Stanford love - Sirius XM

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Listening to XM radio this morning on their college sports station, they predicted their CFP Playoff poll. Most had Stanford in the #6 area and quite frankly I don't get it. They said "their wins outweigh their loss". Iowa was in the 8/9 range for them with one person having us at #7. They really said nothing good about Iowa except we play smart, win the turnover battle due to Desmond King, and nine wins is hard to do for a power five school.

I do not get the love for Stanford at all, they were dominated by a NW team who in turn was dominated by Iowa.

 

[hwk23]

We beat the team that beat Stanford by 30. The media is trying to make the Stanford vs ND game more important than it really is.

 

[C/Seahawk]

Listening to XM radio this morning on their college sports station, they predicted their CFP Playoff poll. Most had Stanford in the #6 area and quite frankly I don't get it. They said "their wins outweigh their loss". Iowa was in the 8/9 range for them with one person having us at #7. They really said nothing good about Iowa except we play smart, win the turnover battle due to Desmond King, and nine wins is hard to do for a power five school.

I do not get the love for Stanford at all, they were dominated by a NW team who in turn was dominated by Iowa.

Stanford has a few things going for them that Iowa doesn't:

- heisman candidate in Christian McCaffrey. I get we are looking at team achievements and merit, but having a high profile player like McCaffrey adds juice to their resume.
- their only loss was week one, so its easy to dismiss that loss as an opening season fluke. Whether that has merit is debateable, but we know full well how dangerous opening season games are, evidenced by some close calls against lower division teams. Its often said its not how you lose or who you lose to, but when. Their loss is ancient history as far as some are concerned. last but not least regarding NW...while it was a loss, it was a loss on the road to a ranked team.
- Stanford has recent history to support the narrative they are a top notch team. While a teams merits should be based on solely what has transpired this year, I think its fair to assume some teams benefit from being relevant and top ranked in recent seasons. Inevitable bias.
- Stanford is putting up a lot of points against schools with name brand recognition in football. 41 against USC, 41 AZ, 56 UCLA, 31 Washington


As many have said since Iowa started accumulating wins, lets just sit back and relax, and let the season play out. If we are undefeated with a win against MSU or OSU in the BTC, I don't see how we could be left out of the playoff. If we lose that game and finish with one loss, we will be right on the bubble for a playoff invite, as we should be quite frankly. Before the season started, i think it was widely accepted that our schedule was extremely favorable, and I'm not sure anything has changed. Lets wait and see what happens when the dust settles, then we can really have a debate that matters.

one game at a time

Go Hawks!

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

I know it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but the disrespect is hard to ignore. Whoever the host was this morning at one point (at about 7:45 AM CST) rattled off all of his "contenders" for the CFP, and literally named every undefeated AND 1-loss Power-5 team except Iowa and North Carolina. Even went out of his way to say that LSU, TCU and MSU were still in it. I know the fan base is starting to get a bit of a "cry-baby" reputation, but any other fan base would be doing the same thing. I loved the one caller from earlier (about 5:45 AM CST) who challenged the host that if everything were exactly the same about Iowa's season (opponents, game results, stats, etc) except they were wearing Michigan uniforms and coached by Harbaugh, they'd be a media darling and ranked in the 3-5 range.

 

[Packer54]

....and they all seem to forget a missed 42 yard fg at the gun and Stanford would have two losses.....and THAT just happened previous weekend against Washington State. Oh well.....I guess people believed the Captain when he said for so many years we were not sexy, BUT even though we are "ugly" according to others we still will get a dance if we keep winning.

 

[C/Seahawk]

....and they all seem to forget a missed 42 yard fg at the gun and Stanford would have two losses.....and THAT just happened previous weekend against Washington State. Oh well.....I guess people believed the Captain when he said for so many years we were not sexy, BUT even though we are "ugly" according to others we still will get a dance if we keep winning.

we also have a last second 57yd field goal that won a game at home with no time left against a team not currently in the top 25. So the committee should recognize their near loss, but not consider our game against Pitt a near loss too? Can't have it both ways.

