In the next 3 Weeks there is going to be some awesome matchups:
Tonight: #8 Michigan State vs. #6 Duke and #7 Kansas vs #20 Kentucky
Wednesday 12/2: #2 Baylor vs. #5 Illinois
Saturday 12/5: #1 Gonzaga vs. #2 Baylor
Tuesday 12/8: #5 Illinois vs. #6 Duke and #3 Iowa vs. #14 North Carolina
Wednesday 12/9: #6 Michigan State vs. #15 Virginia
Saturday 12/19: #1 Gonzaga vs. #3 Iowa
With all the carnage of top teams facing each other, the Hawks could realistically ascend to the #1 ranking if Gonzaga ends up beating Baylor and the Hawks knock off the Zags on Saturday, December 19th.
Even cooler, if the Hawkeyes beat Gonzaga, their early schedule in the Big 10 sets up for them to have a reasonable shot at starting off the year 10-0 in the Big 10 before they head into a road match-up at Illinois at 01/29/21. This scenario would have the Hawks starting off the season with 17 straight wins and most likely holding the #1 ranking in the Country for over a month (12/19 to 01/29).
Here are the Hawkeyes first 10 Big Ten Games of the year:
Purdue, at MINN, Northwestern, at Rutgers (tough game), at Maryland (tough game), Minnesota, Michigan State (huge Home game), at Northwestern, Indiana, Nebraska
Not very likely to start 17-0, and be #1 for over a month - but possible
Tonight: #8 Michigan State vs. #6 Duke and #7 Kansas vs #20 Kentucky
Wednesday 12/2: #2 Baylor vs. #5 Illinois
Saturday 12/5: #1 Gonzaga vs. #2 Baylor
Tuesday 12/8: #5 Illinois vs. #6 Duke and #3 Iowa vs. #14 North Carolina
Wednesday 12/9: #6 Michigan State vs. #15 Virginia
Saturday 12/19: #1 Gonzaga vs. #3 Iowa
With all the carnage of top teams facing each other, the Hawks could realistically ascend to the #1 ranking if Gonzaga ends up beating Baylor and the Hawks knock off the Zags on Saturday, December 19th.
Even cooler, if the Hawkeyes beat Gonzaga, their early schedule in the Big 10 sets up for them to have a reasonable shot at starting off the year 10-0 in the Big 10 before they head into a road match-up at Illinois at 01/29/21. This scenario would have the Hawks starting off the season with 17 straight wins and most likely holding the #1 ranking in the Country for over a month (12/19 to 01/29).
Here are the Hawkeyes first 10 Big Ten Games of the year:
Purdue, at MINN, Northwestern, at Rutgers (tough game), at Maryland (tough game), Minnesota, Michigan State (huge Home game), at Northwestern, Indiana, Nebraska
Not very likely to start 17-0, and be #1 for over a month - but possible