This team wouldn't be in the 1985-6 Rose Bowl because they didn't win their conference. This team has given us a hell of a ride but I find it hard to believe the best Iowa team of all time went tooth and nail with so many bad teams and couldn't get their 2nd string QB in the game more than once all year. I remember the '85 team well and they were a cut above this group- who I think is very good.
We will simply have to disagree. I believe the '85 team was significantly better. That is my opinion & I am entitled that just like you are entitled to your opinion. I've given my reasons & they have nothing to do with records. I don't believe your record tells the story. It is certainly part of it, but not the whole story. We were the best team in the B10 that year as we won the conference, played all the best teams, only had one loss...one the road to a top 5 team. The only other loss was a game that was thrown by likely our best player...maybe the best talent in the history of Iowa football. I could go down the line player by player/position by position, but it would get obvious real quick. It wouldn't be to the millennial fans, but would be to a majority of the old guard. A sampling would be Ronnie Harmon vs Jordan Canzeri. Larry Station vs Josey Jewell. And so on & so forth. I am a huge, huge Beathard guy...going back to last year. I love him as much as any Iowa QB that has ever been, but I certainly do not put him in the Chuck Long category. Chuck was a Heisman runner up. CJ may be that good, but will never be under this coaching staff as he'll never be allowed to be that type of player that Chuck was. When it comes to receivers...outside of the tailback lopsided comparison, WR might be the widest gap. Robert Smith, Happel, Quinn Early, Ronnie Harmon, Kevin Harmon, etc...etc...Even David Hudson at fullback was a stud & better than any of our fullbacks of current times. Devon Mitchell was a 1st round draft pick in the secondary. Jay Norvell was a great player at safety. Rob Houghtlin may be the best kicker we've ever had. Kenny Sims was a great corner. Finally, Mark Vlasic was a phenomenal backup QB who had as much arm strength as any Iowa QB that has ever been. I haven't even brought up the lines on both sides. Mike Flagg was an all American tight end. Also, keep in mind that unlike today, Illinois & Purdue had great teams back then. Even Indiana had some very good teams. The B10 had one pushover & that was Northwestern. Outside of that, you played everyone & were not able to hide like you can in some years with the expanded B10.
You have me confused with someone else. I said nothing about last year's game & the abomination of our program that it was.
It is your opinion which means it is not a fact. It is my opinion the '85 team (assuming Ronnie Harmon was not on shakedown during the game) played this year's version....they would wipe them off of the field. Since I think that, does that make it fact?
Moot point, both teams are behind 09 team now and there is no debating that....both teams were huge disappointment in bowl game
