As a University of Iowa alumni, I haven’t been very loyal when it comes to the football team of my alma mater.  I feel I’m justified, what with the string of criminals the entire athletic program was bringing in for years, lousy performances to lesser opponents, schedules full of cupcakes without challenging the big dogs of the Big Ten, and a coach in Kirk Ferentz whom I’ve believed to have been more style and reputation than results.  One TD pass vs. LSU in the Capital One Bowl a few years back by Drew Tate on a busted play pretty much sealed this guy’s image as a big-game winner.

2007 was the season in which I fully denounced my allegiance to Iowa football.  They didn’t schedule Ohio State or Michigan, and then went out and still got beaten up by their own conference.  Losses to softies Indiana and Purdue were bad enough, but they dropped the rivalry game at Iowa State and capped off a dismal season with a home loss to Western bleeping Michigan.  And after several players either being dismissed or suspended for criminal conduct, I was done.

But this may be the season where Iowa brings me back into the fold.  I’m impressed by Ferentz’s resistance to jump to an NFL job, and at his commitment to building a program worthy of being the successor to Hayden Fry.  This is his 11th season at Iowa, and it seems like if he wanted an NFL gig, he would have taken one by now.

What’s more, the schedule features games at Penn State (which they won last weekend), a brave Homecoming matchup vs. Michigan, and a late-season contest at Ohio State.  If Iowa wants to really break into the college football elite, this is the year to do it.  There should be no excuses – Ferentz has had his system in place for more than a decade, the program annually gets high recruiting grades, and if they challenge the big-timers on the docket, Iowa could lose to Ohio State and still be considered a dominant force.

No more losses to cupcakes.  They needed two blocked FG’s in the last seconds to beat Northern Iowa, but since have pretty much mopped the floor with everyone else.  It’s $&@# or get off the pot time for Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes.  Challenge for the Big Ten title and watch recruits pour in for the next decade.  They boast a (supposedly) NFL-caliber coach, and Joe Paterno has got to retire sometime, and where will those players be going?  If Ferentz can get out from underneath Jim Tressel, the sky is the limit.

Now seriously, just don’t lose to Arkansas State today (a pick-6 just brought it to within 10 points).  Maybe I’ve spoken too soon.

(UPDATE: If you’re reading this, you know Iowa pulled it out in the end – but that was damn close.)

contact email: nick.thomas@flyingpigskin.com