I'd rather have more talented players than less talented players. That's not a slap in the face to anybody, that's reality. As pointed out above, class ranks are not the only indicator of talent. However, if I'm mandated to make a bowl game in three years, and I'm given the option to have a team with average class rank of 48 and another with average class rank of 67, absent of any other information, I'll take my chances with the average class rank of 48.
As I posted elsewhere, ISU and CU are nearly identical in offense and defense PPG (ISU is slightly better in both offensive and defensive PPG, and CU is slightly better in offensive YPG). If it is given the CPR is a better coach than Hawkins, shouldn't there be some separation between ISU and CU if ISU is equally or more talented than CU?
As someone posted in another thread quoting Bill Parcels, you are who your record says you are, and at this point in the season, I'd add that your stats are pretty much an indicator of what you can and can't do.