No. 24: Iowa

Why I like the Hawkeyes: All Big Ten teams that won their bowl game after the 2008 season, please stand up. Yes, that would be you Kirk Ferentz, the only coach who had a smile on his face after the final game of the season. There are six starters back on offense, eight on defense and both specialists. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi is back after taking the job from Jake Christensen last season. He'll have three starters on the offensive line returning, including former News-Gazette All-Stater Bryan Bulaga. The linebackers are all back, led by top tackler Pat Angerer. Three-fourths of the secondary returns. The nonconference schedule is soft, with the only real threat (Arizona) visiting Iowa City.

Why I don't: Did we mention that Shonn Greene, the best running back in the nation last season, left a year early? The likely replacement, Jewel Hampton, has apparently suffered a mysterious leg injury. We won't know his status from super-secretville until the opener. Stanzi needs to complete more of his passes to his own guys and fewer to the opponents. Two of the top three receivers from 2008 are gone. While the Hawkeyes get to skip Illinois, they don't get to play Purdue. The conference road schedule is a beast, with trips to Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State.

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