I'm Baaaaaack

The new school year started today and so I'm returning my nose to the grindstone.

Stay tuned for full colorful Hawkeye football coverage all semester long...

Fiesta Bowl chatter

It's been a hot topic in Big Ten country, particularly here in Iowa City: which Big Ten team will get the nod as an at-large bid into the BCS, Iowa or Penn State?

I know why Iowa deserves the bid. So I'm going to tell you why Penn State doesn't.

The Nittany Lions are a good football team, no question. It's hard for any team to win 10 games in a season.

But...

• Iowa is ranked higher (9th) in the latest BCS standings than Penn State (11th).
• Penn State lacks a signature win. Sure, the Nits crushed Michigan State, Minnesota and Michigan down the stretch. But the Gophers and Spartans are average teams and a win over Michigan doesn't mean as much as it used to considering the Wolverines get the Big Ten cellar all to themselves this season.
• Penn State's non-conference schedule is less than impressive: Akron, Syracuse, Temple and Eastern Illinois of the FCS. Iowa has beaten two bowl-eligible teams from BCS conferences (Iowa State and Arizona).
  
• The Nits got smoked by Ohio State -- in Happy Valley, mind you. Iowa limped into The Shoe and took the Buckeyes to overtime without Ricky Stanzi, before falling 27-24 as a result of conservative decision making by the Iowa coaching staff.
• Finally, and most convincingly, the Hawkeyes not only won the head-to-head showdown but they did it AT Penn State. The Nits could have a beef if Iowa would've nipped them with a last second field goal like they did in 2008, but other than the first five minutes of the game the Hawks were in complete control. Penn State had minus-4 total yards in the second quarter and turned the ball over four times in the second half alone.

What more proof do you need, Fiesta Bowl reps? We're all waiting by the phone.

News and notes from week eight

Greetings from the hospital, Hawk Fans, as I recover from the stroke I had on Saturday night right before Ricky Stanzi's game-winning touchdown pass to Marvin McNutt as Iowa downed Michigan State, 15-13. If I can just convince the wonderful doctors here at the UIHC to shoot me up with some of the Hawkeyes' fourth quarter magic, I'd be up and kickin' in no time. But in the mean time, I've got some well deserved awards to hand out, and one big, angry finger to wag.

And the game ball goes to...: Marvin McNutt. McNutt didn't see the field much during the game and didn't accumulate the most flattering stats, but the sophomore ex-quarterback delivered when the Hawkeyes needed him most. McNutt made the first and last reception (his only two of the game) in Iowa's miraculous final drive, the first going for 16 yards moving Iowa to its own 45 and the other being the seven-yard touchdown catch that won the game.

Tip of the cap: to Ricky Stanzi. Stanzi struggled again to post Drew Brees-esque numbers, but he did his best Super Bowl XXLII Eli Manning impression, leading his team down the field in the final 97 seconds to preserve the Hawkeyes' perfect season. Stanzi was 11-27 for 136 yards and a touchdown against the Spartans.

Also to ex-Iowa running back Shonn Greene, who ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries for the New York Jets on Oct. 25.

Wag of the finger: to Michigan State defensive back Jeremy Ware. Ware dropped Iowa receiver Colin Sandeman mid-way through the fourth quarter with a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit. Then Ware proceeded to stand over the clearly injured junior wide out and taunt him as he lay motionless on the ground. Iowa was awarded a 15-yard personal foul penalty, not for the helmet-to-helmet shot but for the taunt after the play. If the Big Ten suspended Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman for his "hit on a defenseless player," they have to be consistent and show Ware to the door.

Final thoughts: Isn't it funny how the Hawkeyes are still ranked behind Boise State, TCU and(one-loss) USC in either the AP or ESPN/USA Today poll, yet in the unbiased, no emotional attachment BCS computer, the Hawks are ranked No. 4? Rankings don't mean anything until the end of the season, but isn't it ironic?

Next week: the Hawks host Indiana (4-4, 1-3) on Halloween in Kinnick Stadium at 11 a.m. The only thing that can help the Hoosiers would be a guest appearance by Michael Meyers.

Moeaki named Big Ten POTW

Iowa senior tight end Tony Moeaki was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the week after Iowa's 30-28 win over Michigan on Oct. 10. Moeaki had six receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns (34, 42 yards). It was the first time the 6-4, 250-pound tight end had earned the honor and also his first game for the Hawks since the Iowa State game on Sept. 12. The Wheaton, Ill., native has 17 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns in three games for the Hawkeyes.