On ESPN...

[maxstabs13]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

 

[frydaze]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

With this schedule, going 7-5 this season would in reality be a 4 or 5 win season if we had a strength of schedule even in the middle of the pack among the Power 5 schools.

Many continue to kid themselves of how struggling the Iowa football program has been. Many remain bling to the fact. Others feel a loyalty to the current coach because he had some big winning seasons in the past.

 

[theIowaHawk]

Hell, next year no one will care about our SOS. If we can get 10-2, it will go down as 10-2.

 

[SLarew]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

You re buying what ESPN is selling???

 

[PCBHAWK]

With this schedule, going 7-5 this season would in reality be a 4 or 5 win season if we had a strength of schedule even in the middle of the pack among the Power 5 schools.

Many continue to kid themselves of how struggling the Iowa football program has been. Many remain bling to the fact. Others feel a loyalty to the current coach because he had some big winning seasons in the past.

Iowa was a few plays away from a 10 win season last year. If they had 10 wins last year, Im betting you would be singing a different tune about the state of the program.

 

[SWIowahawks]

Hell, next year no one will care about our SOS. If we can get 10-2, it will go down as 10-2.

This. Does anyone remember anything about our SOS in 2002, 2003, 2004, or 2009? No. In 5+ years, 10 wins is 10 wins.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Iowa was a few plays away from a 10 win season last year. If they had 10 wins last year, Im betting you would be singing a different tune about the state of the program.

and Iowa was a few plays away from a 4 win season, it goes both ways.

 

[frydaze]

Iowa was a few plays away from a 10 win season last year. If they had 10 wins last year, Im betting you would be singing a different tune about the state of the program.

And we were a few plays away from a 5-win season last year. Bet you'd be singing a different tune if that happened--but guess not because you seem to wear black and gold colored glasses on most everything. Are you aware we have a sub .500 record in B1G play over the last 5 years?

The old saying is "You are what your record says you are". You win some you shouldn't, you lose some you shouldn't---in the end, it all comes out in the wash. You are what your record says you are.

 

[OILCHECKER]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

I don't think people really care that much about strength of schedule unless you are arguing about getting into the playoffs (or a top tier bowl). It's not like we are a Boise State-type team going 11-1 and trying to get into a BCS bowl and people are questioning our SOS. We are a program that has been mediocre to struggling over the last several years so a 10 win season is a 10 win season to me, regardless of the SOS. If we get to the level where we are consistently winning 9-10 games a season for 3-5 yrs in a row, then we can talk about SOS. But for now, as far as I'm concerned, lets just worry about who's on our schedule this year and try to get some wins.

 

[RyderHawk7]

The program needs any positive momentum it can get, both locally and in the public eye. Having this easy of a schedule is a good thing in my opinion, because most people won't know who Iowa plays week to week. If they win 8+ games that looks aesthetically pleasing to fans and recruits alike, regardless of how they got there.

If they lose 6+ games with this schedule, well....

 

[J_Heater]

First we shouldn't feel like we accomplished anything because technically we haven't. The team did.

Second, from what I have been reading we have been recruiting MAC players for the last several years. You can't have a crappy team with crappy coaches and crappy players and then go 10-2 and say it was because of the easy schedule. If we are as bad as people around here seem to hope we are, there is no such thing as an easy schedule. If we are as bad as people claim, 10-2 will be one hell of a coaching miracle and I would expect the miserables will step and admit as much.

 

[PCBHAWK]

And we were a few plays away from a 5-win season last year. Bet you'd be singing a different tune if that happened--but guess not because you seem to wear black and gold colored glasses on most everything. Are you aware we have a sub .500 record in B1G play over the last 5 years?

The old saying is "You are what your record says you are". You win some you shouldn't, you lose some you shouldn't---in the end, it all comes out in the wash. You are what your record says you are.

I think objectively about the Hawks.

I realize the program is not what it once was, but my point stands. If Iowa was a 10 win team last year, you would not be as critical.

You do realize Iowa's 2009 Orange Bowl team could have easily had a record of 6-6? They won 4 games by a total of 8 pts in 2009.

 

[Duhawk47]

Hell, next year no one will care about our SOS. If we can get 10-2, it will go down as 10-2.

