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Reminder of the "ISU Threshold" and why tomorrow is a must-win

Feb 25, 2008
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Since Kirk Ferentz took over at the University of Iowa in 1999, there have been many changes both throughout the landscape of college football and within Iowa City itself.

But a few things have remained unchanged. For example, Iowa has prided itself on excellent defense and special teams, a staple that has finally begun to garner the national recognition and respect that it deserves. Conversely, also unchanged albeit with wavering results over the years, is Iowa's plodding, ugly, black sheep of the family offense. A staple that is also finally garnering national recognition but for all the wrong reasons.......

However, another statistical anomaly has also persisted through Kirk’s tenure, one that has only been broken twice in 23 years.

And that is what I'm dubbing (for lack of a better term) the Iowa State Threshold.

I bring this up every year, and yet few people ever seem to truly grasp what it means, but it goes something like this:

Simply put, if Iowa beats Iowa State......we are guaranteed 8 or more wins on the year. This has happened every single time under Kirk Ferentz save for a tumultuous 2006 season where we went 6-7. (In that same regard, it can be said, that we are guaranteed of at least going to a bowl as well)

On the other side, if we lose to Iowa State, then basically our record is up for grabs, and only once has Iowa ever finished with more than 7 wins following a loss to our rivals to the west. That being the groundbreaking 2002 season, which in and of itself continues to be more and more of a lightning in a bottle season rather than some kind of established trend at Iowa under Ferentz.

And I bring this all up again because as we enter Saturday's game, given our offense's historic struggles, things are not exactly pointing in our favor to end up on the right side of the ISU Threshold..........

That's why I suggest that this year, perhaps moreso than in most any other year, is a must-win for Iowa and for Ferentz and his staff. A win could at least stave off the wolves, albeit temporarily given the fact that our offense is not going to fix itself over night especially under the current coaching staff.
A loss, however, could signify much darker days ahead, and very soon, for Ferentz and the Iowa program.

But the choice is entirely theirs to make. We just get to sit here and watch it unfold....... :)
 
what you wrote rings true and is reminiscent of bleak russian literature

hope the boys stun us all with a determined and gutsy all round win to force the talking heads into a new narrative...

Also I wonder whether tomorrow's game will break viewing records in some category (let's say for OOC games) because media coverage has turned iowa's unique approach into a national attraction. might pay off on the recruiting trail against all odds :)
 
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Since Kirk Ferentz took over at the University of Iowa in 1999, there have been many changes both throughout the landscape of college football and within Iowa City itself.

But a few things have remained unchanged. For example, Iowa has prided itself on excellent defense and special teams, a staple that has finally begun to garner the national recognition and respect that it deserves. Conversely, also unchanged albeit with wavering results over the years, is Iowa's plodding, ugly, black sheep of the family offense. A staple that is also finally garnering national recognition but for all the wrong reasons.......

However, another statistical anomaly has also persisted through Kirk’s tenure, one that has only been broken twice in 23 years.

And that is what I'm dubbing (for lack of a better term) the Iowa State Threshold.

I bring this up every year, and yet few people ever seem to truly grasp what it means, but it goes something like this:

Simply put, if Iowa beats Iowa State......we are guaranteed 8 or more wins on the year. This has happened every single time under Kirk Ferentz save for a tumultuous 2006 season where we went 6-7. (In that same regard, it can be said, that we are guaranteed of at least going to a bowl as well)

On the other side, if we lose to Iowa State, then basically our record is up for grabs, and only once has Iowa ever finished with more than 7 wins following a loss to our rivals to the west. That being the groundbreaking 2002 season, which in and of itself continues to be more and more of a lightning in a bottle season rather than some kind of established trend at Iowa under Ferentz.

And I bring this all up again because as we enter Saturday's game, given our offense's historic struggles, things are not exactly pointing in our favor to end up on the right side of the ISU Threshold..........

That's why I suggest that this year, perhaps moreso than in most any other year, is a must-win for Iowa and for Ferentz and his staff. A win could at least stave off the wolves, albeit temporarily given the fact that our offense is not going to fix itself over night especially under the current coaching staff.
A loss, however, could signify much darker days ahead, and very soon, for Ferentz and the Iowa program.

