When asked if he considers his team to be a national championship contender Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said he hopes his team can contend at Michigan State. The Hawkeyes take a 7-0 record into East Lansing this weekend where they have not beaten the Spartans since 1995. The Hawkeyes are sixth in the initial Bowl Championship Series standings that came out on Sunday.

Ferentz says the teams that were 6-10 in last year’s initial poll, three moved out, one stayed the same and one moved from 10 to 1. He says the conclusion is a lot of things can happen and he says it’s still October so they can’t worry about that stuff right now.

Ferentz says while BCS discussion is fun for fans it is not what the team is focused on. He says people also need to remember that they are not even halfway through the conference schedule yet. Ferentz says at this point it does not matter where the Hawks are in the BCS.

He says the bottom line is that if you win all your games it doesn’t matter, and there was an exception with Auburn one year. Ferentz says that’s the only safe way to look at it, win all your games.

The Spartans opened the season 1-3 but they have now won three straight games and are 3-1 in the Big Ten. Ferentz says it’s like last week, as they will play a big physical team, which probably will pass more than Wisconsin. He says they have been scoring points and playing great defense.

Ferentz says the Spartans are comfortable with who they are and what they are and the players have bought into the system.