.com


• New Hampshire at Pittsburgh, 12:00 p.m., espn3.com


• Nicholls State at Western Michigan, 6:00 p.m.


• North Dakota State at Northern Iowa, 6:30 p.m., (KWWL / KCWI) (Iowa Cable)


• North Dakota at Northern Illinois, 6:00 p.m.


• Prairie View at Southern Miss, 6:00 p.m.


• Presbyterian at Clemson, 2:30 p.m., espn3.com


• Rice at North Texas, 6:00 p.m.


• Tennessee Tech at #7 TCU, 6:00 p.m.


• Toledo at Ohio, 6:00 p.m.


• Troy at Oklahoma State, 6:00 p.m.


• UAB at SMU, 7:00 p.m.

Thus far, there have been some exciting games in Week 1 and on Thursday of Week 2. Some great match ups in Week 2 and it should be interesting taking inventory at the end of the second week.

peace

Will the WAC or ACC make the bigger splash to close out Week 1 on Labor Day?

The WAC heads into Labor Day only 4-3 record in out of conference play, though Fresno State picked up a solid 28-14 win over the #23 Cincinnati (Big East) on Saturday night at home. Utah State came up short 24-31 @ #18 Oklahoma on Saturday, while Hawai'i lost 36-49 at home to USC on Thursday night to open Week 1. #1 Alabama nailed San Jose State 48-3 at home. Idaho, Nevada and Louisiana Tech all opened with victories over FCS programs.

The Big Game of the Week 1

WAC vs. ACC

from Landover, MD

non-BCS vs BCS conference

#3 Boise State vs. #6 Virginia Tech

7:00 p.m.
ESPN (HD) / ESPN 3D

The ACC enters Labor Day at 9-1, but has an opportunity to get two more victories with Maryland and Virginia Tech to close out Week 1 of the 2010 College Football season.

Labor Day Game

Maryland at #24 Navy

from Baltimore
3:00 p.m.
ESPN (HD)

Most of the ACC openers were against FCS competition. Though Clemson beat North Texas out of the Sun Belt 35-10 in their home opener. The ACC lost the top ACC-SEC match up game on Saturday night in Atlanta, when North Carolina, short 13 players due to NCAA issues, lost 24-30 to #12 LSU.

Talk about FCS competition: the SEC and Big 12 witnessed one of their programs falling to a FCS school in Week 1. FCS upsets of Week 1:

• Jacksonville State knocked off Ole Miss in 2OT 49-48


• North Dakota State beat Kansas, in Turner Gill's debut as head coach, 6-3

The SEC went 10-2 to open Week 1. In addition to Mississippi's loss, Vanderbilt came up short at home in a Big Ten-SEC showdown with Northwestern, 21-23. The SEC picked up the win in the SEC-ACC match up involving #12 LSU-UNC. The SEC didn't beat the Big Ten, but wins were picked up vs. Big East (Kentucky over Louisville), vs. C-USA (South Carolina over Southern Miss and Mississippi State over Memphis), vs. Sun Belt (Auburn over Arkansas State and #13 Georgia over LA-Lafayette), vs. MAC (# 5 Florida over Miami-OH) and vs. WAC (#1 Alabama over San Jose State). The rest of the opening games came against FCS opponents.

The Big 12 went 11-1 to open Week 1. The loss by Kansas to North Dakota State was the only disappointment. The conference enjoyed wins vs. the Big Ten (Missouri over Illinois), vs. the Pac Ten (Kansas State over UCLA), vs. Pac 10 (Oklahoma State over Washington State), vs. the MWC (Colorado over Colorado State), vs. C-USA (#7 Texas over Rice and #17 Texas Tech over SMU), vs. MAC (Iowa State over Northern Illinois), Sun Belt (#15 Nebraska over Western Kentucky) and vs. WAC (#18 Oklahoma over Utah State). A couple more games won were against FCS opponents.

