Cyclones will win 6 games this year-minimum.

[mpfeiler]

UNI win
Iowa Loss
Akron likely W
TX likely W
OK likely L
KS likely W
TX Tech likely L
TCU likely L
WV likely L
OSU likely L
Baylor likely W
KS State likely L

That's is 5 wins and 7 losses. That is toilet bowl!

 

[GPRHAWK]

And our over/under was 6.5 if I recall.

Is that correct?

Yes that's what it was. I thought the ISU game was 50/50. With the win I'd say 7 is our new over/under.

 

[Lone Clone]

Agreed


I wouldn't rely on the AP poll to determine strength of opponent. And what about trajectory? Iowa State improved greatly over the course of last season, and has started this year brightly in terms of quality of play. If Campbell's as good as you guys proclaim, shouldn't you expect the upward trends to continue and those close losses start turning into wins?

@Akron-could see a sluggish start but they're too talented 2-1
Texas-worse Clone teams have beaten Texas recently. Then again, they're pretty fired up after losing to MD. Tossup. 2.5-1.5
@ OU-It's OU. 2.5-2.5
Kansas-It's Kansas. 3.5-2.5
@ TTU-ISU is a better team, but on the road and revenge factor. Tossup. 4-3
TCU-TCU's not bad this year, but I think this game is winnable, especially at home. Probably a toss-up, though. 4.5-3.5
@WVU-This is very winnable. On the road, though. Call it a tossup. 5-4
OkSU-It's been done before. This Cowboy team is pretty good, though. Likely loss. 5-5
@ Baylor-Ah, that's the Baylor we know and love. Even on the road, State really better win this one. 6-5
@ KSU-They've had ISU's number. But then again, streaks have to end sometime. Call it a tossup. 6.5-5.5

That's a lot of tossups, and only a couple games I'd pencil in as losses right now. So the key is Campbell's ability to change the mentality of the players, get them the fortitude they need to get over the hump in close games. Do that, I think they go bowling comfortably. If not, yeah they might miss out. He's done pretty well so far, though.

I realize the polls aren't necessarily accurate, but they're about all we have at this point to guess at relative strengths.

I get what you're saying on the rundown, except for one thing: Why do you think the game against the sister-kissers is "very winnable." They're ranked, the played a highly regarded Virginia Tech team pretty even, and they kicked the crap out of ISU in the last game of the season at Ames last year. I put the West Virginia game in pretty much the same category as the Oklahoma and Oklahoma State games at this point.

 

[herkyhawk00]

I saw a team that was highly adaptable and well balanced Saturday.
They have a strong QB that does well on scrambles and can pick apart a secondary. He missed a few key opportunities to run it himself out of the pocket.
They have excellent offensive utility players.
The Cyclone defense was much better at pass containment than I originally thought and their rush containment was acceptable.
Nothing stood out as a glaring weakness at all.
Campbell is meaner than folksy Coach Rhoades and I think the Clones needed that. He's much more aggressive.
I think that hits paydirt THIS year.

I see at least 6 wins including Texas.

Very doable.

Considering Wyoming couldn't rush for 100 yards against Gardner Webb and we gave up more points (41) to their offense than UNI (28), I think one can really question if our defense is actually a train wreck that will be derailed throughout the season. We will have our games where we show up, and then we will have games where it is an embarrassment.

 

[hawkeye122671]

Agreed. I think our defense in game one was an anomaly. The secondary against ISU was awful.

 

[rufus-hawk]

Yep I agree. Even if the Hawkeyes have a great season at the end of the year when the Cyclones are garbage we will look back wondering why the game was so close.

Did you actually watch this year's game? This Clone team is better than in recent years past. They are better built to compete in the Big 12 than the B1G. I see 6-7 wins and a bowl.

 

[The_Joker13]

Did you actually watch this year's game? This Clone team is better than in recent years past. They are better built to compete in the Big 12 than the B1G. I see 6-7 wins and a bowl.

