Before we turn our full attention to bowls, we’re taking a look back on the 2014 regular season for each team. Up next: Iowa.

Overview: With an easy conference schedule -- one that featured Indiana and Maryland as crossover opponents -- expectations here were set for the Big Ten championship. Instead, 2014 was a step backward. (The Hawkeyes won eight games in the 2013 regular season but finished 7-5 this season.) Athletic director Gary Barta said Iowa's record "isn't unacceptable," while coach Kirk Ferentz agreed but also added he was "disappointed." The season didn't exactly get off to a rousing start, as the offense stumbled in its first 14 quarters. Iowa fell to Iowa State, 20-17, in Week 3 while offensive coordinator Greg Davis was criticized for his conservative play-calling. Still, the Hawkeyes suffered only one loss by midseason and stood at 5-1, thanks in part to C.J. Beathard taking the reins against Pitt and igniting a comeback on 7-of-8 passing. The issues really spilled over in the second half of the season, as the Hawkeyes lost four of their final six games. Three of those contests were decided by a single score, two by field goals, but that hardly made players feel any better. Iowa didn’t beat one team with a winning record and, in spite of Barta’s comment, defensive tackle Carl Davis labeled his team’s finish with a key word: “Unacceptable.”

Offensive MVP: Left tackle Brandon Scherff. It’s not easy for a lineman to receive recognition like this, but few players boast the strength and technique Scherff does. Not only was he named the best offensive lineman in the Big Ten, but he also recently won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman. He protected Jake Rudock's blindside all season, and he helped spring Mark Weisman to 14 rushing touchdowns. He’s also No. 7 on Mel Kiper’s “Big Board” for the 2015 NFL draft.

Defensive MVP: Defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat. You could make an argument for three of the defensive linemen here -- Drew Ott and Carl Davis being the others -- but Trinca-Pasat was a surprisingly disruptive force inside. Davis may have freed him up a bit, but LTP still finished with an impressive 11.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks. Maybe most impressive? The defensive tackle was fourth on his team with 65 tackles.