There are only a couple of teams that finish the year with a win in a BCS game. If Iowa got to the Rose Bowl, it would mean that they probably went undefeated or at worst finished with 1 loss in the Big 10. Pick your B10 loss. Then, they would play and beat a top 5 team, probably with a more storied history than Boise St. For me, I'd take the win.....depending on how the Championship game played out.....Iowa could receive quite a few 1st place votes anyway.
I'm sure the question would be more difficult if you said a loss in the Nat'l Title game to Alabama.