I remember my first beer. I get it, we are fans, but let's be real. This is a very average Iowa team.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

I remember my first beer. I get it, we are fans, but let's be real. This is a very average Iowa team.

I think both teams are worse than I thought. And I had ISU at 4 wins, Iowa at 9. 3 and 7 seem more likely for the two.

 

[The_Joker13]

I think both teams are worse than I thought. And I had ISU at 4 wins, Iowa at 9. 3 and 7 seem more likely for the two.

Agree with 7 wins

 

[Lone Clone]

Considering Wyoming couldn't rush for 100 yards against Gardner Webb and we gave up more points (41) to their offense than UNI (28), I think one can really question if our defense is actually a train wreck that will be derailed throughout the season. We will have our games where we show up, and then we will have games where it is an embarrassment.

And half the 28 points against UNI were scored by the defense.

 

[Dauminator]

Why do you think the game against the sister-kissers is "very winnable." .

I just don't think WVU is very good this year. We'll certainly have a much better gauge of them by game time.

 

[timinatoria]

I just don't think WVU is very good this year. We'll certainly have a much better gauge of them by game time.

Have you watched them play? I think Grier is the best QB Holgerson has had at WVU. They are 3 deep at RB. The front 7 is better than I thought they would be, but their depth is shaky. As long as Gibson is the DC there the defense will always be at minimum, respectable.

 

[katman15]

This is different Coach... Ithink he has this program in a different mindset,,,I could see 6 or 7

 

[relishingwinning18]

I'll take the over and bet any amount you want. Ready to put your money where your mouth is?

Yeah, because this happens on anonymous message boards.

 

[nychawkeyes]

I hope they do well. No, not cause I grew up in Lames, because my little brother is the head equipment manager for all ISU sports (and a grad of ISU). I'd like to see him with the reward of a bowl game, after working as many hours as he does during the season.

And if they do good, we beat them! Again. Yay!

Go Hawks!

Sedge

 

[Johnsoda123]

I remember my first beer. I get it, we are fans, but let's be real. This is a very average Iowa team.

In a very average West. No one they can't beat, or lose to, well Illinois.

 

[Tacticalhawk]

Did you actually watch this year's game? This Clone team is better than in recent years past. They are better built to compete in the Big 12 than the B1G. I see 6-7 wins and a bowl.

I remember my first beer. I get it, we are fans, but let's be real. This is a very average Iowa team.

Is this just based on the fact one of the worst power 5 football programs took us to OT? Its a rivarly game bud dont be so hard on ISU!

 

[SDHawkDoc]

In a very average West. No one they can't beat, or lose to, well Illinois.

This is what helps the Hawks the most. Crossover games are a killer. But the West, outside wisky, looks to be a rather undistinguished group.

 

[PCBHAWK]

I just don't think WVU is very good this year. We'll certainly have a much better gauge of them by game time.

WVU has a good QB. Will Greer the Florida transfer will play on Sundays. I watched Will play in the Swamp and he looked really good.

I think Texas is a huge game. If the Longhorns blow out ISU the wheels will come off this team. Seems like ISU gets blown out a few times a year, but Campbell could change this trend.

If ISU beats Texas, I can see 6 wins. If they stumble, Im thinking 4 or 5 wins.

 

[IamHawkeye]

I would agree that I think Iowa State has a chance at winning 6 plus this year. The biggest thing they have going for them is their offense and the fact that they play in a B12 that, outside of Oklahoma and maybe Oklahoma State (who is always vulnerable) is wide open.

If Iowa State makes a nice run this season....will Campbell hang around or take another job? I ask because, if you look at all the other coaches who had an opportunity to move on (after success) but wanted to be the guy who changed the imagine of Iowa State on a national level, they all end up getting fired.

And they play Baylor and Kansas.

