Cal beat Hawaii' 51-31 in the Sydney Cup to kickoff the 2016 College Football season. North Dakota State kicks off the FCS season tonight in Fargo. ESPN has the kickoff at 6:30 p.m.
Year 18 of the Hayden Fry era didn't lead to a Big Ten title, though they did finish 9-3, 6-2 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes lost in Week 3 at Tulsa, then two losses at home against #2 Ohio State and #16 Northwestern. Injuries, depth are always challenges for Iowa Football.
Here's to an equal or better Year 18 to Kirk Ferentz's 2016 squad. Hopefully, Iowa beats both Northwestern and Ohio State in 2016. A win over the Buckeyes would have to come in the Title Game, as well already know.
We want to see Iowa move up the Big Ten ladder, as Wisconsin and Michigan State have over the past decade. A win in the Big Ten West would be sweet start. However, nationally, the B1G 2 love fest has clearly arrived with Harbaugh and Urban.
Frankly, I hope we get a replay with Mark Dantonio's Michigan State Spartans, to simply keep the B1G 2 in check.
ESPN loves to say Iowa has an easy schedule again. Facts don't mean anything, as they spin the love ...
There preview show suggested 7-6 Penn State had a below .500 record. Sadly, ESPN misstated a fact, in cutting down Iowa's schedule. PSU hasn't done well in two years under Franklin, but they have a winning record ESPN though in discussing Iowa's road schedule, apparently not. Like 1996, let's get Penn State again. It was a close 21-20 game in 1996.
In watching College Football, only Clemson and Iowa had undefeated regular seasons. Expecting a repeat would be unrealistic, but we should always dream to win them all. At least it has become a reality in the modern era for Iowa.
At Purdue and At Illinois games are going to be very dangerous, when you look at games sandwiched between both games.
Kirk Ferentz and Greg Davis are 4-0 together in B1G openers, dating back to Davis first season in 2012. @ Rutgers will be a dangerous game, like @ Maryland in 2014.
Iowa's Bye Week comes ahead of the road trip @ Penn State. How strong will Iowa be coming off a bye week. It worked well in 2015. No one has bye week ahead of playing the Hawkeyes in 2016. Wasn't too long ago, Iowa played four teams off their bye week.
At the moment: Last year's most accurate Top 25 has Iowa ranked highest ...
1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. Tennessee
4. USC
5. Alabama
6. LSU
7.Louisville
8. Georgia
9. Washington State
10. Iowa
11. Notre Dame
12. Florida State
13. Oklahoma
14 Michigan State
15. Houston
16. Michigan
17. Boise State
18. TCU
19. OK State
20. North Carolina
21. Washington
22. Nebraska
23. Temple
24. Pittsburgh
25. West Virginia
Amazing ... look who is #1!
Year 18 of the Hayden Fry era didn't lead to a Big Ten title, though they did finish 9-3, 6-2 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes lost in Week 3 at Tulsa, then two losses at home against #2 Ohio State and #16 Northwestern. Injuries, depth are always challenges for Iowa Football.
Here's to an equal or better Year 18 to Kirk Ferentz's 2016 squad. Hopefully, Iowa beats both Northwestern and Ohio State in 2016. A win over the Buckeyes would have to come in the Title Game, as well already know.
We want to see Iowa move up the Big Ten ladder, as Wisconsin and Michigan State have over the past decade. A win in the Big Ten West would be sweet start. However, nationally, the B1G 2 love fest has clearly arrived with Harbaugh and Urban.
Frankly, I hope we get a replay with Mark Dantonio's Michigan State Spartans, to simply keep the B1G 2 in check.
ESPN loves to say Iowa has an easy schedule again. Facts don't mean anything, as they spin the love ...
There preview show suggested 7-6 Penn State had a below .500 record. Sadly, ESPN misstated a fact, in cutting down Iowa's schedule. PSU hasn't done well in two years under Franklin, but they have a winning record ESPN though in discussing Iowa's road schedule, apparently not. Like 1996, let's get Penn State again. It was a close 21-20 game in 1996.
In watching College Football, only Clemson and Iowa had undefeated regular seasons. Expecting a repeat would be unrealistic, but we should always dream to win them all. At least it has become a reality in the modern era for Iowa.
At Purdue and At Illinois games are going to be very dangerous, when you look at games sandwiched between both games.
