Win and I can see 9-3. Lose and I can see 5-7.
Northwestern Will Tell Us A Lot About Our Season
- Thread starter IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life
- Start date
I think you are right OP. Nothing about NW says they are better than the Hawks. Let's see if they can beat a team that is somewhat equal to them.
When Iowa has good seasons, this is usually around the time of year they start to take off.
If after a bye week no improvements have been made offensively, then I think 6- 6 is the most likely record. But 5-7 is certainly possible.
They're going to tell us that we are a good team, and that Fat Pat Fitgerald is still a bitter try hard.
Lose and I see 7-5, maybe 6-6, win and I agree 9-3. Nebraska is not very good and we should be able to beat purdont. Call me crazy but this is the first time in a long time I feel like we really should beat OSU.
You are crazy. Ohio State is kryptonite for Iowa Football. An 9 win season is possible if we win a bowl game. Something we last accomplished in 1865 I believe.
Sober up then, tOSU will roll io_a, Purdue wins going away. Io_a will be lucky to win once in November. Better get those 2 against NW and Minnesota.
Aren’t you guys on to basketball season yet? What are you doing here talking football? go away.
I would think Purdue and Minnesota would be wins regardless of the NW game. NW and Nebraska are what could get us to 8-4 and into another bowl where we likely get overmatched and overwhelmed, but that's the trade off.
Ohio State is the only game that is the closest to be a "sure loss." However, as we've seen with ISU beating Oklahoma or Syracuse beating Clemson ... if an underdog executes really well and plays its very best ... the big dog cannot afford to have an off-game.
Wisconsin should be and will be favored against Iowa ... but I'll be shocked if that is anything less than a massive slug-fest. Maybe they win ... maybe Iowa wins. Regardless, I will be genuinely surprised if that one is decided by much more than a score.
All the rest of the games are certainly winnable for the Hawks ... but all the teams are good enough to beat Iowa too. Iowa is going to have to EARN those victories ... no doubt about it. There will be no guarantees ... but, all the same, I still like Iowa's chances.
I'd probably pick Iowa to pull off 1 upset and then drop 1 (maybe 2) of the pick-em games. Right off hand, I'd saw that 8-4 is likely looking as a pretty probable scenario (7-5 being up there too). It could certainly end up being better than that ... however, Iowa needs to demonstrate the requisite improvement for me to actually believe that it will happen.
Anything is possible and it's why they play the game. Idk y anybody is counting OSu as a loss. We played in 2013 and were tied going into 4th quarter. We lost on a last play to PSt. Iowa has looked like poop at times but also has shown it can ball. I wouldn't be surprised if we won out.
I feel lile every week I hear the same cliche, "this game will tell us allot", "well know allot more after this week".
Rarely seems to come to pass.
KF teams in large part usually play to the level of the competition.
Ive seen really good Iowa teams lose to NW and mediocre ones blow them out.
Rarely seems to come to pass.
KF teams in large part usually play to the level of the competition.
Ive seen really good Iowa teams lose to NW and mediocre ones blow them out.
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Most all games come down to turnover battles. If Iowa takes care of the ball this weekend and doesn't mess up in the red zone, Hawks win. Turn it over two or three times, NW will come away with the W.
And yes, Iowa has to hit NW weakness, pass coverage as they are strong in run support so throw the ball w play action to throw off NW defense. Keep them guessing and off balance to have that chance at a w.
And yes, Iowa has to hit NW weakness, pass coverage as they are strong in run support so throw the ball w play action to throw off NW defense. Keep them guessing and off balance to have that chance at a w.
Not seeing it as a bellwether.
Hawks haven't demonstrated a lot of game to game consistency. I wouldn't be too surprised by any outcome Saturday. Win by 20, lose by 20, anything in between. It's all well in the realm of possibility for them against jnw.
Hawks haven't demonstrated a lot of game to game consistency. I wouldn't be too surprised by any outcome Saturday. Win by 20, lose by 20, anything in between. It's all well in the realm of possibility for them against jnw.
The biggest thing I'm looking for this weekend is whether we can run the ball. The game against Illinois was the first game in which we averaged over 5 yards per carry, and we have failed to gain 100 yards against the two best teams we've faced this year. Northwestern has a good (not great) run defense, so if we can have success in the running game that should bode well for the rest of the season. If we only average 3.0 yards per carry and struggle to get to 100 total rush yards, then I think that might confirm that this team just isn't going to figure out the running game this year.
