Iowa could finish as low as 10th, especially if JBo got hurt. I think there are three groupings going into the season: MSU, 9 teams competing for 2-10, and 4 teams who will probably be at the bottom. My prediction for Iowa would be a LOT better than 10th. There is reason for all of the 9 teams chasing MSU to be optimistic, if the season goes their way.
I think the Iowa coaching staff has done a much better job than most outsiders give them credit for, but we also get the plenty negativity from a portion of the Iowa "fans" whenever we lose during the season. I have never understood why many fans don't recognize that there are two teams competing, and sometimes the other team is the main reason that your team didn't play as well as you had hoped.
Good to get back to basketball talk.
I see more of a separation in that pack of nine than you do. And of course this is just opinion. But can we really imagine Illinois, Penn State or even Indiana finishing second? I see them as NCAA Bubble type teams just trying to finish in the top seven.
I'd say the same of Wisconsin with all the attrition. But history has thumped me square in the head with those guys too many times to be that gutsy. So I'll include them in my second tier. Which even that I see a slight divide.
Michigan State is really good..just has to play like it.
Minnesota, Northwestern and Iowa return the talent and had results last year that tells me all three are roughly equal and most likely to see 2nd through 4th.
Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin, Maryland lost some talent. Yes, they have some coming in. Until proven otherwise because promise of talent isn't talent, I'm seeing them around the 5th through 8th spot. But yes, all four are dangerous.
Indiana, through horrible attrition, I think the likely 9th place.
And then the bottom tier which everyone seems to agree is Ohio State, Nebraska, Rutgers and frankly I'd put Illinois and Penn State both in there as around 11th and 10th.