(Video courtesy Nhawk52)

Iowa is considered one of the top teams in the Big Ten but the Hawkeyes have won 10 or more games only once since 2004. Iowa is installing a new defense and the running back situation is, as always, unsettled at best. However, the team features plenty of talent and if several players step up, it could earn a trip to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis in December.

Offense: Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz is one of the top athletes on the team and one of the most difficult players to cover in the league thanks to his 6-foot-7, 265-pound frame. The junior finished with 16 catches for 167 yards and three touchdowns, but 12 of those grabs and all the scores came over his final four games. He still has issues with consistency, but for a team that values time of possession and a big target in the red zone, Fiedorowicz is poised for a breakout season.

Defense: Defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat will be counted on to help anchor the defensive line, a unit considered one of the weakest on the team. The third-year sophomore has repeatedly earned praise from coach Kirk Ferentz this preseason and will be expected to improve his numbers from last season when he recorded one tackle. Iowa’s rush defense was poor last year as it allowed an average of 156 yards per game.

Special Teams: Punter Connor Kornbrath has a pressure-packed role. The freshman from West Virginia appears to have won the starting job and will be counted on to help bail out a defense learning a new scheme and an offense that few would describe as “explosive.” Iowa averaged 41.2 yards per punt last year, with six going 50 or more yards.

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Big Ten bloggers Dave Carey and Mike Singer, follow @CBSSportsBigTen.