True...except last years and this years schedule screams of 10-2 @ a minimum for any team that's not in a constant rebuilding cycle that hardly ever gets built. That ought not to happen to a coach that's been in the same place for 17 years.
10-2 on the outside (if we get there) may seem impressive, but the next two years it goes back to being brutal....what then? I'd expect 10-2 at a minimum myself if we're to be just decent for the next two years.

 

[theIowaHawk]

True...except last years and this years schedule screams of 10-2 @ a minimum for any team that's not in a constant rebuilding cycle that hardly ever gets built. That ought not to happen to a coach that's been in the same place for 17 years.
10-2 on the outside (if we get there) may seem impressive, but the next two years it goes back to being brutal....what then? I'd expect 10-2 at a minimum myself if we're to be just decent for the next two years.

I think college football has shown us enough times there should be no expected minimum, but I'll grant your point. A bad season in an easy-SOS year will be brought up forever, my point was that a good season, a great season, like 10-2 will not. It will simply be seen as 10-2.

 

[Pepperman]

Second, from what I have been reading we have been recruiting MAC players for the last several years. You can't have a crappy team with crappy coaches and crappy players and then go 10-2 and say it was because of the easy schedule. If we are as bad as people around here seem to hope we are, there is no such thing as an easy schedule. If we are as bad as people claim, 10-2 will be one hell of a coaching miracle and I would expect the miserables will step and admit as much.

Nice usage of "we" there, just one paragraph removed from a lecture on how "we" won't do anything.

How about this one - while YOU are out fishing and hoping for a meltdown for your evening's entertainment on this board, WE will be watching the Hawks and hoping they win.

 

[soybean]

The weak Iowa schedule this year might be one of the Reason that Stanley Jackson picked Iowa as his "Dark Horse" for 2015 in the BIG10 last night on BTN.

 

[Rocket98]

So you can forecast a strength of schedule without playing a game? Let's see what that SOS does after the season. There may not be any Top 15 teams, but we have one cup cake on the schedule. We have 7 or 8 games that will between 15-50. Do we win those close games? It will be decided on the field. But to say Pitt, Ill St., Iowa State and Minnesota aren't quality wins your kidding yourself. Just enjoy the season and support the Hawkeyes and not talk about the damn schedule.

 

[TankHawk]

[

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

I think these pre-season assessments of strength of schedule are worthless. No one really knows how strong teams are going to be before they've even played. And it's not like the Iowa AD office picked their own Big Ten schedule. It's luck of the draw and the computers gave Iowa a long straw this year. Certainly the non-conference schedule can be questioned but I think it is at least a little stronger than most people are giving it credit for. Illinois State is probably better than a lot of FCS teams and Pitt is most likely in the upper half of the ACC and traditionally a pretty good program. We all know that Iowa State doesn't play like Iowa State in this game so North Texas State is the only game that I really question. With the Dan McCarney angle in play, I guess I even prefer this to someone like Ball State. It just sucks that the schedule lines up as probably the most unattractive home schedule I have ever seen.

 

[MadDogC]

This. Does anyone remember anything about our SOS in 2002, 2003, 2004, or 2009? No. In 5+ years, 10 wins is 10 wins.

I remember none of those years was the weakest in FBS...and in 2009 we were top ten or so...iirc...

 

[frydaze]

I think objectively about the Hawks.

I realize the program is not what it once was, but my point stands. If Iowa was a 10 win team last year, you would not be as critical.

You do realize Iowa's 2009 Orange Bowl team could have easily had a record of 6-6? They won 4 games by a total of 8 pts in 2009.

My gosh dude, isn't it pretty common we are critical when things aren't going well and we aren't when things are going well?

We have been on a 5-year run of frustration. Losing B1G record in that time, not much over .500 overall, and at least that long since we last were even ranked in the Top 25. The critical barometer is naturally going to rise the longer the drought lasts.

 

[83Hawk]

You do realize Iowa's 2009 Orange Bowl team could have easily had a record of 6-6? They won 4 games by a total of 8 pts in 2009.

But...they did win those games. Good teams do that.

As for the points made by the OP: Iowa does not control who they face in Big 10 play. Some years, the schedule is easier/tougher than others. As far as the non-conference goes...Iowa's schedule isn't that much different than the vast majority of Power 5 schools, strength-wise. 10-2 is 10-2. A great season no matter how tough or weak the schedule is.

On the other hand....7 (or less) wins against supposedly one of the easiest schedules in college football is bad....very bad.

It is going to be VERY interesting how this season plays out.