The Big Ten went 9-2 to open Week 1. As mentioned earlier in our blog, the only losses were to the two Big Ten teams that Iowa will not face in 2010. Two rivalry games went the other way, as Purdue went to 1-12 @ Notre Dame (Independent) and Missouri (Big 12) won sixth straight over Illinois. The Big Ten picked up wins vs. the SEC (Northwestern over Vanderbilt), vs. Big East (Michigan over Connecticut), vs. C-USA (#2 Ohio State over Marshall), vs. Sun Belt (Minnesota over Middle Tennessee), vs. MAC (Michigan State over Western Michigan) and vs. MWC (#10 Wisconsin over UNLV). Other victories in Week 1 were against FCS opponents.

The Pac 10 only went 6-4 to open Week 1. The Pac 10 was knocked off by the MWC (#8 TCU beat Oregon State and #16 BYU over Washington), the Big 12 (Oklahoma State over Washington State and Kansas State over UCLA). The Pac 10 picked up a wins @ MAC (Arizona over Toledo), @ WAC (USC over Hawai'i), vs. MWC (#9 Oregon over New Mexico) and over FCS opponents in Week 1.

The Big East went 4-4 to open Week 1. Syracuse won @ Akron (MAC) 29-3 and three others beat FCS opponents, but four losses came @ the Big Ten (Michigan over UConn), @ the WAC (Fresno State over #23 Cincinnati), @ the MWC (#13 Utah over #22 Pitt) and vs. SEC (Kentucky over Louisville) in Week 1. It was a tough start for the Big East in Week 1.

The MWC went 6-3 to open Week 1. The MWC witnessed wins over Pac 10 (#8 TCU over Oregon State and #16 BYU over Washington), vs. Big East (#13 Utah over #22 Pitt in OT) and over three FCS opponents to open Week 1. Three MWC fell @ Pac 10 (#9 Oregon over New Mexico), vs. Big 12 (Colorado over Colorado State) and vs. Big Ten (#10 Wisconsin over UNLV) in Week 1.

In C-USA play, defending conference champion East Carolina (1-0, 1-0 C-USA) opened up conference play in an inter-division game vs. Tulsa (0-1, 0-1 C-USA). The Pirates beat the Golden Hurricane in a shootout 51-49, in East Carolina's debut of the Ruffin McNeill, the former DC at Texas Tech, who served as interim coach after Mike Leach's firing at Tech. The C-USA went 4-6 in Week 1 in out of conference games. The four wins came against FCS opponents, while the conference lost every OOC game @ Big Ten (#2 Ohio State over Marshall) @ SEC (South Carolina over Southern Miss and Mississippi State over Memphis), vs. Big 12 (#7 Texas over Rice), vs. Big 12 (#17 Texas Tech over SMU) and vs. Sun Belt (Florida Atlantic over UAB) in Week 1.

The MAC opened 6-7 in Week 1. All six wins came against FCS opponents, while the conference lost all seven games against FCS opponents in Week 1. The MAC lost @ Big Ten (Michigan State over Western Michigan), @ Big 12 (Iowa State over Northern Illinois), vs. Pac 10 (Arizona over Toledo), @ SEC (#5 Florida over Miami-OH), vs. Big East (Syracuse over Akron), vs. Independent (Army over Eastern Michigan) and @ Sun Belt (Troy over Bowling Green). Temple (1-0) nearly fell to defending FCS champion Villanova 31-24 and needed a FG in the final seconds to win the game. The game was 22-24 heading into the final seconds and a TD on the final play of the game gave the Owls the 31-24 difference.

The Sun Belt went 2-5 in Week 1. But, Troy and Florida Atlantic picked up nice OOC wins over Bowling Green (MAC) and @ UAB (C-USA) for the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt lost games vs. Big Ten (Minnesota over Middle Tennessee), @ Big 12 (#15 Nebraska over Western Kentucky), @ SEC (Auburn over Arkansas State and #14 Georgia over UL-Lafayette) and @ ACC (Clemson over North Texas).

We received news ahead of Week 1 that #16 BYU was going to leave the MWC after '10 to become an Independent. Depending on the game between #24 Navy-Maryland, the Independents are 2-0 thus far, with Notre Dame winning at home 23-12 over Purdue (Big Ten) and Army winning on the road @ Eastern Michigan (MAC) 31-27 in Week 1.

