Iowa's win vindicates Big Ten

Iowa's win validated a strong season and vindicated the Big Ten Conference on the national stage.

Four Big Ten teams notched at least 10 wins, and the Big Ten was the only conference to earn four wins over teams ranked in the top 15. The conference's image was one of scorn throughout the season, but the bowl wins will give the Big Ten respect nationally in the short term.

“As far as that national perception of the conference, it's been quite a few years now where people are starting to question the Big Ten on the big stage,” said Anthony Herron, a former Iowa player and Big Ten Network analyst. “So getting a winning record the last few years and winning the big games against the major opponents, that's huge. Winning the Rose Bowl, beating LSU, now winning in the Orange Bowl, beating the ACC champs, it's huge.”

Iowa and Ohio State, respectively, won the Orange and Rose bowls, whiae Penn State and Wisconsin won the Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl.

“I think it's way too easy to generalize,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz sAid. “You know, boy, this conference is down, that conference is down …”