 

[Arizona_Hawks]

we also have a last second 57yd field goal that won a game at home with no time left against a team not currently in the top 25. So the committee should recognize their near loss, but not consider our game against Pitt a near loss too? Can't have it both ways.

Different as our missed FG would put in OT vs a missed FG and Stanford loss.

 

[wyohawk]

Stanford is in a good position, but does not quite control their own destiny, even if they win out.

1. Undefeated ACC (Clemson)
2. Undefeated B12 (Baylor/OSU)
3. Undefeated B1G (OSU/Iowa)
4. 1-loss SEC (Bama/Florida)
5. 1-loss P12/NotreDame (Stanford/ND/Utah)
6. 1-loss B12 (Oklahoma/TCU)
7. 2-loss SEC (Bama/Florida/LSU)
8. 1-loss B1G (OSU/MSU)
9. Undefeated Houston

 

[markfromj]

Stanford is in a good position, but does not quite control their own destiny...

No team does.

 

[BioHawk]

The only thing I don't get (well I do, but it's not right), is all the love for Alabama. If any other team had the loss they do they wouldn't be sniffing the top 5 right now. To listen to serious XM, their defense is just a shy worse than the Vikings.

 

[Hawkeyestate81]

I called in to go off but after 20 minutes of being on hold listening to the idiots show thru my phone I hung up.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

The only thing I don't get (well I do, but it's not right), is all the love for Alabama. If any other team had the loss they do they wouldn't be sniffing the top 5 right now. To listen to serious XM, their defense is just a shy worse than the Vikings.

This is what I'm wondering to. They keep defending ND cause they lost to Clemson but Alabama's loss is to a 6-3 Ole Miss by double digits at Home. Ole Miss could be 6-4 after this week after facing LSU. I hated the excuse last week on ESPN show when they said well they only loss to Ole Miss because they had 5 turnovers. Well most teams who have 5 turnovers lose and whose fault is that.

 

[bdg8]

we also have a last second 57yd field goal that won a game at home with no time left against a team not currently in the top 25. So the committee should recognize their near loss, but not consider our game against Pitt a near loss too? Can't have it both ways.

I think his point is that Stanford is not dominating all teams they have played in recent weeks. They could have easily lost to Wazzu. If Stanford was beating all opponents by 3 TDs each week, then I could maybe see them jumping us. But they are similar to us in that they really don't have a signature win. They also lost to a team we destroyed at the same location.

 

[bagdropper]

Folks...we're not going to win the "national perception" angle. The blue bloods will always dominate that arena. Stanford has more gravitas than Iowa does nationally.

It's not fair this year, but it's the truth. It truly should be based upon nothing but this year, period.

Then there's the eye test. How they view Baylor, TCU, and Okie State astounds me. We don't pass the eye test by comparison. The committee so much as said so last week. Style over substance apparently matters more.

This is why we say "just win and it takes care of everything". Unfortunately, there's nothing else Iowa can do really. The national pundits and the committee aren't going to be convinced until Iowa proves it to their own minds and eyes.

The funny thing is Iowa has to beat OSU to accomplish this...that's the cruel thing in all this. Lose in any fashion from 1 to 50 against an undefeated OSU, or even beat a one loss anybody, and we'll be labeled as "soft-schedule" or "soft Big 10" Iowa.

It has to be OSU, and they have to be undefeated...or else it ain't happening.

 

[theIowaHawk]

The only thing I don't get (well I do, but it's not right), is all the love for Alabama. If any other team had the loss they do they wouldn't be sniffing the top 5 right now. To listen to serious XM, their defense is just a shy worse than the Vikings.

Because of the school, the coach, and the players.

As I've said in other threads, it depends on what you think the polls/playoff is for. If you think it is the BEST teams in the country, in order, then teams shouldn't be removed because of one loss, nor should Iowa because of no losses.

The season isn't a single-elimination tournament. Houston shouldn't come anywhere near the playoff, regardless of undefeated. If they had one loss they wouldn't be considered, and if all it takes is one loss to remove a team, you never actually believed they deserved to be there anyways.

OSU doesn't get in last year based on many of your criteria. That surprises me after last year.

