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CAN IOWA STILL WIN THE DIVISION?

The Deplorable Sleeping Dog

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Illinois has 1 1/2 game lead on Iowa. Iowa is in a three way tie for second at 3-3. Purdue is a half game behind Iowa. If Iowa wins out, and that is certainly possible, we can win the Division. If so, we pass two of the three teams with whom we're tied, Bucky and Goldy, gaining wins and tiebreakers. We should win the finale against Big Red. All three games are winnable. I think Iowa wins all three games and closes 8-4. which is around average for Iowa in the last 40 years, although we frequently win between 9-12 games.

Illinois also has to go up and play Goldy. Toss up game, Goldy could easily beat the yapping pack of douche bags in Navy and Blaze.
Then Illinois has a probable loss at Michigan. Have to pull for that putrid ****er Harbaugh in that one. Then, NW upsets Illinois in the final. That also is not highly improbable.

It may not be likely, but it is far from impossible. The dream is alive for at least another 7 days.
 
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If purdue beats Illinois next week the West gets really interesting and makes it so 5 teams have a legit chance to win the west (everyone not named nebraska and jNW). Especially with ILL playing at Michigan in 2 weeks. Iowa-wisc would be a de facto elimination game. So if wanting chaos in the west let’s hope purdue has a nice bounce back game next week.
 
Illinois has 1 1/2 game lead on Iowa. Iowa is in a three way tie for second at 3-3. Purdue is a half game behind Iowa. If Iowa wins out, and that is certainly possible. If so, we pass two of the three teams with whom we're tied, Bucky and Goldy, gaining wins and tiebreakers. We should win the finale against Big Red. All three games are winnable. I think Iowa wins all three games and closes 8-4. which is around average for Iowa in the last 40 years, although we frequently win between 9-12 games.

Illinois also has to go up and play Goldy. Toss up game, Goldy could easily beat the yapping pack of douche bags in Navy and Blaze.
Then Illinois has a probable loss at Michigan. Have to pull for that putrid ****er Harbaugh in that one. Then, NW upsets Illinois in the final. That also is not highly improbable.

It may not be likely, but it is far from impossible. The dream is alive for at least another 7 days.


I thought the Illini were shoe ins to win the West. Then they go out and lose to Michigan State yesterday.

If Iowa wins out AND if Illinois loses 2 of their next 3 (vs Purdue, at Michigan, at Northwestern), then Iowa wins the West.


Current B1G West Standings:
4-2 Illinois
3-3 IOWA
3-3 Wisconsin
3-3 Purdue
3-3 Minnesota

2-4 Nebraska
1-5 Northwestern


If Iowa wins their next 3 games and Illinois loses 2 of 3:

Final B1G West Standings:
6-3 IOWA

3 loss (at least) Purdue (Iowa wins head to head tie breaker)
5-4 Illinois
4 loss (at least) Wisconsin
4 loss (at least) Minnesota
5 loss (at least) Nebraska
5 loss (at least) Northwestern
 
Well, they can, but it requires too much help from too many different teams to put a whole lot of hope on that imo.
 
Well, they can, but it requires too much help from too many different teams to put a whole lot of hope on that imo.
Not really. Need to win out and hope for one small upset with Purdue beating a team they've beaten 5 out of the last 6. Still against the odds, but certainly not "requiring too much help from too many different teams."
 
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Still against the odds, but certainly not "requiring too much help from too many different teams.

Exactly right. Minnesota beating Illinois is hardly a weird anomaly. Don't want to look but I'd guess Goldy usually wins those games. After all, Illinois escaped Iowa by the thinnest of margins. I more good play by Iowa and we would lead the Division.

Michigan is probably going to kill Illinois. So we really only need one longshot upset, and that is NW over Illinois. Big rivalry game. That pukey coach comes up with a big upset most years, and all we need is for that game to be the big NW upset for this year.

We only need help from three teams, at least one of which is very likely and one more than merely "possible." NW might be the miracle upset we need, and even that is hardly unthinkable (like say NW vs. tOSU).
 
Not really. Need to win out and hope for one small upset with Purdue beating a team they've beaten 5 out of the last 6. Still against the odds, but certainly not "requiring too much help from too many different teams."
Illinois needs to lose twice. Although they do still play Michigan so losing once more is a good bet. I'm just not very optimistic. Heck, I'm not convinced Iowa can win out either.
 
Exactly right. Minnesota beating Illinois is hardly a weird anomaly. Don't want to look but I'd guess Goldy usually wins those games. After all, Illinois escaped Iowa by the thinnest of margins. I more good play by Iowa and we would lead the Division.

Michigan is probably going to kill Illinois. So we really only need one longshot upset, and that is NW over Illinois. Big rivalry game. That pukey coach comes up with a big upset most years, and all we need is for that game to be the big NW upset for this year.

