Preseason hype vs. under the radar

[GunnerHawk]

It is great that numerous Hawk players are getting preseason recognition but Iowa always does better when we are under the radar. It is hard for young men not to start believing the press clippings.

You know we will get everyone's best effort this year being ranked in the top 20. This should be a solid team on paper but let's not forget the margin for error is slim. Last year, other than OTT and some OL juggling, we did not lose many players to injury. We also won a lot of close games, one score games. Our schedule is tougher this year, good to have Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern at home though. Penn State at night is a really tough game and Rutgers is a long trip.

Overall I am bullish about the year, but extremely cautious about getting too excited. 12-0 will not happen. I think we lose 2 to 3 games. Can't wait for the season to start.

Go Hawks!

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Not losing any games in the regular season last year was totally awesome and remarkable - but there is a reason that it doesn't happen very often. The Hawks were in a "position to lose" to Ia State, Pitt, Wisky, Indy, Nebby and Minny - but made plays to win. Even Illinois was a 9 point win. A turnover, dropped pass, major penalty, etc - could have changed anyone of those outcomes.

It was a total team effort to be sure, but you have to tip your cap to CJ. Even with a serious injury, he made the necessary plays to get the job done every time.

This year, who knows?

 

[DodgerHawki]

It is great that numerous Hawk players are getting preseason recognition but Iowa always does better when we are under the radar. It is hard for young men not to start believing the press clippings.

You know we will get everyone's best effort this year being ranked in the top 20. This should be a solid team on paper but let's not forget the margin for error is slim. Last year, other than OTT and some OL juggling, we did not lose many players to injury. We also won a lot of close games, one score games. Our schedule is tougher this year, good to have Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern at home though. Penn State at night is a really tough game and Rutgers is a long trip.

Overall I am bullish about the year, but extremely cautious about getting too excited. 12-0 will not happen. I think we lose 2 to 3 games. Can't wait for the season to start.

Go Hawks!

I think Iowa is likely a better team this year than last (if Beathard stays healthy) thanks to an experienced OL, with very good/elite players at QB, LB (Jewell) and CB (King). But very small odds that Iowa goes 12-0 again. Schedule is harder with Michigan, Penn State and Rutgers replacing Indiana and Maryland on the crossovers. At some point, if the program wants to take a next step up it will need to deliver when the expectations are high. There is every opportunity for Iowa to be playing for the division title on Black Friday against Nebraska. That's where I'm setting the bar for the season.

 

[DarkThunder#61]

It is great that numerous Hawk players are getting preseason recognition but Iowa always does better when we are under the radar. It is hard for young men not to start believing the press clippings.

You know we will get everyone's best effort this year being ranked in the top 20. This should be a solid team on paper but let's not forget the margin for error is slim. Last year, other than OTT and some OL juggling, we did not lose many players to injury. We also won a lot of close games, one score games. Our schedule is tougher this year, good to have Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Northwestern at home though. Penn State at night is a really tough game and Rutgers is a long trip.

Overall I am bullish about the year, but extremely cautious about getting too excited. 12-0 will not happen. I think we lose 2 to 3 games. Can't wait for the season to start.

Go Hawks!

We may be ranked by many, but those same pundits also only see us as the 4th or 5th best Big Ten team.

 

[SoDakHawk]

Yeah, I don't see the prognosticators with high expectations for Iowa this year. If anything they are saying last year was a fluke and that Iowa will return to a mid-level Big Ten team that will contend in the West because the West division is so bad. On the national scene, Iowa is coming in under the radar again this year.

 

[EZ2BJZ]

I like Iowa's chances to have another remarkable year as well. Gunner has a fair point as far as the margin between winning and losing being very slim. However, I think Iowa got better as the season progressed last year with the obvious anomaly of the Rose Bowl. I don't know of any college football team who has repeated an undefeated regular season in recent memory, so yes, it's very very unlikely Iowa goes undefeated again, although I do think the team will be better this year.

In 1984 another quarterback wearing #16 led Iowa to a blowout win over Texas in the Freedom Bowl followed by a great 1985 season that ended with an ignominious loss in the Rose Bowl. I'm hoping Iowa's current #16 will do the reverse and after an embarrassing Rose Bowl loss last year lead Iowa to a great season and a dominant performance in whatever bowl game they end up in. Yeah, weird, I know, but my mind thinks of odd stuff like that.

 

[Steve Waite]

I think we have a better shot at going undefeated this year. Our schedule sets up very well.
Losing Indiana and getting PSU is a win for us. Indiana is a thorn in our side and we are one to PSU.
Our toughest games are at home. I think we will go back to BTC game and we will beat anybody the East throws at us. Onto the CFP and will see what happens.

