Iowa vs Penn State: Why Both Programs Are Miles from a Big Ten Title

With Wisconsin running over people left and right, it is hard to see any other school taking the Big Ten championship away from them this season.

That said, Iowa did win the conference in 2009 and Penn State won it in 2008. Ohio State and Michigan being in rebuilding mode also helps the cause.

So who would win the conference first?

Iowa has always done more with less, never ranking higher than 30th in Rivals’ recruiting rankings while Penn State is almost annually in the Top 25. But they have each developed their talent differently and yield about the same results every year.

The biggest difference in recent years has been at quarterback. The Hawkeyes had Ricky Stanzi while the Nittany Lions have been dreadful at the position since Daryll Clark left. Stanzi’s replacement, James Vandenberg, has been infinitely better than the two-quarterback system Penn State has been using.

Both teams play great defense and routinely put a bunch of players in the NFL including NaVarro Bowman and Adrian Clayborn.

The advantage in coaching obviously has to go to Penn State with Joe Paterno, but how long can he realistically continue coaching? If he can’t win the title in the next couple years, the Lions will have to go out and find fresh blood which will either level the playing field or give the advantage over to Iowa.

Additionally, the Hawkeyes have found themselves in a lot of suspension trouble as of late.

In terms of the new Legends and Leaders divisions, the football talent is currently split up very evenly so neither team has an advantage in that regard.

At every position, it seems like these two programs are dead even but if a choice had to be made, it should be with Iowa because of coaching. The biggest problem facing Penn State is quarterback play and until they get that fixed, the Lions won’t be going anywhere.

And if they can’t develop talent as well as Iowa now, why should they be able to when Joe Paterno leaves.

The decision really could go either way but odds are that the Hawkeyes win a Big Ten championship before the Nittany Lions.

But that doesn’t account for the growth of the other teams in the conference. Ohio State will eventually find their way back to the top and Michigan currently has the third best recruiting class in the country per Rivals’ rankings.

Add that to Wisconsin’s success, Michigan State’s defense, Nebraska’s history and a championship game and it will take a lot more than what Iowa and Penn State currently are bringing to the table.

Unfortunately for their fans, it doesn’t look like that either the Hawkeyes or Nittany Lions in the near future.