The Northwestern game is the closest thing to a true toss up the Hawks have left this year. They are currently about 70%+ favorites against Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraksa, and large underdogs against OSU and Wisconsin. Win this tossup, and there's a good chance for this season to be memorable. Lose this game, and it's hard to envision anything above mediocrity.
The Northwestern game is the closest thing to a true toss up the Hawks have left this year. They are currently about 70%+ favorites against Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraksa, and large underdogs against OSU and Wisconsin. Win this tossup, and there's a good chance for this season to be memorable. Lose this game, and it's hard to envision anything above mediocrity.
Protection for Stanley has been good he should be able to pick their d apart just don't see wadley having a productive day running throw him the ball well he could have a big day
Really? Cause Iowa still plays Nebraska. Oh, look, OSU just got another first down. When was the last time OSU even punted to Nebraska?
we could have him line up 25 yds. deep in the slot and throw it to him right away. This would allow him plenty of 'space' to operate. These types of comments keep me coming back.
The team needs an identity. Running game, run stopping defense (it has been poor so far), pass rush, special teams. Nothing stands out. As a loyal Hawk, I am looking for that vs Northwestern.
One issue is that Northwestern has really been pretty decent at slowing/stopping the run this season. They held Wisconsin to 109 rushing yards, held Penn State to 95 rushing yards, and held Maryland to 85 rushing yards. Anybody who believes that Iowa will run with much success against Northwestern is grossly mistaken.
An even bigger issue for Iowa will concern how we defend Northwestern. Mobile QBs always seem to eat our D alive. Thorson has grown a lot as a passer ... and that was also a significant reason why they won last year (to go along with the fact that we failed to slow Jackson).
Northwestern's running defense is on par with Iowa State's run defense and we managed to put up a respectable performance against their run defense. Northwestern has been good against the run, but not necessarily elite. It will be a good test for this Iowa running game.
How do you figure that Northwestern's run D is on par with ISU's run D? Again, I pointed out what Northwestern had done against PSU, Wisky, and Maryland ... and those numbers are nothing short of impressive given that each of those teams has a preference to run the ball if they can.
Exactly Barkley is the best rb in the country nu held him to 95 we will not b able to run i hope im wrong these guys are good at run stop
Jus because they held those opponents to a clip way below their average does not mean that Iowa will not be successful.
ISU is 23rd vs the run so far giving up 119 ypg right behind #22 PSU
NW is 33rd vs the run so far giving up 126.7 ypg.
Iowa is 50th vs the run so far giving up 145.7 ypg with Barkley's 211 yards skewing the #'s
Wyoming 59 rushing yards
ISU 120 Rushing yards
NT 112 Rushing yards
PSU 295 Rushing yards
MSU 88 Rushing yards
Illinois 200 Rushing yards in 45-16 win by Iowa.
4 games for a 94.75 ypg defense add in the 295 yard and the 200 yards and it jumps to 145.7 ypg defensively.
we shall see after the bye week how the defense reacts and how well the OL looks with RSFR LT Jackson and FR RT Wirfs going into the last 6 games.
people have to remember this years team was to have 15 returning starters, with the Seniors now down to 3 on offense and 4 on defense, this team is doing just fine.
I'd just be happy to see the Hawks win in Evanston regardless of how - w/ a defensive or special teams score, or both!
I am looking to see how many snaps Young and Kelly-Martin gets to take some of the heat off Wadley.
there are 2 reasons
1st Wadley needs help
2nd these 2 are next years 1 2 punch
there are 2 reasons
1st Wadley needs help
2nd these 2 are next years 1 2 punch
I agree - however, it does suggest that for Iowa to be successful, the success will be more predicated upon what we can do through the air.
This a good point. In 2015, NW held McCaffrey to 66 yds. and Stanford to 6 pts. while Wadley ran for 204 and Iowa put 40 on NW. Success can't necessarily be predicated on previous games.
Iowa State ranks ahead of Northwestern in rush yards per game allowed and is even in terms of yards per rush attempt. Northwestern was impressive against Wisconsin and Penn State, but they also allowed 233 yards to Duke, and Nevada averaged 5.46 yards per carry against them. I think Northwestern had played a more difficult schedule, and I'd rank Northwestern's run defense slightly above Iowa State's, but the separation (to this point) is not large.
So you really think Iowa drops 4 of their last 6? That’s a lil too much doom and gloom for me.....
