Two DI staffers debate if the 2015 Iowa team is better than the 2009 team, the last one that finished the season ranked in the top 10.

Yes

Believe the hype. Jump on the bandwagon. This train isn’t stopping. Iowa is better than it has been in 13 years.

Yes, that means this year’s Hawkeyes are a better team than the 2009 squad. You can point out all the draft picks you want from 2009 (not that this year’s team isn’t loaded with them, too), but the moral of the story is that this season, Iowa is playing better as a whole unit than it did in 2009.

This season, Iowa did not have to rely on two blocked field goals to get past an FCS school. (Remember the UNI game in 2009?)

In games against UNI and Arkansas State, the 2009 team won by a total of 4 points. The Hawkeyes this year have not made it close at all with worse than mediocre teams, winning by a minimum of two touchdowns in every one of those games (Illinois State, Iowa State, and North Texas).

And let’s not forget this season’s 30-point victory over a Northwestern squad that defeated No. 9 Stanford.

The strength of schedule for the Hawkeyes in 2009 was ranked 50th, and they lost two games. This season, Iowa has the No. 44 strength of schedule and has zero losses.

Iowa’s offense is far more efficient now than it was then. In terms of points for, the Hawkeyes offense was ranked 86th in the nation in 2009. This year? 49th.

Defense is obviously more prominent in the Big Ten than offense, though. This year’s team is allowing fewer points per game than the 2009 team.

Say what you will about how impressive the 2010 Orange Bowl victory was; this year Iowa has not lost a game and is looking at a very reasonable chance for a college football playoff berth.

12-0 will happen, so before Iowa has a chance at losing the Big Ten Championship, it will have won more games than the 2009 team did the entire season.

— by Mason Clarke

No

Look back at the roster from the 2009-10 Iowa football team. Seriously, I looked up and down that roster and count more than 40 guys that either played in the NFL or made a training camp. That might be the most talented roster in Hawkeye history.

This year’s Iowa team doesn’t get enough credit for the schedule they have played thus far, but the 2009 team had a much tougher road. Wins against Arizona and Michigan at home in the first half of the season, along with a win on the road in Happy Valley against No. 5 Penn State trumps wins against Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, and Northwestern this season.

The 2009 Hawkeyes went into the Horseshoe and took No. 11 Ohio State to overtime with a backup quarterback. For comparison’s sake, raise your hand if you think this year’s team could go on the road to the 11th-ranked team’s stadium (Florida) and take it to overtime with Tyler Wiegers under center. That’s not a knock against Wiegers. James Vandenberg was a really good backup quarterback.

The 2009 team also featured two receivers that ended up with their names all over the Hawkeye record books. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt ranked second and third in school history in receptions, first and second in yards, and first and fourth in touchdowns.

Ricky Stanzi ranks top four in completions, yards, and touchdowns for the Hawkeyes.

The 2009 Hawkeyes also saw five players drafted in the first four rounds of the 2010 NFL draft: Bryan Bulaga, Pat Angerer, Amari Spievey, Tony Moeaki, and A.J. Edds were all taken before the fifth round started.

— by Blake Dowson