Look, an undefeated and conference champion Iowa would have as good, or better, of a resume as any team in the country. Until such time, Iowa doesn't have the "respect" for the three things I listed above: School, Coach, Players, and we should all be able to admit that.

Regardless of what some fear mangers say, Iowa DOES control its destiny.

 

[David1979]

If Iowa gets to platy Ohio State I like their chances on a neutral field. Ohio State hasn't exactly looked like the team they were at the end of last year.

 

[GarryO37]

I'm starting to get a little nervous about Minnesota. The OP hasn't started a thread about how he was nervous and thinks we will lose this game. Instead, he's talking about Stanford.

 

[David1979]

Well they have to give someone from the Pac 12 love so Stanford it is. It's funny because put Iowa in Stanford's place and they would be saying well they lost to Northwestern and the Pac 12 is down and that is the only reason they have that record. They aren't that good.

 

[BioHawk]

Because of the school, the coach, and the players.

As I've said in other threads, it depends on what you think the polls/playoff is for. If you think it is the BEST teams in the country, in order, then teams shouldn't be removed because of one loss, nor should Iowa because of no losses.

The season isn't a single-elimination tournament. Houston shouldn't come anywhere near the playoff, regardless of undefeated. If they had one loss they wouldn't be considered, and if all it takes is one loss to remove a team, you never actually believed they deserved to be there anyways.

OSU doesn't get in last year based on many of your criteria. That surprises me after last year.

Look, an undefeated and conference champion Iowa would have as good, or better, of a resume as any team in the country. Until such time, Iowa doesn't have the "respect" for the three things I listed above: School, Coach, Players, and we should all be able to admit that.

Regardless of what some fear mangers say, Iowa DOES control its destiny.

It's not that they have a loss, it's who they lost to. They lost to a team that really isn't very good. Well, Ole Miss is good, but not great. I get the OSU comparison and I'm not saying that it's wrong, what I am saying is no other team could have the same loss that Alabama has and still be in the top 4.

Oh well, if Iowa wins out they are in and could very well end up playing Alabama. Their defense looked good last week but it's not too hard to stop even the best running back on the planet when you know the other team's quarterback isn't going to throw ball.

 

[BioHawk]

If Iowa gets to platy Ohio State I like their chances on a neutral field. Ohio State hasn't exactly looked like the team they were at the end of last year.

They are every bit the kind of team that gives Iowa fits when Barrett is the quarterback.

 

[theIowaHawk]

what I am saying is no other team could have the same loss that Alabama has and still be in the top 4.

Agreed, but it isn't just their school name and history, or even the SEC, it is also the coach and the players who are, admittedly, ridiculously good. Only a few schools SHOULD receive that type of recognition. OSU got it lost year. Also, and this is always such a ridiculous, but accurate reason, it is when you lose. Lose early? even to a bad team like virginia tech? Gives time to forget. Lose late, even to a GREAT team? Doesn't matter. See Michigan/OSU back in the day, 2006?

 

[BioHawk]

Agreed, but it isn't just their school name and history, or even the SEC, it is also the coach and the players who are, admittedly, ridiculously good. Only a few schools SHOULD receive that type of recognition. OSU got it lost year. Also, and this is always such a ridiculous, but accurate reason, it is when you lose. Lose early? even to a bad team like virginia tech? Gives time to forget. Lose late, even to a GREAT team? Doesn't matter. See Michigan/OSU back in the day, 2006?

Yeah, I won't ever accept that what happened last year or 5 years ago should make a shit bit of difference on this season. It's a big part of why I strongly support a 16 team playoff. All conference winners get an automatic bid and 5 at large births. It doesn't completely eliminate the problem but at least it puts the primary focus on winning your conference. It provides a path to the playoffs that take the politics out of it. You'll still have some politics because of the at large births, but at least teams like Houston or Memphis or Northern Illinois won't go undefeated and still have zero chance at a national championship. Plus, the 5 at large births ensure that any team that deserves a chance to win a national championship will still have it (which means that there will likely never be a playoff that doesn't include Ohio State and Alabama, probably getting very high seeds).