Athlons: College Football's Top Five Teams on the Decline for 2015 (Iowa, Fla St)

[BleedGopher]

per Athlons:

Iowa
There was plenty of optimism in Iowa City coming into the 2014 season. The Hawkeyes returned 11 starters from a team that won four out of its last six games in 2013. Additionally, the offensive and defensive lines were pegged as two of the best in the Big Ten, and quarterback Jake Rudock was coming off a solid performance (2,383 yards, 18 TDs). The schedule featured home dates against Wisconsin and Nebraska, and coach Kirk Ferentz’s team missed Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State in crossover play. Instead of capitalizing on a favorable slate, Iowa backtracked in 2014. The Hawkeyes finished 7-6 and lost five out of its final seven games. None of Iowa’s seven victories came against a FBS team with a winning record, and Tennessee thoroughly dominated the Hawkeyes in the TaxSlayer Bowl (45-28). While the Hawkeyes have surprised when low expectations surrounded this team, Ferentz and this staff have to replace standout left tackle Brandon Scherff, receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley and defensive standouts Carl Davis (DT), Louis Trinca-Pasat (DT) and safety John Lowdermilk. Improving from the seven-win mark isn’t unrealistic with a favorable schedule, but it’s also hard to expect a significant jump in wins after finishing with just one winning mark in Big Ten play since 2010. Has this program simply gone too stale under Ferentz?

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Go Gophers!!

 

[MGGopher]

Who Hates Iowa?

 

[OSUfan]

Ferentz, the guy that has basically decided to stop recruiting Florida and instead roll with a proliferation of big, slow players. Their team this year was an embarrassment to the Big Ten in the bowl game, clearly overmatched from an athletic standpoint and badly in need of more talented players. They are doing their best to continue the perception of the Big Ten as a plodding league that doesn't have the talent to compete with the southern schools. That guy is for sure overpaid based on their team's performance this past season, although I must admit that sometimes when I think they will be bad they end up with a decent year. When they're expected to do something like this past season, they don't tend to be successful.