We only need help from three teams, at least one of which is very likely and one more than merely "possible." NW might be the miracle upset we need, and even that is hardly unthinkable (like say NW vs. tOSU).

Illannoy already beat Minnesota.
 
Exactly right. Minnesota beating Illinois is hardly a weird anomaly. Don't want to look but I'd guess Goldy usually wins those games. After all, Illinois escaped Iowa by the thinnest of margins. I more good play by Iowa and we would lead the Division.

Michigan is probably going to kill Illinois. So we really only need one longshot upset, and that is NW over Illinois. Big rivalry game. That pukey coach comes up with a big upset most years, and all we need is for that game to be the big NW upset for this year.

We only need help from three teams, at least one of which is very likely and one more than merely "possible." NW might be the miracle upset we need, and even that is hardly unthinkable (like say NW vs. tOSU).
You seem to be all over the place here.

1) Minnesota already lost to Illinois. Purdue is who plays Illinois next weekend. That was already established with my first reply.

2) We don't need help from Northwestern unless Illinois beats Purdue.

My point was that Iowa does not need any "major upsets" to pull out a division title, but they need to play well enough to win out and hope for Purdue to pull out a game in which they will likely be a 7-10 point underdog, and it's a team that they've dominated even more than they had us.
 
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Exactly right. Minnesota beating Illinois is hardly a weird anomaly. Don't want to look but I'd guess Goldy usually wins those games. After all, Illinois escaped Iowa by the thinnest of margins. I more good play by Iowa and we would lead the Division.

Michigan is probably going to kill Illinois. So we really only need one longshot upset, and that is NW over Illinois. Big rivalry game. That pukey coach comes up with a big upset most years, and all we need is for that game to be the big NW upset for this year.

We only need help from three teams, at least one of which is very likely and one more than merely "possible." NW might be the miracle upset we need, and even that is hardly unthinkable (like say NW vs. tOSU).
No offense to you....but what are you talking about???

Hawks need to win out and Illinois needs to lose 2 out of 3. They play Purdue, Michigan, and Northwestern. Where does MN come in?
 
I could see illinois losing out. I have great faith in the Chuckie sizzles and also the fighting Fitzees.
 
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I hope much of these scenarios come true, especially Iowa winning out. How many people two weeks ago would have seen a chance for 10 wins from this team. I am in no way saying that will happen, but it would be sweet to experience.
 
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What sucks is needing other teams to help Iowa because Iowa didn't help itself when it should have. Same thing last year, needing MN to win to back into the west title.
There is no "backing in". Hawks don't control their schedule of games, or other team's schedules. You play the games for the season and count up the wins and losses. I don't know why folks don't understand this concept.
 
There is no "backing in". Hawks don't control their schedule of games, or other team's schedules. You play the games for the season and count up the wins and losses. I don't know why folks don't understand this concept.
It's simple - win all your games, especially one's you're supposed to, and you control your own destiny. There's no backing in with that scenario. Backing in happens when you lose to Purdue and Wisconsin after being #2 in the country, and therefore have to rely on another team's outcome for your destiny. Not sure what's so complicated about that concept.
 
It's simple - win all your games, especially one's you're supposed to, and you control your own destiny. There's no backing in with that scenario. Backing in happens when you lose to Purdue and Wisconsin after being #2 in the country, and therefore have to rely on another team's outcome for your destiny. Not sure what's so complicated about that concept.
We view it differently. That's cool. I like your screen name.
 
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Purdue Illinois game is at 11AM. If Purdue somehow manages to win, the 2:30PM Iowa Wisconsin game will become a huge, juiced up game.
Indeed it will! Let's hope it happens....and really, when you think about it, there is no reason it can't happen.
 
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Complete madness Iowa still has a shot at winning the division. I’m not sure I’d want Iowa in the B1G championship game again, but if it happens it happens.
 
It's simple - win all your games, especially one's you're supposed to, and you control your own destiny. There's no backing in with that scenario. Backing in happens when you lose to Purdue and Wisconsin after being #2 in the country, and therefore have to rely on another team's outcome for your destiny. Not sure what's so complicated about that concept.
That concept isn’t complicated. Most people don’t look at it as the definition of “backing in.”

Iowa backed into the Rose Bowl in 1990 when they controlled her own destiny but lost their last game and had to depend on the outcome of another game. Iowa got behind the 8 ball last year with a few losses but I don’t see how winning your last four games after looking like you’re out of the race can be defined as “backing in.” Not Iowa’s fault that Wisconsin couldn’t seal the deal.

i’m pretty sure that everyone would rather their team just won all their games and never have to depend on the outcomes of other games, but that’s not how most championships are won.
 
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The game I think we are most likely to lose at this point would be the Minnesota game. Peej has to have us marked. If we don't have any turnovers I think we win it, but if we have one or two I think its the most likely L left on the schedule.
 
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