Hlas Gameday column - Hawkeye fans should root for more than just Iowa on Saturday

(I'm not sure about this at all, but I think the Hlog audience -- and never think I don't appreciate you -- will find the following pretty obvious stuff. This is my column for Saturday's Gazette Gameday section. I think the newspaper audience has a lot more casual fans, so I don't automatically assume they know quite as much about how the sausage is made in certain areas, like the goofy BCS. That said, on with the show.)

For the superstitious among you, here's a warning: The following is written on the assumption Iowa's football team defeats Indiana on Saturday.

If you live your life warding off jinxes, run like the wind from this.

This is written with the realization it puts a lot of cart in front of the horse. The Hawkeyes' four home wins have come by an average of just four points. The Hoosiers were a bounce or two from winning at Michigan and Northwestern and being 6-2 today.

Iowa knows something about almost being 6-2. However, it's 8-0. With that comes its No. 4 position in the BCS standings. With that comes dreams of sugarplums. Or more precisely, rose petals.

And not just Rose Bowl roses, but a BCS title-game bouquet Jan. 7 in Pasadena.

I know. Cart, horse. Even if Iowa wins today, it must somehow fend off Northwestern, Ohio State and Minnesota.

But as long as Iowa maintains an unblemished record, Hawkeye fans have many more teams to cheer on than just the one in Iowa City. They also have some more teams to wish bad upon than just the one their heroes line up against.

If Iowa wins this afternoon, everyone in Hawkdom should pool their mental energy tonight and urge on Oklahoma State and Oregon.

An Okie State upset over Texas in Stillwater would knock the Longhorns down the BCS chart and cripple their hopes of reaching the national title tilt.

Likewise, an Oregon victory over USC in Eugene eliminates the Trojans from national title talk. But if one-loss USC wins, it gets a huge boost by beating the 6-1 Ducks.

The BCS computers still might give Iowa an edge over the Trojans, but those pesky pollsters wouldn't. Heck, they have USC ranked above the Hawkeyes right now.

And were Georgia to stage a humongous upset and beat Florida in Jacksonville today, Iowa fans would surely toast the winner of what's called the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.

There are more teams for Iowa Fan (that's radio talk) to cheer than jeer today. Each time a past Hawkeye opponent wins is good for Iowa's strength of schedule.

It helps Iowa that Arizona has gotten stronger since its loss in Kinnick Stadium. The Wildcats are 5-2 and 20th in the BCS rankings. If you're a Hawkeye follower, you want Mike Stoops' guys to keep up the good work.

It isn't a bad thing for you if Penn State continues to crush teams. The Nittany Lions' lone scratch was against Iowa.

Plus, you really wouldn't mind Penn State pounding the spirit out of Ohio State next Saturday, the week before the Hawkeyes go to OSU.

Hmmm, who else do you want to win today? Oh yeah. Iowa State.

The Cyclones sure didn't look like they had five wins in them when they got drilled, 35-3, by Iowa in Week 2. That was the Hawkeyes' only easy win and the only time ISU has been significantly outplayed.

Today, the 5-3 Cyclones go to Texas A&M to try to get bowl eligible. Hawkeye people should hope the Clones keep adding to their 2009 rejuvenation.

Then again, you could just ignore all of the above and carry the same attitude as Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz.

“I'm not worried about the BCS stuff at all,” Ferentz said this week. “I'm just worried to death about this week.”

But he only has time to focus on his team. You can have the pleasure of rooting for several.

Or the misery.

mike.hlas@gazcomm.com. Twitter: @Hlas