Iowa and 9 other Big Ten teams always battling the Ohio State beast that swallows lots of top recruits

When is the last time the Yankees won five straight World Series pennants or the Lakers won five straight NBA titles or David Spade won five straight Best Actor Oscars?

Five straight is a dynasty. Ohio State has won five straight Big Ten football championships, and never seems to get content. Why, it's as if the Buckeyes would like to win another BCS title. It's been eight years since their last one.

Jim Tressel's OSU staff already has 17 commitments for its 2011 recruiting class. These aren't just any old 17 guys who would say yes quickly. These, as you would imagine given the program's history, are your basic four-star recruits, whatever that means.

According to Rivals. com, the Buckeyes have locked up six of the top 13 prep seniors-to-be in Ohio, which happens to have mighty good high school football. Iowa certainly enjoys having a certain quarterback from that state, a kid named Stanzi.

"There's not very many reasons to say no," said Centerville High Coach Ron Ullery in this Cleveland.com story about Buckeye recruiting. "Whatever angle you look at, it's a tremendous place to be. They don't have to put on airs or figure out what a kid wants or a family wants. They can just be themselves and sell themselves."

A.J. Hawk and Kirk Herbstreit, former Buckeye stars, came out of Centerville.

"It definitely makes your decision a lot easier," OSU recruit Chase Farris of Elyria said, "because most people have to go a long way from home to be on a team that good. But we're all Ohio boys, and Ohio State is right in the middle, two hours from everybody."

This is what Iowa and the rest of the Big Ten battles day after day, year after year. The population, the tradition, the talent, and a coaching staff and university that puts everything in place to win in football.

But the ball can bounce funny. Last year, Purdue smacked down the Buckeyes in West Lafayette. This year, it could be someone else's turn.