 

[biggreydogs]

I saw a team that was highly adaptable and well balanced Saturday.
They have a strong QB that does well on scrambles and can pick apart a secondary. He missed a few key opportunities to run it himself out of the pocket.
They have excellent offensive utility players.
The Cyclone defense was much better at pass containment than I originally thought and their rush containment was acceptable.
Nothing stood out as a glaring weakness at all.
Campbell is meaner than folksy Coach Rhoades and I think the Clones needed that. He's much more aggressive.
I think that hits paydirt THIS year.

I see at least 6 wins including Texas.

Very doable.

Proud.

 

[Blackleaf40]

Proud.

So proud.

 

[anon_bb9wlf9kj42py]

I think we're all ready to move on but I checked stats for ISU, and while I think we can agree ISU's offense is definitely improved, they still rank near the bottom of the Big 12 in traditional stats and advanced stats offensively. I looked at just the straight up total offense, scoring offense, ESPN FPI Efficiency, and cfbanalytics.com efficiency stats.

 

[cb_Iowa]

I think we're all ready to move on but I checked stats for ISU, and while I think we can agree ISU's offense is definitely improved, they still rank near the bottom of the Big 12 in traditional stats and advanced stats offensively. I looked at just the straight up total offense, scoring offense, ESPN FPI Efficiency, and cfbanalytics.com efficiency stats.

Liberty
USTA
Indiana State
Coastal Carolina
Presbyterian
Bowling Green
UTEP
Tulsa
South Alabama
Jackson State
San Jose State
Eastern Washington
East Carolina

More than half of the Big 12 hasn't played a P5 team yet. I don't think you can use stats to compare ISU to the rest of the Big 12 when you look at the powerhouses listed above.

 

[wcbtee]

4 wins seems very doable
5, Texas is very beatable,
6? They have a decent shot

Their team is much improved and have some playmakers on offense

 

[Wasnt-drunk-didnt-troll]

T.tech is a winnable game for them as well.

 

[Lone Clone]

T.tech is a winnable game for them as well.

It should be, the way things look now, BUT.....ISU has only played well in Lubbock once, that I can recall, and the Zorros will have a huge chip on their shoulder after losing 66-10 at the Jack last season.

 

[hawkinne]

It should be, the way things look now, BUT.....ISU has only played well in Lubbock once, that I can recall, and the Zorros will have a huge chip on their shoulder after losing 66-10 at the Jack last season.

ISU will win that game because they have a much better coaching staff and against similar talent TTech will not win.

 

[Lone Clone]

ISU will win that game because they have a much better coaching staff and against similar talent TTech will not win.

I hope you are correct. At this point, I'm sweating out Akron.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

I hope you are correct. At this point, I'm sweating out Akron.

Ok...I gotta ask. If you're sweating out Akron, what does that say about the strength of the "big" 12?

 

[Lone Clone]

Ok...I gotta ask. If you're sweating out Akron, what does that say about the strength of the "big" 12?

Not a question of what it says about the strength of the Big XII. Question of what it says about the strength of Iowa State.

 

[JoelBittner]

This is what helps the Hawks the most. Crossover games are a killer. But the West, outside wisky, looks to be a rather undistinguished group.

As of right now the West has more wins than the East

 

[SDHawkDoc]

As of right now the West has more wins than the East

That one game difference in wins isn't especially relevant given that Iowa's crossover games aren't against the doormats of that division.

 

[Blackleaf40]

I saw a team that was highly adaptable and well balanced Saturday.
They have a strong QB that does well on scrambles and can pick apart a secondary. He missed a few key opportunities to run it himself out of the pocket.
They have excellent offensive utility players.
The Cyclone defense was much better at pass containment than I originally thought and their rush containment was acceptable.
Nothing stood out as a glaring weakness at all.
Campbell is meaner than folksy Coach Rhoades and I think the Clones needed that. He's much more aggressive.
I think that hits paydirt THIS year.

I see at least 6 wins including Texas.

Very doable.

Wow. I'm smart.