PSU (-3.5) at Purdue Thursday Night

[hawkjt]

It feels different with the B1G. Pro sports intra-division teams are almost all bitter rivals and have been for a long time. Most of Iowa's fellow B1G West members feel like made-up rivalries. We can't get Illinois, Purdue and Northwestern off our yearly schedule fast enough as far as I'm concerned. Good news is that it won't be long now...

So non-border schools like IU MSU MD RU OSU and Mich are true rivals? BS.
You simply want KF to lose more games so you can call for his head after some 7-5 seasons. You want him gone and if that means Iowa has to play and lose to Mich OSU MSU and PSU the next 5 years you will be happy.

 

[Suterman]

The other thing here is that if Purdue is EVER going to win the West...this may be the year. Their crossover games are as winnable as they will ever be...WIsky is a bit down, Nebby is suspect, Illinois is getting better but still beatable, Iowa is beatable, Minnesota is tough but beatable and Northwestern is not a push over but certainly beatable. This may be the year for Purdue and if Brohm doesn't do it this year, they may never win the B1G again.

 

[squawkinhawk]

James Franklin is a jerk, but for sake of the West race I'm rooting for the Nittany Lions. Just realized this game also has the added bonus for Hawk fans of watching Tyrone and Charlie, and how Brohm has decided to use them in his offense.

 

[IANit]

i would definitely prefer that psu win but brohm with prep time is dangerous. i think pu wins it at home.

It's possible. They've beaten PSU once at home - when PSU was 3-9 for the year, and again the next season in State College when PSU was 4-7. Purdue could win this game, but PSU is 15-2 against PU since joining the conference. PSU tends to beat the teams it's supposed to beat. If Purdue is going to beat Penn State week one at night would probably be the most likely time to do it. I just think PSU has better players overall and pulls away in the 4th to win by a TD or more.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

Penn State lost so much on defense ... and the defense was a big part that helped them stay in games (and win) last year.

As always, the offense has some excellent skill players. Furthermore, it would be hard for their OL to NOT improve (not the highest of bars) ... it really cost their running game last year.

So the deal is that their O should be improved ... but their D might be susceptible ... at least early in the season?

 

[AuroraHawk]

The only time i MIGHT root for PSU is when they play the Bugeaters. Their fans are worse than Nubby's and ISU's. I don't root for people to lose so my team can back into the championship game. Win, don't hope someone else loses. If the offense isn't considerably better than last year, I don't want to see them in Indy in December.

I'd be willing to bet good money that Kirk Ferentz, his staff and the team's goal this year is to return to Indianapolis to play for the B1G championship.

My rooting interests for any game that doesn't involve Iowa . . . I'll repeat - ANY game . . . will be for the team that advances Iowa's goal of getting back to Indianapolis.

The whole "back into the championship game" mantra is tiresome.

It's a 12 week season. Unless a team goes 12-0 or 11-1 and defeats another 11-1 team head-to-head, getting to the championship game requires divisional opponents to lose games as well. In other words, short of perfection or near perfection, all teams benefit from divisional foes losing.

Purdue is a divisional foe. Their non-common games (Indiana, Maryland and PSU) presents a less challenging route than what lies ahead for Iowa (OSU, Michigan and Rutgers). Recognizing reality and hoping that PSU hands one of Iowa's divisional competitors a loss isn't hoping that Iowa "backs into the championship game" (whatever the f*** that means).

Remind us all. Were you hoping that Wisconsin beat Minnesota last year so that Iowa didn't "back into the championship game?"

 

[grayhair81]

I'd be willing to bet good money that Kirk Ferentz, his staff and the team's goal this year is to return to Indianapolis to play for the B1G championship.

My rooting interests for any game that doesn't involve Iowa . . . I'll repeat - ANY game . . . will be for the team that advances Iowa's goal of getting back to Indianapolis.

The whole "back into the championship game" mantra is tiresome.

It's a 12 week season. Unless a team goes 12-0 or 11-1 and defeats another 11-1 team head-to-head, getting to the championship game requires divisional opponents to lose games as well. In other words, short of perfection or near perfection, all teams benefit from divisional foes losing.

Purdue is a divisional foe. Their non-common games (Indiana, Maryland and PSU) presents a less challenging route than what lies ahead for Iowa (OSU, Michigan and Rutgers). Recognizing reality and hoping that PSU hands one of Iowa's divisional competitors a loss isn't hoping that Iowa "backs into the championship game" (whatever the f*** that means).