 

[drf6n6]

I thought we had a tough schedule last season... on the road to Wisconsin Northwestern and Nebraska... this season we have those teams at home... and the Big Ten West might be decided when Northwestern comes to Kinnick...
regarding Michigan... I think they are way over rated.. they won 10 games last year with Iowa's quarterback.... there is no way they are near as good this season....
and...
Nebraska.... forget about it.... Riley was not a world beater at Oregon State... yet, he was a world beater in 1988 and 1990.... in Canada.... he's a nice coach and a perfect fit for Nebraska, imo.... but he won't win games...
Wisconsin, I regard as a Big Ten Powerhouse... up there with Michigan State and Ohio State... but they are dropping a notch and Iowa is filling that void....
Minnesota could be a wild card... if Jerry Kill was still there, I'd put them as title contenders... but... he's not... and they're not.
I expect Iowa to win every game this season... as many of you know deep in your heart.... this year's team is gonna be much better than last year's team..... and last year's team was the greatest ever.
~thanks

 

[spbc7]

and last year's team was the greatest ever.

False

 

[DodgerHawki]

I thought we had a tough schedule last season... on the road to Wisconsin Northwestern and Nebraska... this season we have those teams at home... and the Big Ten West might be decided when Northwestern comes to Kinnick...
regarding Michigan... I think they are way over rated.. they won 10 games last year with Iowa's quarterback.... there is no way they are near as good this season....
and...
Nebraska.... forget about it.... Riley was not a world beater at Oregon State... yet, he was a world beater in 1988 and 1990.... in Canada.... he's a nice coach and a perfect fit for Nebraska, imo.... but he won't win games...
Wisconsin, I regard as a Big Ten Powerhouse... up there with Michigan State and Ohio State... but they are dropping a notch and Iowa is filling that void....
Minnesota could be a wild card... if Jerry Kill was still there, I'd put them as title contenders... but... he's not... and they're not.
I expect Iowa to win every game this season... as many of you know deep in your heart.... this year's team is gonna be much better than last year's team..... and last year's team was the greatest ever.
~thanks

Iowa did a nice job winning @Wisconsin, @Northwestern and @Nebraska. Wisconsin and Northwestern were 10-win teams. Nebraska was 5-7 team. But overall the schedule was not tough, at least compared to what a lot of other teams had. Purdue, Illinois, Maryland, Iowa State, North Texas. All not good. Minnesota was okay, Indiana decent.

If Michigan's QB play is merely competent, they will be very good. Hoke recruited very well, he just couldn't coach. Michigan's defense will likely be borderline elite, high draft picks litter the secondary and the defensive line.

Enjoy the season. Hawks have a good team and a chance to win a lot of games. But if they lose a game or 2, it's won't be because they stink or aren't trying.

 

[hawkcub]

Don't see the hype being that big. Many predictions is top 20. Better then last year. But we're looked at as a good but not great team.

 

[drf6n6]

Iowa did a nice job winning @Wisconsin, @Northwestern and @Nebraska. Wisconsin and Northwestern were 10-win teams. Nebraska was 5-7 team. But overall the schedule was not tough, at least compared to what a lot of other teams had. Purdue, Illinois, Maryland, Iowa State, North Texas. All not good. Minnesota was okay, Indiana decent.

If Michigan's QB play is merely competent, they will be very good. Hoke recruited very well, he just couldn't coach. Michigan's defense will likely be borderline elite, high draft picks litter the secondary and the defensive line.

Enjoy the season. Hawks have a good team and a chance to win a lot of games. But if they lose a game or 2, it's won't be because they stink or aren't trying.

you said Iowa's schedule was "not tough, at least compared to what a lot of other teams had"
......... and then you failed to mention who these imaginary teams are that had tougher schedules... furthermore, you failed to mention why it would matter?....

we were 12-0.... we beat everybody in the regular season last season.... and we will beat everybody in the regular season this year.... because the Iowa Hawkeyes are going to be the best team in all of college football.

if you look at the standings from last year.... the East vs West.... the records are identical...
the West was equal to the East....

and Michigan will not be as good this season... they won't be playing with Iowa's quarterback... and Jake Rudock was one of the best in the Big Ten last year...

quarterback is a very important position... by far the most important position on any team.....

and fortunately for Iowa, we have the best quarterback in all of college football.... and I suspect he will be the number ONE quarterback drafted in next year's Draft.....

we have a tough schedule this season because we play the likes of Wisconsin Northwestern and Minnesota.... teams like Michigan State and Ohio State are lucky they don't have Iowa on their schedule this year... but if they are going to be any good... they are going to have to beat Iowa for the Big Ten Championship.

its not that the East is weak.... its that the West is very strong.... and Iowa is the best in the West... ~thanks