Kirk Ferentz Not Letting Rankings, College Football Playoff Distract Iowa Football

The current world of college football has enough distractions to drive anyone mad, especially head coaches and players.

There's constant drama about where teams are ranked in the polls, what the College Football Playoff looks like after just three games, and that's before we even get into the matchup each week.

For the Iowa Hawkeyes, who are staring down a Big Ten opener against the Michigan Wolverines, head coach Kirk Ferentz is limiting distractions as best as possible.

What really is important to Kirk Ferentz

"To the point about the playoffs and polls, I was driving either going home last night or driving this morning. Heard the Florida coach talking about the polls, and I guess they are favored in their matchup this week.

"The polls mean absolutely nothing, really, the first half of the season, in my opinion. Certainly mean nothing this month in September.

"Nor do statistics. Statistics are great, and you'd rather have good ones than bad ones, but that's just a world we live in in college football now.

"As soon as we went to four, I think that was the beginning of not only the erosion of the bowl system, but maybe the end here in the near -- at least it's going to look different than it used to. It already does," Ferentz said regarding how he is keeping the Hawkeyes focused this week.

Kirk Ferentz knows the current world of college football is a slippery slope of solely focusing on the top few teams, with scraps being fed to the rest, but as he has always done, he continues to focus on his team, with the Hawkeyes controlling what they can control.

The preparation for Michigan is simple and straightforward

"I try not to let that worry me too much and just worry about enjoying our players and getting ready for the next challenge, which right now is a significant one," Ferentz said of what lies ahead for the Iowa Hawkeyes this week against the Michigan Wolverines.

That's exactly what the Iowa Hawkeyes have to do this week. Going into the Big House against a Michigan team that has gained some confidence with a win over Oklahoma and a strong showing against UTEP requires full focus.

If Iowa can take care of business and find a way to get to 4-0 on the year, the rankings and College Football Playoff stuff will take care of itself, but until Iowa puts itself in that position, there's no point in focusing on anything other than the next opponent.

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