Where Should the Iowa Hawkeyes Be Ranked After Week 1?

Week 1 is nearly in the books, and there is no denying that the Iowa Hawkeyes looked the part of a top-25 team in the 40-0 win over Northern Illinois.

It wasn't just a scoreboard blowout. The Hawkeyes showed up and owned this game from the jump. Iowa did what good teams do in tune-up games, which was extremely refreshing.

The polls should see some movement this week after a few teams barely survived, while others looked great. Iowa should be on the deserving end of a bump in the rankings.

Where should the Iowa Hawkeyes be ranked?

Iowa entered this week at No. 22 in the AP Poll, and that is certainly the floor for where things could settle as Week 2 rolls around. There is simply no way Iowa falls in the polls.

Iowa should slot up just one spot in this week's polls to No. 21. It's a small movement, but due to one team's incoming slide.

Iowa was utterly dominant on defense, allowing inches per carry instead of yards. Yes, inches. Iowa allowed seven yards on 31 carries. Offensively, Iowa ran the ball at will, which was expected, but showed some real promise in the passing game and raised some eyebrows.

Moving Iowa up a ton is a tall task because, at the end of the day, it was a game the Hawkeyes were supposed to win handily. Big bumps are reserved for statement wins, not for doing what you are supposed to.

Still, other teams across the country found themselves in battles, which, when nitpicking, has to give the nod to Iowa. Looking at the teams near Iowa, all of them looked strong.

Utah hung up 66 points in a win over Idaho. Tennessee hung a 56-9 showing on Furman, with Faizon Brandon looking like the real deal.

Penn State shut out Marshall 45-0 to begin the Matt Campbell era in Happy Valley. SMU and Washington have yet to play their Week 1 games. There isn't a ton of movement to be had, but there is one glaring slide that we should expect.

Iowa should jump the Michigan Wolverines in the polls

Regardless of the fairness, the legitimacy, and all of that surrounding Michigan's win over Western Michigan, there is a bigger story here. Michigan looked abysmal on offense.

For all of the offseason hype, Bryce Underwood did not deliver on it. Going just 12-for-23 on the day for 170 yards, or 123 yards if you remove the Hail Mary, and one interception is anything but promising.

Surviving Western Michigan by a score of 13-12 at home, which really should have been a loss had the Broncos defended one more Hail Mary, is a worrisome sign for Michigan as Oklahoma comes to Ann Arbor next weekend.

Iowa has a date with Iowa State next week to continue to prove themselves, but based on the evidence and data that we have to go off, the Hawkeyes should kick up one spot, with Michigan seeing a slide to the 22-to-25 range in the polls.

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