Now its time to get down to the next order of business...the BIG10 West

[soybean]

I'm not even allowing myself 24 hrs to move on from the pain of last night. I'm 100% convinced that Penn State is the best team we will face on our schedule and if we mind our own business going forward we will be OK.

It starts next week with Michigan State for us. But there is also a game in Madison between the Badgers and Wildcats that will help clarify the path forward. The week after that the Badgers travel to Lincoln to play the hapless Cornhuskers. The Nebraska fanbase idol worships Bucky so maybe they will give it a "Super Bowl" effort and pull off a very helpful upset? But in any case its about about Sparty for me, and I suspect the team, this week.

A lot of football yet to be played of course, but last night helped to reinforce my thinking that the West this year is really just a two team race between Iowa and Wisconsin.

 

[rchawk]

I'm not even allowing myself 24 hrs to move on from the pain of last night. I'm 100% convinced that Penn State is the best team we will face on our schedule and if we mind our own business going forward we will be OK.

It starts next week with Michigan State for us. But there is also a game in Madison between the Badgers and Wildcats that will help clarify the path forward. The week after that the Badgers travel to Lincoln to play the hapless Cornhuskers. The Nebraska fanbase idol worships Bucky so maybe they will give it a "Super Bowl" effort and pull off a very helpful upset? But in any case its about about Sparty for me, and I suspect the team, this week.

A lot of football yet to be played of course, but last night helped to reinforce my thinking that the West this year is really just a two team race between Iowa and Wisconsin.

Agreed, keeping in mind that Iowa plays NU in Evanston and the Cats are dangerous wherever we play them.

I do think our young players and new starters will get better with experience every game. Sparty probably won't be an easy out, especially in EL.

 

[Suterman]

What we lost last night was breathing room. 6-3 Iowa B1G record ain't gonna cut it. 7-2 might provided one of the 2 isn't a loss to Wisconsin. Wisconsin needs to lose one they are not supposed to because their schedule is quite easy. Then the Iowa-Wisky match up could be for the West title.

 

[soybean]

What we lost last night was breathing room. 6-3 Iowa B1G record ain't gonna cut it. 7-2 might provided one of the 2 isn't a loss to Wisconsin. Wisconsin needs to lose one they are not supposed to because their schedule is quite easy. Then the Iowa-Wisky match up could be for the West title.

Yep, and its my best guess that Northwestern would be the best bet for a Badger loss until we get them..and then they get Michigan the week after. Other than the Hawks, Wildcats, and maybe Purdue I don't see anyone else except Michigan on their schedule that can beat em.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

I'm not even allowing myself 24 hrs to move on from the pain of last night. I'm 100% convinced that Penn State is the best team we will face on our schedule and if we mind our own business going forward we will be OK.

It starts next week with Michigan State for us. But there is also a game in Madison between the Badgers and Wildcats that will help clarify the path forward. The week after that the Badgers travel to Lincoln to play the hapless Cornhuskers. The Nebraska fanbase idol worships Bucky so maybe they will give it a "Super Bowl" effort and pull off a very helpful upset? But in any case its about about Sparty for me, and I suspect the team, this week.

A lot of football yet to be played of course, but last night helped to reinforce my thinking that the West this year is really just a two team race between Iowa and Wisconsin.

P St will be the 3rd best team we face on our schedule. A distant 3rd at that.

 

[desihawk]

P St will be the 3rd best team we face on our schedule. A distant 3rd at that.

As outlandish as your post sounds, I worry it may not be off the mark. On the flip side we may have faced psu operating near its best, so even if what you state is true, we could land on our feet.

 

[soybean]

P St will be the 3rd best team we face on our schedule. A distant 3rd at that.

So, you are saying that Ohio State & Wisconsin are head and shoulders above Penn State?

 

[Bearhawk0505]

There are are no more Barkely's on our schedule, and he may be the best player I have ever seen in college. We have a gamebreaker in Wadley, and are capable of beating any team in the big ten.

 

[soybean]

There are are no more Barkely's on our schedule, and he may be the best player I have ever seen in college. We have a gamebreaker in Wadley, and are capable of beating any team in the big ten.

I was racking my brain driving home last night trying to think of a better player against the Hawks over the years and drew a blank...and I have seen some great ones.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Iowa lost the west yesterday. It's that simple.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

I was racking my brain driving home last night trying to think of a better player against the Hawks over the years and drew a blank...and I have seen some great ones.

I said this in another thread, best performance by an opponent in Kinnick Stadium since Randle El.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

psu has tremendous offensive firepower because of Barkley.
tosu has significantly superior overall talent on both sides as a team. If tosu is firing on all cylinders they would be the best team Iowa will face.

 

[soybean]

psu has tremendous offensive firepower because of Barkley.
tosu has significantly superior overall talent on both sides as a team. If tosu is firing on all cylinders they would be the best team Iowa will face.

Could be. We will see.

 

[soybean]

Iowa lost the west yesterday. It's that simple.

