According to Phil Steele, Iowa's football units don't measure up to three Legends rivals

Phil Steele's 2012 College Football Review found its way to my desk recently (thanks for the complimentary copy, Phil), which means free pot-stirring by me.

Iowa fans, Phil says your team has "a great chance" to start the season 5-0 and top last year's seven wins. He projects the Hawkeyes going to the Gator Bowl to play South Carolina. But when it comes to ranking the various units of the team, Iowa's don't measure up to three of its Big Ten Legends rivals, Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska.

Steele ranks all the units (quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, offensive line, defensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, special teams) nationally, listing about 40-42 teams per ranking.

He has Iowa's linebackers as the 32nd-best unit in the nation and its quarterbacks 41st-best (even though Steele ranks James Vandenberg the 17th-best QB in the nation). That's it.

Now let's look at how other Legends teams fared:

- MICHIGAN

Quarterbacks 5th, offensive line 17th, running backs 19th, linebackers 21st, defensive backs 22nd, receivers 35th.

- MICHIGAN STATE

Linebackers 2nd, defensive line 10th, offensive line 13th, defensive backs 15th, special teams 20th, running backs 29th

- NEBRASKA

Special teams 9th, defensive backs 14th, running backs 14th, defensive line 21st, offensive line 22nd, linebackers 33rd, receivers 34th

- MINNESOTA

Special teams 35th

- NORTHWESTERN

Special teams 39th

In individual rankings, Iowa had these players listed besides Vandenberg:

Micah Hyde, No. 5 cornerback

James Morris, No. 8 inside linebacker

Tanner Miller, No. 13 free safety

James Ferentz, No. 13 center

C.J. Fiedorowicz, No. 13 tight end

Keenan Davis, No. 17 wide receiver

Christian Kirksey, No. 49 outside linebacker

As for the Leaders Division and Steele's unit rankings ...

- OHIO STATE

Defensive line 7th, special teams 8th, linebackers 11th, defensive backs 11th, running backs 30th, receivers 36th

- ILLINOIS

Defensive backs 17th, quarterbacks 22nd, linebackers 31st, defensive line 35th

- WISCONSIN

Running backs 1st, linebackers 9th, offensive line 14th

- PURDUE

Defensive line 33rd

- INDIANA

None ranked