No offense, but the way it's fallen, Iowa hasn't ever faced any of the top teams in the SEC, of each year. Of those games you listed, Iowa played the 4th and 5th best teams in the SEC according to the final AP poll.
Jan 1, 2004 Outback Bowl W Florida 37 17............... UF was #25, 8-5 (6-2 SEC, 5th)
Jan 1, 2005 Capital One Bowl W LSU 30 25.............. LSU was #16, 9-3 (6-2 SEC, 4th)
Jan 2, 2006 Outback Bowl L Florida 24 31................ UF was #16, 9-3 (5-3 SEC, 4th)
Jan 1, 2009 Outback Bowl W South Carolina 31 10.... SCar was UR, 7-6 (4-4 SEC, 5th or worse)
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Yes but SEC supporters seem to think that the SEC in and of itself is better than all the other conferences. The Big Ten isn't supposed to be able to handle the speed of the SEC etc.. I have heard all sorts of arguments. If it were Penn State, Michigan, or Ohio State playing in the National Championship against an SEC team I think the SEC has the best chance but if they were playing Iowa I just think Iowa plays harder than all the other teams in the Big Ten this season.
When teams are hungry, fired up, and emotional that is when they play at their best. No other team in the Big Ten has been playing with the same swagger that Iowa has been. Michigan is showing it's true colors, as is Wisconsin. Penn State has the biggest cupcake of a schedule there is and is nothing but a pretender. Iowa has had to play the best teams in the Big Ten all on the road not to mention the fact that their non-conference schedule wasn't exactly cupcake either considering Arizona is surging and is now ranked.
If Iowa develops any type of consistency with their offense they would be downright scary. I just would like to see a team like Iowa get the chance to play in the big game. Florida, Texas, USC, Oklahoma, LSU, and Ohio State seem to always be in the big games because they are the biggest campuses with the largest recruiting bases. Iowa has to make due with a recruiting base nowhere near what the other schools operate off of and if you check Iowa's roster a lot of the kids are local Iowa kids. Iowa is no USC or Florida with recruiting bases that span many states they have to make due with what they have. The little guy should play the big guy for once instead of the perennial powerhouses going at it just because they were shoe-ins from the beginning of the season. Hell I wouldn't mind seeing Cincinatti or Boise State get a shot either.
Yes but SEC supporters seem to think that the SEC in and of itself is better than all the other conferences. The Big Ten isn't supposed to be able to handle the speed of the SEC etc.. I have heard all sorts of arguments. If it were Penn State, Michigan, or Ohio State playing in the National Championship against an SEC team I think the SEC has the best chance but if they were playing Iowa I just think Iowa plays harder than all the other teams in the Big Ten this season.
I only see the Big 12 as a contender for "Best conference" vs the SEC, but I think the Big 10 is next on the list right now.
The SEC proves time and time again that the Big 10 actually can't handle the SEC's speed. LSU and Florida have even proved that in the title games.
Don't get me wrong, I think Iowa has a shot and is the best team in the Big 10.
I understand where you are coming from but the SEC has played Ohio State in the national title two times and they are nothing but a bunch of idiots. I am sorry but both Penn State and Ohio State the past couple of years have done nothing but schedule cupcakes to play and then when they play good teams they embarrass both themselves and the Big Ten alike. Illinois, Penn State, and Ohio State have had no business being in the big games the past few years with the schedules that they play. Iowa has been in a rebuilding stage for the past couple of years and have shown growth since they dropped Jake Christiansen in favor of Ricky Stanzi.
Ohio State and Penn State cannot win the big games because the only competition they have faced the past couple of years has been in the big games against other divisions and they have shown that they cannot compete. Iowa has shown that they can because they have a tough schedule and they have had to play defense against some of the more complicated spread offenses as well as more traditional offenses this year. This is why I think Iowa can hang with the SEC.
Every game Iowa has played this season shouldn't of been as close as it was. Don't get me wrong the coaches are doing a great job but they are lacking specifically on Offense. Ken O'Keefe our offensive coordinator is much too conservative. If you have watched Iowa all season this is non-debatable. On their last drive against Michigan for example instead of trying to move the ball which they had successfully done most of the game they ran the ball three times and then punted it away. I would have put the nail in the coffin instead of giving Michigan a chance to score a winning field goal.
Also I love Norm Parker just let me point that out but the guy almost never and I mean NEVER blitzes. Iowa's front four is very very good but they cannot do everything. I would like to see some safety, corner, or linebacker blitzes mixed in to try and get more sacks and generate even more pressure. If offensive lines can't block our front four then they definitely can't handle and extra lineback or corner coming in on a delayed blitz.