 

[Recruiting Violation]

With this schedule, going 7-5 this season would in reality be a 4 or 5 win season if we had a strength of schedule even in the middle of the pack among the Power 5 schools.

Many continue to kid themselves of how struggling the Iowa football program has been. Many remain bling to the fact. Others feel a loyalty to the current coach because he had some big winning seasons in the past.

I can't believe your typo made it this far, but I have to point it out.

I agree that football moms can totally make us "bling" to the struggles of our football program.

 

[pocha444444]

Nice usage of "we" there, just one paragraph removed from a lecture on how "we" won't do anything.

How about this one - while YOU are out fishing and hoping for a meltdown for your evening's entertainment on this board, WE will be watching the Hawks and hoping they win.

And...He gone!

 

[J_Heater]

Nice usage of "we" there, just one paragraph removed from a lecture on how "we" won't do anything.

How about this one - while YOU are out fishing and hoping for a meltdown for your evening's entertainment on this board, WE will be watching the Hawks and hoping they win.

Excellent point on the use of the word we. Although I am not sure you can qualify what I said as lecturing. I just made an accurate point.

You are very wrong on your second point. I never hope for a melt down I just enjoy them when they happen. True I will miss a few games because I don't cling to this as my soul reason for living. But I always watch them later even if they lost. The one thing I would question is that you guys will be hoping for a win. I've been here after too many wins to think you guys will be happy about it. You will be right here bitching about that win because it wasn't good enough. That's the truth and I'll be right here after a win just like I am a loss to point it out.

Also, thanks for ignoring the true point of my post. The players suck, the coaches suck but we have an easy schedule. How is it possible to have an easy schedule when you suck? I don't get that.

Cheers!

 

[iahawkeyes17]

This. Does anyone remember anything about our SOS in 2002, 2003, 2004, or 2009? No. In 5+ years, 10 wins is 10 wins.

Exactly. People talk about how great Boise st has been last 10 years with their record. Yet you see who they play and no wonder why. Granted I'll give them credit they beat the one power 5 team On their schedule earlier usually. But unless a team is one of the 4 playoff teams who cares what SOS was at the end of the season. Minus ISU fans using it to justify their lackluster record.

 

[hknation]

Play the same non conference schedule as this year's plus when OSU, MSU, and MI are rotated in by the B1G schedule makers, it will be one of the
nation's best SOS. So, using the prevailing rationale on scheduling, then a 7-5 record will make everyone happy with the aforementioned schedule? Isn't it fun putting an "*" on every record.

 

[Quintana]

Iowa was a few plays away from a 10 win season last year. If they had 10 wins last year, Im betting you would be singing a different tune about the state of the program.

we were also a few dozen plays away from not getting embarrassed by UT last season too.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I find it funny, laughable, ridiculous that there are posters who believe that:

come mid October when Iowa is 7-0....that they will be saying, "ho hum, its because of the schedule, la dee da." Those same posters will be screaming "NC time baby!" at that point.

As I said before, the schedule matters when you lose, not when you win.

 

[mtdew_fever]

On KXNO's afternoon Sports Fanatics show, they went through the Big 10 and Big 12 non-conference schedules. None are really anything to talk about. A lot of the SEC non-conference schedules are even worse.

 

[theIowaHawk]

On KXNO's afternoon Sports Fanatics show, they went through the Big 10 and Big 12 non-conference schedules. None are really anything to talk about. A lot of the SEC non-conference schedules are even worse.

 

[Recruiting Violation]

Excellent point on the use of the word we. Although I am not sure you can qualify what I said as lecturing. I just made an accurate point.

You are very wrong on your second point. I never hope for a melt down I just enjoy them when they happen. True I will miss a few games because I don't cling to this as my soul reason for living. But I always watch them later even if they lost. The one thing I would question is that you guys will be hoping for a win. I've been here after too many wins to think you guys will be happy about it. You will be right here bitching about that win because it wasn't good enough. That's the truth and I'll be right here after a win just like I am a loss to point it out.

Also, thanks for ignoring the true point of my post. The players suck, the coaches suck but we have an easy schedule. How is it possible to have an easy schedule when you suck? I don't get that.

Cheers!

Sorry, heat, but I can't ignore the WOB here.

 

[Calhill]

Did someone say 10 wins?!?! Hahaha, man that's goooooood. If I could only have this much humor every Thursday.