Farm boy math tells me if we win out that ain't so.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Farm boy math tells me if we win out that ain't so.

But we won't which is why yesterday was key.

Even if we beat OSU, a win in Madison is a tall stretch.

Iowa's built in mulligan was the Wisconsin game. Then needing UW to lose twice. It's too much to ask that they will lose 3.

 

[BlackNGoldBleeder]

There's still a lot of football left to play.

Smart money is on Wisconsin but anything can happen. What can't happen is Iowa overlooking any opponent on their schedule. One game at a time. Right now, on to Michigan State.

 

[rufus-hawk]

Iowa lost the west yesterday. It's that simple.

Not true at all. Haven't played a single team in the west yet.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

But we won't which is why yesterday was key.

Even if we beat OSU, a win in Madison is a tall stretch.

Iowa's built in mulligan was the Wisconsin game. Then needing UW to lose twice. It's too much to ask that they will lose 3.

Plus not protecting your home field is never a recipe for championships.

 

[anon_8rcdnbko1jbe0]

Plus not protecting your home field is never a recipe for championships.

I understand being a realist Northern - but come on man let them play it out have some fun watching this team! There's some young players growing up before our eyes last night. Yes I ran out of swear words watching the game LOL but I don't feel too bad about this team today. Victory last night was about 2 inches away from knocking that pass. And admit it - there's been a time every one of us could use two inches!

 

[hawkbleeder]

Last night we lost a chance for a very special season. It still hurts to have been so close. Wiscy and their schedule are too good this year I'm afraid.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

I understand being a realist Northern - but come on man let them play it out have some fun watching this team! There's some young players growing up before our eyes last night. Yes I ran out of swear words watching the game LOL but I don't feel too bad about this team today. Victory last night was about 2 inches away from knocking that pass. And admit it - there's been a time every one of us could use two inches!

It was loss. A big loss that changed the season drastically. The defense was horrible in spite of what many are spinning.

 

[anon_8rcdnbko1jbe0]

It was loss. A big loss that changed the season drastically. The defense was horrible in spite of what many are spinning.

Yes it was a loss. Very disappointing last night. You believe that any chance of winning the West is over I choose to let the season play out. Your method prepares you from being hurt further - I guess I'll wait and see if I get dumped at the altar! Either way go Hawks!

 

[DaCDiggity]

Not true at all. Haven't played a single team in the west yet.

Ummm you can win all your divisions games but if you lose the cross over games you still could possibly not win the division.....so yea last night hurt

 

[markfromj]

Haven't played a single team in the west yet.

True. But we could sweep the West and still not make Indy.

 

[Hawkeye_311]

Worst case scenario is Iowa losing to MSU and Nebraska beating Illinois on Friday. We would be in an 0-2 hole to Nebraska.

 

[cidsports]

Iowa lost the west yesterday. It's that simple.

Math fails to concur with you.

 

[CLUB215]

Plus not protecting your home field is never a recipe for championships.

See: Ohio State 2014

 

[El Simbolo]

Ummm you can win all your divisions games but if you lose the cross over games you still could possibly not win the division.....so yea last night hurt

This shouldn't be the case, but it is. If B1G (or any conf) had integrity there would be a rule that if you go undefeated in division play you go to the CCG. With the unequal cross over games this would be completely fair. However, the CCG is about money and getting the best shot at the playoff not about rewarding the two division champs or even about crowning a champ. Another option I would support is that cross over games only count half as much as division games when determining the division champ. I don't think you can say they don't count at all (except I do support a 6-0 division record trumping overall conference record). I wonder if nite last 6 years of the BTCG if there has been a season where either of my suggested rules would have changed the participant? Probably not.

 

[DaCDiggity]

This shouldn't be the case, but it is. If B1G (or any conf) had integrity there would be a rule that if you go undefeated in division play you go to the CCG. With the unequal cross over games this would be completely fair. However, the CCG is about money and getting the best shot at the playoff not about rewarding the two division champs or even about crowning a champ. Another option I would support is that cross over games only count half as much as division games when determining the division champ. I don't think you can say they don't count at all (except I do support a 6-0 division record trumping overall conference record). I wonder if nite last 6 years of the BTCG if there has been a season where either of my suggested rules would have changed the participant? Probably not.

Didn't wisconsin make the BCG and rose bowl with like 4 or 5 losses heck I think they went 500 in the conference this was when we were the leaders legends I think

 

[terrehawk]

Watching a bit of MSU vs ND tonight. MSU appears to be almost exactly like ISU on O and also does much of the same schemes as PSU.

I would like to think we have "been there done that" and are ready for what they throw at us.

My concern is the travel after our D was on the field for 99 snaps and it was pretty physical. Hopefully, they get enough rest and recovery and are able to step up yet again

 

[terrehawk]

So, you are saying that Ohio State & Wisconsin are head and shoulders above Penn State?

He means Wisconsin and of course, Alabama when we play them in the first round of the CFP.