Listening to the latest Hawkeye report and Gazette podcasts made me think more about the 2015 Iowa St game. In the last gazette podcast, Morehouse stated that Vegas had Iowa St winning 3 games. He said that only (I think) 8 other teams were picked to win as many including a first year school. From that standpoint, on paper, there should be no reason for Iowa to lose this game. Yet, many have already predicted Iowa losing to State in Ames this year.
I looked back at the past games against Iowa St with Ferentz as head coach. Many of us have have stated that his is Iowa St’s Super Bowl. I am going to pull a ‘not so fast’ on that theory. Iowa St has beaten Iowa in similar fashion with THREE different coaches and essentially with two different Iowa assistant coaching staffs. It pains me the write that the common denominator is Kirk Ferentz. I stated yesterday that Iowa always appears to play tighter against Iowa St than other games, could it be that Ferentz does circle the calendar and treats Iowa St. week differently than other teams on the schedule.
Ferentz lost the first four games to Iowa St which two of those teams were actually very good teams. One finished 9-3 in 2000 and the 2002 team was ranked in the top 10 before losing a string of games on a brutal road schedule. The main feedback for Ferentz might have been Iowa St as Iowa fans were not accustomed to losing to the lowly Clones and saw the Clones, as they did with NW as perennial losers that should never beat Iowa.
I consider this game with Iowa St the most important game for Ferentz since the 2010 Wisc game and one of top 5 most important games of his career. That may not bode well for this game if the issue is a variance in preparation and Iowa playing too tight. The one advantage might be having CJ at the helm who might be able to open up the game as Stanzi did who was 3-0* first Iowa St as a starter. God I miss Pick 6 Rick. All he did was win games.
I can’t believe I am anticipating an Iowa St as much as I am but it’s THE pinnacle game for 2015. Technically, I am not sure what to expect from Iowa St this year. I know Richardson is back this year and he gutted Iowa’s defense in the 2nd half last year. Lazard is the real deal. They lost their stud TE to the NFL and best player on a already horrid defensive line. I just hope the Iowa d-line does not play contain this year and actually gets some pressure on Richardson. Other than that I am drawing a blank in predicting the game. I would like to say that we will know more (about the Iowa St game) after Iowa plays Ill St and Iowa St plays N Iowa. But we know that N Iowa beating Iowa St by 55 points means absolutely NADA for the Iowa game. All I know is my first feeling, as big Ferentz fan, will be relief followed by great excitement if Iowa starts the season at 2-0
*I will add an asterisk to Stanzi’s first game as Jake Chistensen took over the reins in the 3rd quarter.
I looked back at the past games against Iowa St with Ferentz as head coach. Many of us have have stated that his is Iowa St’s Super Bowl. I am going to pull a ‘not so fast’ on that theory. Iowa St has beaten Iowa in similar fashion with THREE different coaches and essentially with two different Iowa assistant coaching staffs. It pains me the write that the common denominator is Kirk Ferentz. I stated yesterday that Iowa always appears to play tighter against Iowa St than other games, could it be that Ferentz does circle the calendar and treats Iowa St. week differently than other teams on the schedule.
Ferentz lost the first four games to Iowa St which two of those teams were actually very good teams. One finished 9-3 in 2000 and the 2002 team was ranked in the top 10 before losing a string of games on a brutal road schedule. The main feedback for Ferentz might have been Iowa St as Iowa fans were not accustomed to losing to the lowly Clones and saw the Clones, as they did with NW as perennial losers that should never beat Iowa.
I consider this game with Iowa St the most important game for Ferentz since the 2010 Wisc game and one of top 5 most important games of his career. That may not bode well for this game if the issue is a variance in preparation and Iowa playing too tight. The one advantage might be having CJ at the helm who might be able to open up the game as Stanzi did who was 3-0* first Iowa St as a starter. God I miss Pick 6 Rick. All he did was win games.
I can’t believe I am anticipating an Iowa St as much as I am but it’s THE pinnacle game for 2015. Technically, I am not sure what to expect from Iowa St this year. I know Richardson is back this year and he gutted Iowa’s defense in the 2nd half last year. Lazard is the real deal. They lost their stud TE to the NFL and best player on a already horrid defensive line. I just hope the Iowa d-line does not play contain this year and actually gets some pressure on Richardson. Other than that I am drawing a blank in predicting the game. I would like to say that we will know more (about the Iowa St game) after Iowa plays Ill St and Iowa St plays N Iowa. But we know that N Iowa beating Iowa St by 55 points means absolutely NADA for the Iowa game. All I know is my first feeling, as big Ferentz fan, will be relief followed by great excitement if Iowa starts the season at 2-0
*I will add an asterisk to Stanzi’s first game as Jake Chistensen took over the reins in the 3rd quarter.
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