 

[studed]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

minnesota is not with iu, iowa state, illinois. they are better than pit and as good as nebraska

 

[J_Heater]

Sorry, heat, but I can't ignore the WOB here.

Hey if I F'd it up I F'd it up. No issues with that. Actually laughed.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Iowa has the easiest schedule of any team in the Power 5 conferences...

So, should we feel accomplished if we go 10-2 or should we feel like it is a 8-4 season...

This is the problem I have with cupcake schedules... You can brag about a 10-2 record, but if Iowa goes 10-2 with losses being Wisconsin and Pittsburgh/Nebraska how proud can we be? Notable wins would be Maryland and Pitt/Nebraska... After that it would be Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Iowa State?

Given parity in football - such a contention is highly subjective. I'm a mathematician and every metric they try to make relating to strength of schedule is inherently flawed.

 

[Rustys Dad]

I am guessing that because of that "cupcake" schedule we should at least notch 6 or 7 wins. That being said, I do not think this is a 7-win team. If we had ISU's schedule we would be fortunate to get 4 wins. No joke. ISU's schedule is brutal ... And we would struggle with it almost as much as they will struggle ...

 

[J_Heater]

I am guessing that because of that "cupcake" schedule we should at least notch 6 or 7 wins. That being said, I do not think this is a 7-win team. If we had ISU's schedule we would be fortunate to get 4 wins. No joke. ISU's schedule is brutal ... And we would struggle with it almost as much as they will struggle ...

Based on assumptions ISU's schedule is brutal.

If Iowa scheduled Toledo and Northern Iowa would you say they scheduled tough out of conference opponents? Im guessing not.

5 of ISU's 9 game conference schedules were against .500 or below teams last year. So again, that tough schedule is being based off of assumptions that the below teams will be better.

Texas TEch 4-8
Kansas 3-9
Oklahoma State 6-6
Texas 6-6
W Virginia 6-6

Oklahoma was 7-5.

Fortunate to get 4 wins? If iowa got 4 wins against that schedule would you be happy?

 

[J_Heater]

I find it funny, laughable, ridiculous that there are posters who believe that:

come mid October when Iowa is 7-0....that they will be saying, "ho hum, its because of the schedule, la dee da." Those same posters will be screaming "NC time baby!" at that point.

As I said before, the schedule matters when you lose, not when you win.

I'd take that bet. You dont' think people will be here saying the only reason we are 7-0 is because of the easy schedule? These people believe this team and it's coaches are awful. Do you honestly believe they are going to come back here and admit they were dead wrong. A few will, the majority will point to the schedule. That's my bet anyway.

 

[Recruiting Violation]

Based on assumptions ISU's schedule is brutal.

If Iowa scheduled Toledo and Northern Iowa would you say they scheduled tough out of conference opponents? Im guessing not.

5 of ISU's 9 game conference schedules were against .500 or below teams last year. So again, that tough schedule is being based off of assumptions that the below teams will be better.

Texas TEch 4-8
Kansas 3-9
Oklahoma State 6-6
Texas 6-6
W Virginia 6-6

Oklahoma was 7-5.

Fortunate to get 4 wins? If iowa got 4 wins against that schedule would you be happy?

Heat, I happen to agree with you regarding the point you are trying to make. However, it should be pointed out that the Big XII does play a round-robin, so all the teams you listed above had the "pleasure" of getting beaten down by TCU and Baylor last year (WVU was the exception in beating Baylor). They also all lost to a pretty good K-State team, but my point is mainly regarding the two at the top. With the larger conference, the B1G does create an unbalanced schedule. MSU and OSU were our big two last year, and the West teams played only one, or neither of them.

By virtue of our schedule again not including the top two teams in the conference (as predicted right now), ISU does appear to have a tougher overall slate than we do.

 

[theIowaHawk]

I'd take that bet. You dont' think people will be here saying the only reason we are 7-0 is because of the easy schedule? These people believe this team and it's coaches are awful. Do you honestly believe they are going to come back here and admit they were dead wrong. A few will, the majority will point to the schedule. That's my bet anyway.

No, no they won't admit they were wrong. They will just scream for NCs, and then when Iowa stumbles they will pounce, oh will they pounce.

You may not remember but there were people calling for National Championships prior to last season, people calling in to the radio with that nonsense.

I agree that there are some posters on here would actively want Iowa to lose right now, and that is sad.