No. 8 Iowa draws skeptics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa has knocked off Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State on the road. The eighth-ranked Hawkeyes are the nation's only 9-0 team and are ranked No. 4 in the BCS.

So why are so many people so unimpressed?

Lucky, ugly and bound to fall — the Hawkeyes have heard it all. Questioning Iowa (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten) has become common in the national media. It's why an Iowa spokesman sent out an e-mail this week that used statistics that favorably compared what the Hawkeyes have done to fellow unbeatens Cincinnati, Boise State, TCU and one-loss Oregon.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says he's more worried about Northwestern (5-4, 2-3), which visits Iowa this Saturday.