But the choice is entirely theirs to make. We just get to sit here and watch it unfold....... :)
Makes perfect sense. If you lose to a bad team, you will have a bad season.
 
Fvck that ho
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Since Kirk Ferentz took over at the University of Iowa in 1999, there have been many changes both throughout the landscape of college football and within Iowa City itself.

But a few things have remained unchanged. For example, Iowa has prided itself on excellent defense and special teams, a staple that has finally begun to garner the national recognition and respect that it deserves. Conversely, also unchanged albeit with wavering results over the years, is Iowa's plodding, ugly, black sheep of the family offense. A staple that is also finally garnering national recognition but for all the wrong reasons.......

However, another statistical anomaly has also persisted through Kirk’s tenure, one that has only been broken twice in 23 years.

And that is what I'm dubbing (for lack of a better term) the Iowa State Threshold.

I bring this up every year, and yet few people ever seem to truly grasp what it means, but it goes something like this:

Simply put, if Iowa beats Iowa State......we are guaranteed 8 or more wins on the year. This has happened every single time under Kirk Ferentz save for a tumultuous 2006 season where we went 6-7. (In that same regard, it can be said, that we are guaranteed of at least going to a bowl as well)

On the other side, if we lose to Iowa State, then basically our record is up for grabs, and only once has Iowa ever finished with more than 7 wins following a loss to our rivals to the west. That being the groundbreaking 2002 season, which in and of itself continues to be more and more of a lightning in a bottle season rather than some kind of established trend at Iowa under Ferentz.

And I bring this all up again because as we enter Saturday's game, given our offense's historic struggles, things are not exactly pointing in our favor to end up on the right side of the ISU Threshold..........

That's why I suggest that this year, perhaps moreso than in most any other year, is a must-win for Iowa and for Ferentz and his staff. A win could at least stave off the wolves, albeit temporarily given the fact that our offense is not going to fix itself over night especially under the current coaching staff.
A loss, however, could signify much darker days ahead, and very soon, for Ferentz and the Iowa program.

But the choice is entirely theirs to make. We just get to sit here and watch it unfold....... :)
Honestly, its probably an even bigger must win for ISwho. Think about it. Six straight, and Campbell never beaten KF. With the upcoming changes in conference and TV$$$, if the clones don't win Saturday against our punchless offense, (or so it seems anyway), WHEN will they ever win again in the game?
 
Honestly, its probably an even bigger must win for ISwho. Think about it. Six straight, and Campbell never beaten KF. With the upcoming changes in conference and TV$$$, if the clones don't win Saturday against our punchless offense, (or so it seems anyway), WHEN will they ever win again in the game?
Next year with…their best team evaaaaa.
 
Good point about the ISU threshold but if you're from Iowa, especially Central IA it's always a must win. Their fans have 7 years of angst and shit talking built up and the damn will explode like it hasn't since 98 if they win.

Plus with how unimpressive the b12 usually is it could really springboard them to a decent record and Iowa is already losing more recruits to them than they should with the future of the leagues pretty clear.... In a state of 3 million we need to keep the boot on their throat. If yet another pathetic Ferentz offensive performance ends up snapping the streak tomorrow the fragile Kirk fanboys are going to need to find their safe space. This board will be an absolute shit show.

Kirk is only 2-2 in last 4 at Kinnick, losing to that 2-10 isu team in 14 was beyond pathetic
 
Honestly, its probably an even bigger must win for ISwho. Think about it. Six straight, and Campbell never beaten KF. With the upcoming changes in conference and TV$$$, if the clones don't win Saturday against our punchless offense, (or so it seems anyway), WHEN will they ever win again in the game?
They say that every other year or so. It's not like Campbell losing again will signify that he's a lost cause for ISU, nor is their season over by any means.

Iowa losing.....basically means their season is gonna be a struggle just to be considered a sh** season. Not to mention the enormous pressure that falls back on Kirk (again.....) with a non-8+ win season and having to deal with whether or not to fire Brian or relocate him off the highest positions for offense.

Only once has Iowa not had to deal with a dumpster fire roller coaster ensuing season where they lost to Iowa State............and this f***ing ain't anything like that team.
 
you called it. this game might end up marking the decline and fall of a solid program.
 
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