Week 1 will wrap up on Labor Day with the final two games. Week 2 should be outstanding with some great inter-conference match ups including Ohio State-Miami (FL), Alabama-Penn State, Iowa-Iowa State, Michigan-Notre Dame and Florida State-Oklahoma for starters.

peace

Iowa 2010 kicks off in one week from Kinnick Stadium, as the Hawkeyes host the Eastern Illinois Panthers to open season

The season approaches in one week for Iowa Hawkeye fans and college football. The 2010 college football season will officially kick off on Thursday, September 2Nd. Iowa will open on Saturday, September 4Th in the first of seven home games at Kinnick Stadium in 2010.

Prep Football in Eastern Iowa opened the season on Friday night, with Mississippi Valley Conference play. At Kingston Stadium, Washington defeated Prairie 41-21 to open play, in a game that was closer than the score may show. Alex Carr had an explosive game running the ball with over 240 yards rushing and 4 TD runs. Defense sparked the Warriors in the second half with a couple of interceptions, including a pick 6.

Hawkeyes Open at Home: Our #4 ranked Iowa (0-0) hosts Eastern Illinois (0-0) Saturday, Sept. 4 in Kinnick Stadium (70,585) to open the 2010 season. Game time is 11:01 a.m. The game is sold out. Eastern Illinois is a FCS program from the Ohio Valley Conference and were one of 16 FCS schools to make the 2009 playoffs. This is Iowa's first meeting ever between Eastern Illinois or a team from their conference.

The Big Ten Network (HD) will televise the contest to a national cable audience that includes over 75 million households throughout the United States and Canada. Tom Hart, Anthony Herron, a former Iowa DE during the Fry and Ferentz era, and Lisa Byington will call the action.

The 2010 season will kick off with FryFest activities on Friday in Iowa City and Coralville and with a Reunion Weekend for the 1960 and 1985 Big Ten Championship teams from Iowa.

Big Ten Football: Week 1 (Times are all Central Time)

• Sep. 2: Towson @ Indiana at 6:30 pm on the Big Ten Network


• Sep. 2: Marshall @ Ohio State at 6:30 pm on the Big Ten Network


• Sep. 2: Minnesota @ Middle Tennessee at 6:30 pm on ESPNU


• Sep. 4: Western Michigan @ Michigan State at 11:00 am on ESPN2


• Sep. 4: Youngstown State @ Penn State at 11:00 am on the Big Ten Network


• Sep. 4: Eastern Illinois @ Iowa at 11:00 am on the Big Ten Network


• Sep. 4: Missouri vs. Illinois in St. Louis at 11:30 am on Fox Sports Net


• Sep. 4: Connecticut @ Michigan at 2:30 pm on ABC/ESPN2


• Sep. 4: Purdue @ Notre Dame at 2:30 pm on NBC


• Sep. 4: Northwestern @ Vanderbilt at 6:30p on ESPN3.com


• Sep. 4: Wisconsin @ UNLV at 10:00 pm on Versus

The University of Iowa returns a strong base from their 2009 squad that finished 6-2 in the Big Ten, one game behind Ohio State, and 11-2 overall. The Hawkeyes defeated ACC champion Georgia Tech 24-14 in the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl. The Orange Bowl win raised Iowa to 13-10-1 in bowl games.

Kirk Ferentz, entering his 12Th season as head coach, has named Iowa's Leadership Group for the 2010 season. The group includes seven seniors, four juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen (redshirt). A member of the incoming freshman class will be this in the fall. As in past seasons, permanent team captains are named at the conclusion of each season. The Leadership Group for this season includes seniors Adrian Clayborn, Brett Greenwood, Karl Klug, Brett Morse, Ricky Stanzi, Jeff Tarpinian and Julian Vandervelde; juniors Broderick Binns, Marvin McNutt, Tyler Nielsen and Tyler Sash; sophomores Greg Castillo and James Vandenberg; and redshirt freshmen Shane DiBona and Brett Van Sloten.