Remind us all. Were you hoping that Wisconsin beat Minnesota last year so that Iowa didn't "back into the championship game?"

No. I believe it is better to win your way in and leave no doubts. The Wisconsin game was an accurate preview of what was going to happen in Indy. Iowa wasn't in the same league as Michigan.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

It's kind of a no-lose (or no-win, depending on perspective) game for me. Purdon't loses....great, a team in our division has an "L". PSU loses....great, a team/program/coach I despise starts out with a loss.

I can't really root for either team, so I'll just see where the chips land.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

So non-border schools like IU MSU MD RU OSU and Mich are true rivals? BS.
You simply want KF to lose more games so you can call for his head after some 7-5 seasons. You want him gone and if that means Iowa has to play and lose to Mich OSU MSU and PSU the next 5 years you will be happy.

WTF are you talking about?

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I'd like Penn State to win ... because it helps the Hawks more.

However, that said, at this moment ... I think that Purdue is likely the better team/program. Consequently, I expect PU to win.

 

[pistachio1999]

I'd be willing to bet good money that Kirk Ferentz, his staff and the team's goal this year is to return to Indianapolis to play for the B1G championship.

My rooting interests for any game that doesn't involve Iowa . . . I'll repeat - ANY game . . . will be for the team that advances Iowa's goal of getting back to Indianapolis.

The whole "back into the championship game" mantra is tiresome.

It's a 12 week season. Unless a team goes 12-0 or 11-1 and defeats another 11-1 team head-to-head, getting to the championship game requires divisional opponents to lose games as well. In other words, short of perfection or near perfection, all teams benefit from divisional foes losing.

Purdue is a divisional foe. Their non-common games (Indiana, Maryland and PSU) presents a less challenging route than what lies ahead for Iowa (OSU, Michigan and Rutgers). Recognizing reality and hoping that PSU hands one of Iowa's divisional competitors a loss isn't hoping that Iowa "backs into the championship game" (whatever the f*** that means).

Remind us all. Were you hoping that Wisconsin beat Minnesota last year so that Iowa didn't "back into the championship game?"

Agreed. Wisconsin crapped themselves and we won. That ain't backing in.

 

[luvmyhawks]

Remind us all. Were you hoping that Wisconsin beat Minnesota last year so that Iowa didn't "back into the championship game?"

No. I was hoping Wisconsin would win so we wouldn’t have to watch Iowa get embarrassed again on national tv.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

No. I was hoping Wisconsin would win so we wouldn’t have to watch Iowa get embarrassed again on national tv.

The problem was that our offense couldn't score to save their life in that game (i.e. versus Michigan).

With the O continuing to put the D in tough spots ... the game was still just 21-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter. However, after the blocked punt ... and the rest of the wheels came off ... then the beating behind the woodshed proceeded after that.

 

[AuroraHawk]

I believe it is better to win your way in and leave no doubts.

I put this is the "duh" category. I can't think of a single Iowa fan who wouldn't prefer to have a perfect 9-0 B1G season or go 8-1 in the B1G and advance to the B1G championship via tiebreaker due to a head-to-head victory over the other 8-1 team.

Unless the B1G incorporates some type of points system where a team earns two points for divisional win and one point for a cross-divisional win*** instead of all games being weighed equally, you can find me rooting for B1G East teams to beat B1G West teams so long as (a) Iowa remains in contention for a B1G West title and (b) the game potentially impacts Iowa's chances to win a B1G West title.

*** Under that system, a team that runs the table (6-0) in its division would need only one cross-division win to clinch a division title. A team that is 6-0 against its division foes and 1-2 against the cross-division teams would earn 13 points. The next best team could be 5-1 in the division (losing to the 6-0 team) and 3-0 against cross-division teams would also earn 13 points but would lose the tiebreaker due to head-to-head. The only way that a team that runs the table in its division could lose the division title is (a) if it went 0-3 against cross-rival teams (12 points) and (b) another team in the division goes 5-1 in the division and 3-0 in cross-division games (13 points).

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

I put this is the "duh" category. I can't think of a single Iowa fan who wouldn't prefer to have a perfect 9-0 B1G season or go 8-1 in the B1G and advance to the B1G championship via tiebreaker due to a head-to-head victory over the other 8-1 team.

Unless the B1G incorporates some type of points system where a team earns two points for divisional win and one point for a cross-divisional win*** instead of all games being weighed equally, you can find me rooting for B1G East teams to beat B1G West teams so long as (a) Iowa remains in contention for a B1G West title and (b) the game potentially impacts Iowa's chances to win a B1G West title.

