No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes

Editor’s Note: We're counting the days until the Athlon Sports 2010 College Football Annuals hit newsstands by releasing one spot in our Top 25 every weekday. Keep checking AthlonSports.com to see who’s next in the countdown.

Last year was absolutely fabulous for the Hawkeyes, who won 11 games and their first-ever BCS bowl, but for Iowa, ’09 could have been so much more. Had quarterback Ricky Stanzi not gone down with an injury, perfection was possible. Stanzi is back, and the Hawkeyes should be hunting for a Big Ten title once again, with only a rebuilt offensive line standing in the way of potential greatness.

Stanzi proved himself capable of overcoming a lot, especially in recovering from a severely sprained ankle to lead the Hawkeyes to a win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Stanzi is an impressive 18–4 as a starter in his two seasons at the helm.

Now, he’s going after the Buckeyes. He’ll get help from a strong ground game — Jewel Hampton’s knee is healthy, but he’ll have to battle Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher for carries — and a nasty defense that should be nearly impossible to run on. If 2009 was great, ’10 could be legendary for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes.

Hawkeyes to Watch

Ricky Stanzi, QB Has 4,373 passing yards to rank sixth on Iowa’s all-time list.

Adrian Clayborn, DE The All-America candidate was impossible to block at times last season.

Tyler Sash, SS One of the nation’s best safeties as a sophomore.

Important Losses

Bryan Bulaga, OT It’s never easy to replace the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Pat Angerer, LB His toughness, colorful personality and team-high 145 tackles will be missed.

Amari Spievey, CB Had only two picks last year, but teams rarely threw to his side of the field.

Numbers Game

203 Strong safety Tyler Sash set a school record with 203 interception return yards as a sophomore last season.

Your Turn

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