USA TODAY Sports’ Erick Smith released his post-spring college football rankings recently where the Iowa Hawkeyes checked in at No. 11 nationally. Based on some of the other post-spring rankings out there, it’s actually quite a bit higher than most.
247Sports ranked the Hawkeyes as the nation’s No. 23 team in its post-spring rankings, while ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had Iowa sneaking into the top 25 in his updated way-too-early rankings at No. 25.
Smith was more optimistic about Iowa’s 2022 outlook, though. While he certainly has his questions about what the Hawkeyes’ offense has in store in 2022, ultimately, Iowa’s defensive playmakers were enough to convince Smith that the Hawkeyes will once again contend in the Big Ten West.
Let me know if you’ve heard this before. The Hawkeyes will go as far as its quarterback play will take them. That’s because no program may before more frustratingly consistent than Iowa. The defense again looks like one of the best in the Big Ten. Defensive back Riley Moss and linebacker Jack Campbell will be two of the leaders. The offense, however, has to get out of the bottom half of the conference to go beyond just being very good team and that starts with Spencer Petras. – Smith, USA TODAY Sports.
Now, Smith’s colleague at USA TODAY Sports Paul Myerberg released his full post-spring re-rank of all 131 FBS teams. Myerberg also has Iowa at No. 11 nationally.
While Alabama enters the summer ranked No. 1 according to Myerberg, how do the rest of the Big Ten programs stack up in Myerberg’s post-spring rankings for USA TODAY Sports?