Iowa returns 47 lettermen from 2009, including 21 on offense, 22 on defense and four specialists. The 47 lettermen are one less than the number from 2009. The Hawkeyes return six starters on offense, eight on defense and their kicker and punter. The lettermen breakdown includes 15 three-year lettermen, 13 two-year lettermen and 19 one-year lettermen. The total roster has 122 players, and includes 26 seniors, 22 juniors, 25 sophomores, 16 redshirt freshmen and 33 true freshmen. The first game depth chart includes 19 seniors, 18 juniors, 12 sophomores, five redshirt freshmen and two true freshmen. Just two Division I programs, Hawaii (31) and Louisville (27), have more returning seniors than Iowa, while Texas-El Paso also returns 26 seniors and Ohio State returns 25.

The Hawkeyes have won 44 of its last 53 games (.830) in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season. The nine Hawkeye losses came to Western Michigan (28-19 in 2007), Indiana (38-20 in 2007), Michigan (23-20 in overtime in 2005), Ohio State (38-17 in 2006), Northwestern (21-7 in 2006, 22-17 in 2008 and 17-10 in 2009), Wisconsin (24-21 in 2006) and Iowa State (36-31 in 2002). Iowa recorded a school-record 22-game home winning streak between 2002-05, which ended in the overtime loss to Michigan. Iowa's 44-9 (.830) home record from 2002 thru 2009 is the 11Th-best winning percentage in the nation and ranks second in the Big Ten to Ohio State. Iowa was 6-1 at home in 2009, with wins over Northern Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan, Indiana and Minnesota and a loss to Northwestern. Iowa is 12-2 at home the last two seasons.

Iowa returns 11 players who earned all-Big Ten honors a year ago. Among those returning, DE Adrian Clayborn and DB Tyler Sash were first team selections by both league coaches and media. WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and DB Brett Greenwood were second team selections. Those earning honorable recognition included DT Christian Ballard, DT Karl Klug, P Ryan Donahue, RB Adam Robinson, DE Broderick Binns, QB Ricky Stanzi and PK Daniel Murray. In addition, Clayborn was the MVP of Iowa's FedEx Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech and was named national Defensive Performer of the Year by College Football Performance Awards. Clayborn and Sash are two of four returning defensive players who earned first team all-Big Ten honors a year ago.

Eight Hawkeye players have been named to 18 different preseason "Watch Lists" for individual national awards. Those players include junior DE Broderick Binns (Ted Hendricks), senior DE Adrian Clayborn (Walter Camp, Ted Hendricks, Chuck Bednarik, Rotary Lombardi, Bronko Nagurski), senior punter Ryan Donahue (Ray Guy), senior WR Johnson-Koulianos (Paul Hornung, Fred Biletnikoff), senior DT Karl Klug (Outland Trophy), senior PK Daniel Murray (Lou Groza), junior DB Tyler Sash (Jim Thorpe, Chuck Bednarik, Lott Trophy, Bronko Nagurski) and senior QB Ricky Stanzi (Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Manning). Iowa is one of three programs (joining Oklahoma and Texas) to have five different individual players earn national Player of the Year honors at their position since 2002.

College Football is one week away from what could be one of the better Iowa football seasons in the program's history, if expectations can be achieved and surpassed. We have Iowa at #4 in the FBS, as we enter the 2010 season.

peace

Rating the Top Out of Conference Football Games for Big Ten schools for 2010

The Big Ten Conference has a lot of buzz heading into the 2010 season. The conference is coming off a strong 4-3 bowl season in '09. Four teams (Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin) finished 2009 in the Top 16, with all four of those teams defeating Top 15 teams in respective bowl games.
Further, there is a lot of excitement heading into 2011, with Nebraska joining the conference as the 12Th member of the conference. There will not be any conference title games in 2010. There is talk in the future of reducing an OOC game for another conference game, but that is down the road.

For now, the 2010 College Football season looks like an exciting one with the Big Ten Conference. Here's our look at the Top 13 OOC games in the Big Ten for 2010 (cidsports preseason Top 25 ratings):

1. #20 Penn State @ #1 Alabama on 9/11 - The Nittany Lions will travel to Tuscaloosa for a rare in-season Big Ten-SEC showdown vs. the defending national champs ...


