Joel Klatt questions Texas over Iowa in the latest AP poll
By Rolando Rosa
Published:
Texas is riding a 3-game winning streak and is currently ranked No. 20 in the AP poll. However, FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt believes an unranked Big Ten team is just as good.
During Tuesday’s edition of The Joel Klatt Show, the analyst made a case for Iowa, which also has a 6-2 record. Klatt suggests that preseason hype is playing a role in why the Longhorns are ranked and the Hawkeyes are not.
“I think it has to do with where you start and where you’re at now. Texas was the No. 1 team in the country. We thought that they were going to be incredible,” Klatt said.
Klatt is impressed with Iowa’s body of work, which includes a 41-3 victory vs. Minnesota last weekend.
“Iowa started as the 44th-ranked team in the country if you look at all the teams receiving votes…They just thumped Minnesota. That’s a good football team,” Klatt said. “They were just tied in the fourth quarter with Indiana, who we think is the No. 2 team in the country, and everybody else does too…Their other loss was on a last-second field goal at Iowa State in a rivalry game on the road.”
On the other hand, Klatt views Texas as being overrated because of a lack of quality victories.
“Meanwhile, Texas, they’re 6-2. They beat Kentucky and they beat Mississippi State, 2 bottom-tier teams. Close wins, overtime,” Klatt said. “Their losses are Ohio State and Florida, and candidly not particularly close.”
Texas will get a big chance to make a statement on Saturday against visiting No. 9 Vanderbilt (12 p.m. ET/ABC). Iowa will look to further add to its case with a huge home matchup vs. No. 6 Oregon on Nov. 8.
