Sparty Will be National Champs.

[yerpHAWK]

In the B1G bowl prediction thread I predicted Bama to win. However I'm retracting this statement. Alabama has all the tools, defense and best player in the nation, and are a winner on paper. However, the paper doesn't win games. All they do is win. I honestly think they have the best 2 wins of the season, knocking off 2 undefeated teams late in the season. 1 on the road, 1 "neutral" (almost road game with way Iowa traveled) by having one of the most impressive drives of all time. At some point you have to stop calling these flukes and just say they are big time. I'm a believer in the Sparty party.

I also believe we will roll Stanford. MSU will be the best team we played all season, and that was a toe to toe game. Iowa comes in and proves the nation we are legit, maybe the 2nd best team in the nation.

 

[Suterman]

Maybe. Sparty's defense is world class. Their offense leaves plenty to be desired.

 

[legion_of_doom]

Maybe. Sparty's defense is world class. Their offense leaves plenty to be desired.

It gave us more than we desired late last night.

 

[mlb1399]

I think they are the second best team in the country and unfortunately they are playing the best team.

 

[91hawki]

Actually, Iowa wins last night if not for the refs.

Keep in mind, Michigan had MSU beat. So MSU should have 3 losses but is somehow blessed with only 1.

 

[pkaul666]

In the B1G bowl prediction thread I predicted Bama to win. However I'm retracting this statement. Alabama has all the tools, defense and best player in the nation, and are a winner on paper. However, the paper doesn't win games. All they do is win. I honestly think they have the best 2 wins of the season, knocking off 2 undefeated teams late in the season. 1 on the road, 1 "neutral" (almost road game with way Iowa traveled) by having one of the most impressive drives of all time. At some point you have to stop calling these flukes and just say they are big time. I'm a believer in the Sparty party.

I also believe we will roll Stanford. MSU will be the best team we played all season, and that was a toe to toe game. Iowa comes in and proves the nation we are legit, maybe the 2nd best team in the nation.

No. That Msu running back will get nowhere and I mean NOWHERE vs bama front. Msu defense certainly good enough to keep it close but if Connor cook isn't healthy bama will win by 10.

 

[bigfridaynite]

Conner cook is fine he just threw for 248 yds 19/27 against Penn St. Last week I don't understand that healthy thing I keep reading.

 

[thos]

Actually, Iowa wins last night if not for the refs.

Keep in mind, Michigan had MSU beat. So MSU should have 3 losses but is somehow blessed with only 1.

MSU played the UM game with something like 9 starters out and had 2 true freshmen starting at safety for the first time. Yet still held um to around 230 yards and beat then in every statistical category. But yes, um did have msu beat for all but .01 second.

 

[ahawkfan91]

They're 4th best out of the 4 remaining teams. They will get raped by Bama (who already destroyed a dominant B1G defense this year).

Something like 31-9.

 

[ahawkfan91]

Maybe. Sparty's defense is world class..

Nebraska shredded them. This is MSU's worst D in years.

 

[FloridaHawk82]

I agree. MSU beats Bama. I also think MSU can beat Clemson, but not sure their pass D is good enough to beat the Sooners, especially since they often leave their corners on islands.

 

[ahawkfan91]

I agree. MSU beats Bama. I also think MSU can beat Clemson, but not sure their pass D is good enough to beat the Sooners, especially since they often leave their corners on islands.

Their DBs are terrible. Either OU or Clemson would shred them.

 

[iasooner1]

Congrats on the holy grail Rose. (OU has won a trophy there in this century)

"Iowa’s last trip to Pasadena was the 1991 Rose Bowl, a 46-34 loss to Washington — leaving Hayden Fry with an 0-3 Rose record as coach. This will mark Kirk Ferentz’s ninth January bowl game in 17 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, but his first Rose Bowl.

The last time Iowa won in Pasadena was in the 1959 game, 38-12 over California."

Good luck; you will need it.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Their DBs are terrible. Either OU or Clemson would shred them.

So you think Bama beats MSU easily and Stanford beats Iowa in a game that "won't be that close", as stated in the Stanford thread. Not exactly conventional wisdom.

No doubt, Bama could beat MSU and Stanford could beat Iowa, but I fully expect both games to be hard-fought and pretty close. Sure, some games get lopsided unexpectedly, but I don't think many knowledgeable fans or analysts think anyone will win either of these games easily by any means. This is absolutely NOT MSU's "worst defense in years", as you say above. In fact, it's one of their best front 7's in years. Their secondary is young due to injury, but they're still playing reasonably well of late, and their D-line gets such a good pass rush most of the time that QB's don't typically have a lot of time to make their reads and get the ball out, so the front 7 protect the secondary to a degree.

Stanford can run it very well with McCaffrey, but their defense isn't on the same level as MSU's. I expect a closely contested game with Stanford, but more high-scoring than Iowa-MSU. I think Stanford puts up more points on us than MSU did, but I also think we score a fair amount more than we did last night. I think MSU-Bama is basically a toss-up and will be a slugfest. People underestimate MSU at their peril in this one. As usual, some will give Bama the benefit of the doubt due to their brand and their conference.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Congrats on the holy grail Rose. (OU has won a trophy there in this century)

"Iowa’s last trip to Pasadena was the 1991 Rose Bowl, a 46-34 loss to Washington — leaving Hayden Fry with an 0-3 Rose record as coach. This will mark Kirk Ferentz’s ninth January bowl game in 17 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, but his first Rose Bowl.

