ESPN ranked college football's next first-time national champs. Is Iowa next? 🤔

DukeSlater

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2023
2,111
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Iowa was good enough last year, being only a handful of plays from being undefeated, including having Indiana, Oregon, and USC on the ropes in the final seconds. So sure, with a few breaks--any national champion needs them--Iowa definitely could win a national title. Have the ball bounce their way, and the talent is there on both sides of the ball for the first time in a long while. It could get very interesting very soon.
 

313oldman

All-Conference
Aug 14, 2022
706
1,033
93
Iowa was good enough last year, being only a handful of plays from being undefeated, including having Indiana, Oregon, and USC on the ropes in the final seconds. So sure, with a few breaks--any national champion needs them--Iowa definitely could win a national title. Have the ball bounce their way, and the talent is there on both sides of the ball for the first time in a long while. It could get very interesting very soon.
and barely beat msu and psu, keep it real bro
 

QChawks

Heisman
Dec 17, 2022
11,905
24,960
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Kceasthawk@77

All-American
Feb 2, 2005
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and barely beat msu and psu, keep it real bro
So, national champs can't have close games? Indiana, "barely" got out of Kinnick with a win. Are they not legit? In 2002 we "barely" beat Purdue, and then conversely we "barely" lost to ISU, yet we still had a shot at the Natty had we beat USC in the Orange bowl. We went into that game ranked 2nd or 3rd I believe.
 

313oldman

All-Conference
Aug 14, 2022
706
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So, national champs can't have close games? Indiana, "barely" got out of Kinnick with a win. Are they not legit? In 2002 we "barely" beat Purdue, and then conversely we "barely" lost to ISU, yet we still had a shot at the Natty had we beat USC in the Orange bowl. We went into that game ranked 2nd or 3rd I believe.
my point was that the writer implied that close games would only go one way...
 

r_desihawk

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
3,087
4,445
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my point was that the writer implied that close games would only go one way...
your point holds but does so for many teams that go all the way as well. 2002 osu won a nc by surviving 7 one score games. it happens to the best teams during special years.
and the psu game did go down to the wire but only because we pretty much spotted those guys a couple tds. last year's team in my book was kirk;s best team if including coaching staff but extremely low percentage plays late in the game went the opponent's way turning a potentially unbeated regular season to a 4 loss season.
if iowa is to win a nc most certainly it will involve getting several breaks that's a given, we aren't about to plough through 15 games by 2 TDs each.
 
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