2. #11 Miami-FL @ #2 Ohio State on 9/11 - The Buckeyes will host in Week 2 a rematch of the 2002 season BCS championship game ...


3. #4 Iowa @ Arizona on 9/18 - The Hawkeyes head down to Tucson in '10, after hosting the Wildcats last year and pulling out a 27-17 win at Kinnick ...


4. Missouri vs. Illinois on 9/4 in St. Louis - The Fighting lllini are 0-5 in this series played in St. Louis in a game that could help lower the flame on coach Ron Zook's hot seat in '10 ...


5. USC @ Minnesota on 9/18 - The Trojans are heading into '10 on probation, but this is a big game for coach Tim Brewster and the Gophers program, no less ...


6. Arizona State @ #10 Wisconsin on 9/18 - Another Big Ten-Pac Ten match up, as the Badgers look to capture a win over the Sun Devils for the first time ...


7. Michigan @ Notre Dame on 9/11 - Coach Rich Rodriquez is 1-1 in this series, as Brian Kelly takes over the reigns in South Bend for the Fighting Irish ...


8. Notre Dame @ Michigan State on 9/18 - The Spartans have won 9 of 13 vs. the Fighting Irish, but the series lead favors the Irish 45-27-1 ...


9. Purdue @ Notre Dame on 9/4 - The Boilermakers are 1-11 in South Bend over the years, with the lone win in '04 ...


10. Iowa State @ Iowa on 9/11 - In the Cy-Hawk series, the Hawkeyes have held the Cyclones to zero TDs for 14 straight quarters ...


11. Northwestern @ Vanderbilt on 9/4 - The Big Ten-SEC square off for not one, but two rare OOC match ups as the Wildcats open '10 at the Commodores ...


12. Illinois @ Fresno State on 12/3 - Could this game in California mark the conclusion of the Ron Zook era at Illinois? Last year's game was a wild finish in a 52-53 loss for the Illini ...


13. Minnesota @ Middle Tennessee on 9/2 - A BCS vs. non-BCS match up that many are suggesting may turn out poor for the BCS member, as the Golden Gophers open at this Sun Belt school in '10 ...

Ranking Big Ten teams OOC schedules for 2010 ...

1. Illinois - vs. Missouri in St. Louis (9/4), Southern Illinois (9/11), Northern Illinois (9/18), bye and @ Fresno State (12/3)


2. Minnesota - @ Middle Tennessee State (9/2), South Dakota (9/11), USC (9/18) and Northern Illinois (9/25)


3. Penn State - Youngstown State (9/4), @ Alabama (9/11), Kent State (9/18) and Temple (9/25)


4. Michigan - Connecticut (9/4), @ Notre Dame (9/11), Massachusetts (9/18) and Bowling Green (9/25)


5. Iowa - Eastern Illinois (9/4), Iowa State (9/11), @ Arizona (9/18) and Ball State (9/25)


6. Ohio State - Marshall (9/2), Miami-FL (9/11), Ohio U. (9/18) and Eastern Michigan (9/25)


7. Northwestern - @ Vanderbilt (9/4), Illinois State (9/11), @ Rice (9/18) and Central Michigan (9/25)


8. Wisconsin - @ UNLV (9/4), San Jose State (9/11), Arizona State (9/18) and Austin Peay (9/25)


9. Purdue - @ Notre Dame (9/4), Western Illinois (9/11), Ball State (9/18), Toledo (9/25) and bye week ...


10. Michigan State - Western Michigan (9/4), vs. Florida Atlantic in Detroit (9/11), Notre Dame (9/18) and Northern Colorado (9/25)


11. Indiana - Towson (9/2), bye, @ Western Kentucky (9/18), Akron (9/25) and Arkansas State (10/16)

Overall, the conference has too many OOC games that would lead many fans to say: bring on a 9Th conference game, like the Pac Ten. By the way, the Pac Ten is is adding two teams in 2011, with Colorado and Utah, to get to 12 members, like the Big Ten. Traditionally, the Big Ten and Pac Ten meet in the Rose Bowl. Though, the BCS championship game has sometimes altered that tradition over the past decade.

peace