Big Ten West Power Ranking: Iowa Hawkeyes Falling Quickly
By Jeremy Karll
A look at how every team in the Big Ten West stacks up after another week
With conference play in full swing, the Big Ten West struggled this past week. Teams combined to go a mere 2-5, with both wins coming in games where two Big Ten West teams matched up. It’s safe to say that the top of the Big Ten West has solidified themselves, however the rest of the division seems to be a mess at the moment.
Most people’s Big Ten West preseason pick, the Iowa Hawkeyes, have fallen flat on their faces over the past three weeks. With losses to North Dakota State and now Northwestern, the Hawkeyes are a measly 3-2 and will have to fight to gain bowl eligibility. Not many people saw these struggles coming from Iowa in 2016, although, barring a shocking improvement, the Hawkeyes are seemingly out of Big Ten contention.
Too many problems have risen around Iowa on the field this season, and nothing over the past couple of weeks have signified that anything will change. They’re still not a team opposing teams can take lightly, however Iowa is no longer feared like they were last season or coming into the year.
Either way, we have a better idea of what the Big Ten West will look like the rest of the way and who is a contender or a pretender.