5 college football teams that will be better than you think in 2021
By John Buhler
West. 878. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Big Ten. Iowa Hawkeyes. 1
A New Year’s Six bowl berth and Big Ten title are within reach for Iowa
This could totally blow up in my face, but there is a reason the Iowa Hawkeyes are a fixture inside of the top 10 in many way too early 2021 college football preseason rankings. Iowa had an embarrassing offseason surrounding by a toxic strength and conditioning program that nearly cost the longest-tenured coach in the Power 5, Kirk Ferentz, his job. The Hawkeyes responded well.
It may have been a COVID-shortened Big Ten campaign, but Ferentz’s team emerged as the second-best team in the Big Ten West behind division champion Northwestern. While the Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in the conference, Iowa may have what it takes to get to Indianapolis and possibly be the first Big Ten West champion to win at Lucas Oil Stadium.
What makes things even more interesting for the Hawkeyes is the in-state rival Iowa State Cyclones are also projected to be a top-10 team. Iowa State will challenge the Oklahoma Sooners for Big 12 supremacy, possibly making the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history. We must prepare ourselves already for the greatest game in CyHawk history in 2021.
In short, Iowa gives us a top-12 season every handful of years or so. Back in 2015, they won the Big Ten West before bowing out to the Michigan State Spartans in Indianapolis. Though they are not good enough yet to beat Ohio State in a neutral-site affair, should somebody else win the Big Ten East, we may have to look at Iowa possibly crashing the sacred College Football Playoff party.
Overall, none of these teams will truly be coming out of nowhere. They are regular fixtures inside of the top 25 for many reasons. These are programs with strong football traditions and passionate fan bases that hold their athletic departments accountable. While none of these teams will end up winning the 2022 College Football Playoff, they will totally have a say in who ends up making it.
What college football teams do you think will be much improved over what they were a year ago?
Next. College football rankings: Way-too-early Top 25. dark
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