Kirk Ferentz and Greg Davis are 4-0 together in B1G openers, dating back to Davis first season in 2012. @ Rutgers will be a dangerous game, like @ Maryland in 2014.
Iowa's Bye Week comes ahead of the road trip @ Penn State. How strong will Iowa be coming off a bye week. It worked well in 2015. No one has bye week ahead of playing the Hawkeyes in 2016. Wasn't too long ago, Iowa played four teams off their bye week.
- Miami-OH appears to be the only safe game.
- ISU gets UNI ahead of Iowa
- North Dakota State opens tonight, then bye week, then hosts Eastern Washington before road trip to Iowa City
- @ Rutgers, who play @ Washington, Howard and New Mexico in the OOC. The Chris Ash era should be tuned into the B1G opener w/ Iowa. Ash knows Iowa.
- vs. Northwestern - The Wildcats open w/ Nebraska in Evanston, after WMU, Illinois State and Duke in OOC. Pat Fitzgerald has lost 3 straight and last win was 2012 vs. Iowa at Kinnick.
- @ Minnesota will be coming off road trip to Happy Valley. Open Thursday night vs. Oregon State, then host Indiana State, early bye week, then Colorado State to close out OOC.
- @ Purdue - C.J. Beathard made his first career start there in 2014. Boilermakers have early bye, like Minnesota, after openers vs. EMU and Cincinnati. Nevada is finale OOC game, then B1G opener @ Maryland and follow-up road date @ Illinois. B1G opener for Purdue vs. Hawkeyes. HC in West Lafayette for Boilers.
- vs. Wisconsin - Iowa hasn't won at Kinnick in this one, since 2008. Paul Chryst was OC for the 2010 debacle. UW hosts Ohio State ahead of game @ Iowa. They get bye week to prepare or get healthy for Buckeyes, after back to back road dates @ MSU and @ Michigan to kickoff B1G slate. LSU, Akron and Georgia State are OOC games, all in WI.
- Bye week ... Can Iowa get to 8-0 in 2016?
- @ Penn State - How good will Nittany Lions be in 2016? They open w/ Kent State, then @ Pitt (Go Panthers) and host Temple (who won 27-10 last year at the Owls' place). B1G opener @ Michigan, then back to back home games with Minnesota and Maryland (HC). They get Ohio State ahead of Iowa, with bye week ahead of Buckeyes, like UW. Does OSU fall back to back opponents getting byes? OSU opens w/ Rutgers (HC) and Indiana back to back at home, off bye week and game @ OU.
- vs. Michigan - Hawaii' played today in Sydney, then they fly home, off to Ann Arbor for Wolverines' season opener on Saturday. Talk about a set up game for Michigan hype. UCF and Colorado are next. Open B1G with back to back games in Ann Arbor w/ Penn State and Wisconsin, then @ Rutgers before bye week. Illinois, @ MSU and Maryland before the visit @ Iowa. Harbaugh looks to pull a Stoops in 2016, as a sophomore coach at alma mater.
- @ Illinois - Lovie era begins in Champaign, as Fighting Illini open 3 in OOC at home w/ Murray State, UNC and WMU, who play a B1G West twosome of IL schools. Bye week before @Nebraska as Huskers HC date. Purdue, @ Rutgers, @ Michigan, Minnesota (HC), MSU and @ UW (HC for Badgers) ahead of showdown w/ Hawkeyes.
- vs. Nebraska - Mike Riley has had his ups and downs as a head coach w/ 2 Grey Cup titles and seven bowl wins, but never has finished first in a college conference race. Open w/ Fresno State, Wyoming and Oregon. @ Northwestern and Illinois (HC) in B1G before bye week. @ IU, Purdue, @ UW, @ OSU, Minnesota and Maryland before B1G finale in Kinnick. Top 2016 WR recruit has called it quits, before first snap and will is transferring.
At the moment: Last year's most accurate Top 25 has Iowa ranked highest ...
1. Ohio State
2. Clemson
3. Tennessee
4. USC
5. Alabama
6. LSU
7.Louisville
8. Georgia
9. Washington State
10. Iowa
11. Notre Dame
12. Florida State
13. Oklahoma
14 Michigan State
15. Houston
16. Michigan
17. Boise State
18. TCU
19. OK State
20. North Carolina
21. Washington
22. Nebraska
23. Temple
24. Pittsburgh
25. West Virginia
Amazing ... look who is #1!
