Aug. 4, 2006
The first major college football poll has been released and the Iowa Hawkeyes are ranked 17th in the USA Today preseason poll released Friday. The Hawkeyes are one of four Big Ten teams ranked in the preseason coaches poll — Ohio State (1), Michigan (15), Iowa (17) and Penn State (19).
The Hawkeyes return 16 starters from last year’s 7-5 team that tied for third in the Big Ten and appeared in the Outback Bowl, which was their fourth-straight January bowl appearance. Iowa returns seven offensive starters, seven defensive starters and both kicking specialists.
The Buckeyes collected 28 of the 63 first place votes. The Southeastern Conference boasts the most teams ranked with six. The Big Ten, Atlantic Coast and Big 12 Conferences each have four teams in the first poll.
Iowa is picked to finish third in the Big Ten Conference in a vote by media members attending the Conference’s annual media day earlier this week.
Iowa opens its 2006 campaign Sept. 2 when it hosts Montana in Kinnick Stadium.
| USA TODAY PRESEASON COACHES POLL | ||
| 1. | Ohio State (28) | 1,487 |
| 2. | Texas (11) | 1,378 |
| 3. | Notre Dame (9) | 1,348 |
| USC (1) | 1,348 | |
| 5. | Oklahoma (13) | 1,320 |
| 6. | Auburn (1) | 1,206 |
| 7. | West Virginia | 1,202 |
| 8. | Florida | 1,054 |
| 9. | LSU | 1,037 |
| 10. | Florida State | 874 |
| 11. | Miami | 839 |
| 12. | California | 798 |
| 13. | Louisville | 785 |
| 14. | Georgia | 784 |
| 15. | Michigan | 778 |
| 16. | Virginia Tech | 591 |
| 17. | IOWA | 519 |
| 18. | Clemson | 493 |
| 19. | Penn State | 406 |
| 20. | Oregon | 373 |
| 21. | TCU | 270 |
| 22. | Nebraska | 261 |
| 23. | Tennessee | 216 |
| 24. | Alabama | 210 |
| 25. | Texas Tech | 198 |