The last time Iowa won in Pasadena was in the 1959 game, 38-12 over California."

Good luck; you will need it.

So Iowa will need luck to beat Stanford. I disagree, as do many others.

 

[iasooner1]

the hawx require luck to beat all the cream puffs you schedule every year so, yeah you will need it against a pretty tough cardinal team and all of the years since '59 that you have come back empty. If you do win I expect Ferentz to pack it in and be content in the glory of this season...

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

the hawx require luck to beat all the cream puffs you schedule every year so, yeah you will need it against a pretty tough cardinal team and all of the years since '59 that you have come back empty. If you do win I expect Ferentz to pack it in and be content in the glory of this season...

OK -- I now realize that you're full of crap and misinformation. No use discussing anything with you. See ya.

 

[luvthehawks]

I am a huge Michigan State fan on New Year's Eve . We have a brother school who can win it all, we should root for them unconditionally.

 

[ROCKY MOUNTAIN HAWK]

Mich St wins it all.

 

[WolfeHawk]

So you underestimate Iowa, Iowa's schedule, and Kirk. I can tell you of at least 3+ million reasons why Kirk will be back next year. And about 1100 or so people on Iowa schedule this year would like to have a word with you about calling them cream puffs. Go tell it to those cream puffs to their face. Just tell me when and where so I can document it.

 

[Spartan1969]

Maybe. Sparty's defense is world class. Their offense leaves plenty to be desired.

Maybe Connor Cook's throwing arm will be healthy by time we play Bama. Our offense is better when our quarterback can throw the ball downfield.

 

[Spartan1969]

Actually, Iowa wins last night if not for the refs.

Keep in mind, Michigan had MSU beat. So MSU should have 3 losses but is somehow blessed with only 1.

For the record, in our wins over MI, OSU, and Iowa, we had collectively twice as many first downs as those three teams combined, and at least 50% more total yards. Those wins were not flukes. We held UM to 230 total yards, and OSU to 132 total yards. We actually are quite good.

 

[aurorabimmer]

M

Maybe. Sparty's defense is world class. Their offense leaves plenty to be desired.

Maybe their offense didn't look good because of our defense just as our's didn't look good because of their defense. I'm a fan of Sparty for the CFP. Go Hawks and Go Big Ten.

 

[David1979]

If Michigan State beats Alabama I think they will win it all. They have just enough offense and they have the D to stop Alabama's run game.

 

[Scherrman]

For the record, in our wins over MI, OSU, and Iowa, we had collectively twice as many first downs as those three teams combined, and at least 50% more total yards. Those wins were not flukes. We held UM to 230 total yards, and OSU to 132 total yards. We actually are quite good.

MSU is good but no one can tell me that the win against Mich wasn't a fluke. That was pretty lucky.

 

[Spartan1969]

MSU is good but no one can tell me that the win against Mich wasn't a fluke. That was pretty lucky.

It was lucky no doubt. But that doesn't mean we didn't dominate the game. We gained 382 yards to their 230. We had 20 first downs to their 10. In the end, their special teams kept them in the game for the first 59 minutes and 50 seconds. In the end, their special teams cost them the game.

 

[Scherrman]

It was lucky no doubt. But that doesn't mean we didn't dominate the game. We gained 382 yards to their 230. We had 20 first downs to their 10. In the end, their special teams kept them in the game for the first 59 minutes and 50 seconds. In the end, their special teams cost them the game.

That may be but if they truly dominated they shouldn't have needed to rely on a fluke play to win. It doesn't really matter now, I really believe MSU is the best team in the B1G and I hope they crush Bama.

 

[Vroom_C14]

the hawx require luck to beat all the cream puffs you schedule every year so, yeah you will need it against a pretty tough cardinal team and all of the years since '59 that you have come back empty. If you do win I expect Ferentz to pack it in and be content in the glory of this season...

Texas sends it love.

 

[doughudd]

Conner cook is fine he just threw for 248 yds 19/27 against Penn St. Last week I don't understand that healthy thing I keep reading.

I don't remember him throwing deep at all against Iowa.

 

[noStemsnoSTICKS]

In the B1G bowl prediction thread I predicted Bama to win. However I'm retracting this statement. Alabama has all the tools, defense and best player in the nation, and are a winner on paper. However, the paper doesn't win games. All they do is win. I honestly think they have the best 2 wins of the season, knocking off 2 undefeated teams late in the season. 1 on the road, 1 "neutral" (almost road game with way Iowa traveled) by having one of the most impressive drives of all time. At some point you have to stop calling these flukes and just say they are big time. I'm a believer in the Sparty party.

I also believe we will roll Stanford. MSU will be the best team we played all season, and that was a toe to toe game. Iowa comes in and proves the nation we are legit, maybe the 2nd best team in the nation.

I believe the opposite. I think Sparty's gonna get worked by Bama. Probably by 3 scores or more.