Big Ten West leaves much to be desired, but that shouldn’t minimize what Iowa has accomplished
By Pat Harty
The Iowa football team is just one victory from winning the Big Ten West Division for the second year in a row, and it doesn’t matter if the division leaves much to be desired.
So, this attempt to minimize or dismiss what Iowa has a chance to accomplish seems more like sour grapes or an unwillingness to recognize a job well done, probably because it doesn’t fit a narrative.
I say this only because I’m surprised by how many are trying to poke holes in Iowa’s 13-10 victory at Minnesota on Saturday by saying it was just another win over a mediocre opponent.
The 7-4 Gophers are hardly a national power, but they are a solid team with an absolute stud playing running back.
Iowa has a four-game winning streak with victories over Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Northwestern is the only one of those four teams that currently has a losing record.
“Just really proud of our guys,” Kirk Ferentz said. “Just a really resilient group.”
Iowa’s season could’ve easily unraveled after the 54-10 loss at Ohio State on Oct. 22, which was Iowa’s third loss in a row.
But the players and coaches didn’t panic and stayed the course and now Iowa is just one win against a 3-8 Nebraska squad from accomplishing something pretty special.
Because to win the Big Ten West Division would be special under circumstances, but to do it in back-to-back season would be even more impressive.
Those who say that Iowa would be lucky to finish in fourth place in the Big Ten East Division might be right.
But we’ll never know, so it doesn’t matter because Iowa is in the West Division and on the verge of winning it for the second year in a row.
And nobody should have to apologize or defend being successful.
The divisions could soon be coming to an end as the Big Ten Conference continues to expand with USC and UCLA set to join the conference in 2024.
But until that happens, Iowa is in the West Division and it might be the best team in the division.
Illinois defeated Iowa 9-6 on Oct. 8 in Champaign, Illinois despite not having its starting quarterback for the final three quarters, but the Fighting Illini , led by former Hawkeye nose guard Bret Bielema, have since lost three games in a row, while Iowa is peaking at the right time.
Iowa still has work to do against Nebraska next Friday, and the players and coaches don’t need to be reminded about that because this team is focused and grounded.
It’s been humbled, and even humiliated at times, but it hasn’t stopped grinding and moving forward.
Iowa still has a chance to win a division title, a Big Ten title, play in the Rose Bowl, and win 10 nine games overall.
That’s impressive under any circumstance.
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