*** Under that system, a team that runs the table (6-0) in its division would need only one cross-division win to clinch a division title. A team that is 6-0 against its division foes and 1-2 against the cross-division teams would earn 13 points. The next best team could be 5-1 in the division (losing to the 6-0 team) and 3-0 against cross-division teams would also earn 13 points but would lose the tiebreaker due to head-to-head. The only way that a team that runs the table in its division could lose the division title is (a) if it went 0-3 against cross-rival teams (12 points) and (b) another team in the division goes 5-1 in the division and 3-0 in cross-division games (13 points).

I actually think the point system you described would be a great idea, a way to level out to some degree the unequal schedule differences while emphasizing the importance of your divisional games. Unfortunately with further expansion on the horizon, we will likely never see such a scenario.

 

[Greenway4Prez]

The smart play is to take the home dog getting the hook.

But, I will be staying away from this one. I don’t know if Purdue is deep/talented enough to backfill their losses. I also don’t know if Manny Diaz is worth a crap as defensive coordinator, or if his reputation was built by being in the right place at the right time with rosters so talented that they didn’t require “real” coaching up.

 

[grayhair81]

I put this is the "duh" category. I can't think of a single Iowa fan who wouldn't prefer to have a perfect 9-0 B1G season or go 8-1 in the B1G and advance to the B1G championship via tiebreaker due to a head-to-head victory over the other 8-1 team.

Unless the B1G incorporates some type of points system where a team earns two points for divisional win and one point for a cross-divisional win*** instead of all games being weighed equally, you can find me rooting for B1G East teams to beat B1G West teams so long as (a) Iowa remains in contention for a B1G West title and (b) the game potentially impacts Iowa's chances to win a B1G West title.

*** Under that system, a team that runs the table (6-0) in its division would need only one cross-division win to clinch a division title. A team that is 6-0 against its division foes and 1-2 against the cross-division teams would earn 13 points. The next best team could be 5-1 in the division (losing to the 6-0 team) and 3-0 against cross-division teams would also earn 13 points but would lose the tiebreaker due to head-to-head. The only way that a team that runs the table in its division could lose the division title is (a) if it went 0-3 against cross-rival teams (12 points) and (b) another team in the division goes 5-1 in the division and 3-0 in cross-division games (13 points).

For the record, I never stated Iowa didn't earn their way in last year. And I will correct myself and say they did not back in because they won their last game and Wiscy lost. I will stick to my assertion it didn't do Iowa or the West any favors having them in Indy last year.

 

[Greenway4Prez]

The smart play is to take the home dog getting the hook.

But, I will be staying away from this one. I don’t know if Purdue is deep/talented enough to backfill their losses. I also don’t know if Manny Diaz is worth a crap as defensive coordinator, or if his reputation was built by being in the right place at the right time with rosters so talented that they didn’t require “real” coaching up.

Ehhh, just jogged my memory a bit with some light reading. Diaz has a pretty good resume when it comes to defense. His style should be a pretty easy transition from Brent Pry: pressure, TFL’s, turnovers.

 

[hawkjt]

For the record, I never stated Iowa didn't earn their way in last year. And I will correct myself and say they did not back in because they won their last game and Wiscy lost. I will stick to my assertion it didn't do Iowa or the West any favors having them in Indy last year.

So unless we have a guaranteed win in Indy, you prefer Iowa not win the West?
I disagree. One of the main goals at the start of the season is to win that West trophy. I do not care how..just win it. Then you take your chances vs the East.

 

[grayhair81]

So unless we have a guaranteed win in Indy, you prefer Iowa not win the West?
I disagree. One of the main goals at the start of the season is to win that West trophy. I do not care how..just win it. Then you take your chances vs the East.

No guarantees. Just want to be competitive.

 

[hawkjt]

No guarantees. Just want to be competitive.

Any given Saturday.
We have beaten Mich in recent years. Just not last year

 

[pistachio1999]

For the record, I never stated Iowa didn't earn their way in last year. And I will correct myself and say they did not back in because they won their last game and Wiscy lost. I will stick to my assertion it didn't do Iowa or the West any favors having them in Indy last year.

Ah yes, Mr. Hindsight.

 

[ichawk24]

The ignore feature is your friend.

 

[BustingNarratives]

Vegas pretty much nailed this one.