Imagine for a moment that the Iowa Hawkeyes went unbeaten through the season.

And then imagine they won the Big Ten title.

And they did so without their starting quarterback, who was injured.

Then, they’re blocked from the big prize, a spot in the national playoff.

Um, excuse me?

Now you know how the Florida State Seminoles and their fans feel right about now.

So much has been spoken and written about this, what could I possibly add?

Michigan, which finished off an unbeaten regular season by defeating Iowa in the Big Ten title game, deserves a spot in the national playoff. So does Alabama, the SEC champ. And unbeaten Washington, the Pac-12 champ.

Texas?

Not so sure.

Georgia?

Maybe. I mean, the Dawgs’ only hiccup in their last 29 games over three years was a three-point loss to Alabama last Saturday.

But Florida State, injured quarterback or not, went unbeaten and won the ACC title. They accomplished what you have to accomplish to reach the national playoff.

Let them prove it on the field.

And Florida State did.

All of this goes away next year, when college football moves to a 12-team playoff format. The six highest-ranked conference champions will receive automatic spots, followed by spots to the next six highest-ranked teams regardless of conference.

At No. 17, Iowa would be left out.

That’ll set this football controversy right back into action again.

I can’t wait.

Championship Time

A pair of Mid-Prairie alums will play in some big college football playoff games.

Tom Butters of Kalona is a fifth-year tight end at Wartburg College. The Knights, unbeaten and ranked No. 3 in NCAA DIII, face top-ranked North Central College in a national semifinal Saturday in Waverly.

Butters has caught 41 passes for 428 yards and 6 touchdowns this season. He was one of the top Wartburg receivers in last week’s 31-28 win over Wisconsin-Whitewater, making 5 catches for 79 yards.

Cain Brown, a 2023 Mid-Prairie grad, is a freshman on the team at Iowa Western Community College. The Reivers will play for a national championship Dec. 13, when they face East Mississippi Community College in the NJCAA title game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Black Hawk Starter

Maddie Nonnenmann,, a 2022 Mid-Prairie grad, has emerged as a starter in her redshirt freshman season with Black Hawk Community’s College women’s basketball team.

She has already reached double figures in scoring three times, including scoring 14 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in a loss to Parkland.

Lone Tree to Wake

Wake Forest’s men’s basketball team, which is coached by Lone Tree grad Steve Forbes, has won four consecutive games after a 2-3 start. The Demon Deacons host Delaware State on Monday.

The closest he’ll get to Lone Tree this season is a Feb. 27 date at Notre Dame.

Prep Stars

Highland senior Sarah Burton is ranked among the top five in several statistical categories in Class 1A in girls basketball. She is No. 2 in blocked shots (19) and No. 2 in rebounds (78). Highland freshmen Hailey Brun and Kately Thomann rank fourth in the state with a .500 shooting percentage from 3-point range. Thomann scored 20 points in a JV win over Lone Tree.

Mid-Prairie freshman guard Brooklyn Schneider ranks No. 3 in Class 3A with a 3-point shooting percentage of .625 and teammate Callie Huber is No. 4 in offensive rebounds with 28.

News columnist Paul Bowker can be reached at bowkerpaul1@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @bowkerpaul