I just checked out the score of the Ball State-Iowa game. The Hawkeyes lead 35-0 and the game is barely 20 minutes old! Iowa is my pick to win the national championship this year. I'm going a bit out on the limb for this one. But I wanted my pick to be different. Not the same old USC, Texas, Tennessee, and Michigan picks we keep hearing about. Why Iowa? I just think it's their time: Kirk Ferentz has this team playing extremely well lately, notching up 10 wins in each of the last three years. The only other teams to do this are Georgia, Oklahoma, and USC. In their last two bowl games, they've beaten SEC powers Florida (Outback Bowl) and LSU (Capital One Bowl).

The major challenge for the Hawkeyes will be their tough midseason schedule. In a span of 29 days, beginning September 24, Iowa has to play Ohio State, Purdue, and Michigan. Only the Wolverines game is in Iowa City. Facing tough opponents in Columbus and West Lafayette could derail Hawkeye hopes. But if they can turn those question marks into W's, which I think they will, Iowa will be 11-0 and playing in the Rose Bowl come January.

Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times has written a nice piece on Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes: Why Not Iowa?