Can’t put a percentage on Iowa’s bowl possibilities

Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta didn't want to put a percentage on Iowa's bowl possibilities.

The Hawkeyes are talking with the Fiesta, Orange and Capital One bowls. The first two are Bowl Championship Series bowls and come with cache and a national television spotlight. They're basically what college football players play for. The Capital One is the highest-ranked Big Ten bowl tie-in. It would have been a more-than-acceptable bowl for the Hawkeyes (10-2) before they started the season 9-0.

Now the Hawkeyes sit on the BCS cusp with a No. 9 ranking in the BCS poll. Iowa is two spots ahead of No. 11 Penn State (10-2) and knows it's competing directly with Penn State for a second Big Ten BCS bowl slot. Ohio State, the conference champion, owns the Big Ten's automatic bid.

Wednesday, Barta and Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz did some politicking for Iowa, which faces a daunting battle with the Nittany Lions, who lost to the Hawkeyes, 21-10, Sept. 26.

“If Texas wins (against Nebraska in Saturday night's Big 12 title game), the Fiesta Bowl would have a chance to select somebody,” Barta said. “We're hopeful, we're lobbying that be us. They haven't told me that. We've had conversations about that possibility, but they've talked about other possibilities.”

So Barta can't put a percentage on it. The BCS selection show is 7 p.m. Sunday on Fox. There's still more football to be played. So no percentages on where Iowa might end up.

Barta said Iowa has had conversations with the Orange Bowl, where Iowa lost on the field to USC in 2003 but won bowl PR hearts and minds with an estimated 40,000 fans.

“We have a history with the Orange Bowl,” Barta said. “We go back and remind them how many tickets we sold. We talked about the story when we needed to find a place for 30,000 people for the huddle. I don't think they were used to having 30,000 people at a pregame rally. They talk affectionately about that.”

After Iowa ended the season with an ugly 12-0 victory over Minnesota, Ferentz was asked if the Hawkeyes belonged in a BCS bowl. “I've got no idea,” he said. “That's for the system to decide.”

Wednesday, after taking in a week of college football during the Thanksgiving break, he rendered a decision.

“When we ended the season, somebody asked after the game, if we were BCS worthy, and my answer at that time was I wasn't really sure. And I wasn't, because I really hadn't been thinking much about that,” Ferentz said. “But I've had a little time to think now, and I think I'd answer that question with a yes.”

Ferentz didn't name Penn State, but he didn't have to. It's clear the Hawkeyes are wrestling with PSU in the BCS pecking order. Iowa owns head-to-head and Ferentz reminded everyone of that Wednesday.

“If you look at our team, the way they've competed on the field, the head-to-head results that we've had, we did beat six bowl-eligible teams, two of them were non-conference games. So we're proud of that certainly,” Ferentz said. “I thought our guys did a great job taking a very challenging road schedule. They embraced that with four victories and an overtime defeat at a very, very tough opponent's home field (Ohio State).”

The bowls have asked Barta about quarterback Ricky Stanzi's ankle. The junior suffered a high-ankle sprain Nov. 7 against Northwestern. He had surgery Nov. 9 and missed Iowa's final two games.

“I fully anticipate him to be full speed probably next week,” Ferentz said. “He could probably play this week. It would be a little shaky.”

Stanzi was off crutches but still in a boot during the Minnesota game.

Bowls are also interested in running back Adam Robinson's ankle. He missed 2 1/2 games, including the final half of the year, with a high-ankle sprain. Robinson rushed for 72 yards before aggravating the ankle. In a postgame interview, he said he was fine.

“They (bowls) want to know if it's going to be a good, competitive game,” Barta said. “We've been able to comfortably tell them that we're very confident that Stanzi should be at full strength, Robinson should be at full strength and potentially everybody.”