We have a tuff schedule this year.
- Thread starter Hawkdome
- Start date
We play Ohio State December 1st
As has been discussed numerous times on this forum, KF teams rarely win all of their OOC games. This year the home games set up more favorably, but still, I won't be surprised at all if Iowa State comes in and pushes us around. They have some stud players - I'd take Montgomery over any of our backs, for example.
Although I do think we’ll beat ia state, Cambell is a good coach and they’re still a threat but they did lose players and we have them at home so we definitely have the advantage
Oh, me too. And I'm not "predicting" that to be the outcome either... I think it will be a sloppy game with both teams still trying to figure things out, but I think Iowa will pull away for something like a 30-24 type final score. The thing is (gulp) I've thought that so many times and watched ISU come out full of emotion, loose with their play calling, and taking calculated risks while Iowa comes out flat, tight, and playing not to lose.
Pushes Iowa around? No. Win? Yes, I can certainly see ISU winning the game. Neither team could stop the other last year.
Wisconsin's schedule was even easier last year ... they got @ Indiana with the Hoosiers having a new head coach and dealing with a QB competition, they got Maryland at home with Maryland starting their 3rd string QB, and they got Michigan at home with the Wolverines playing their 2nd/3rd string QBs and fielding an awfully young group of WRs.
In contrast, Iowa gets their cross-over @Indiana with the Hoosiers getting more settled with their coach and QB, we get Maryland at Kinnick ... but they could be tough should their top-string mobile QB be healthy, and we get Penn State at Happy Valley ... a place where they've gone undefeated over the past 2 seasons.
So sure ... Iowa's schedule is definitely "doable" ... but it is far from a lay-up.
Tough compared to... who? We don't even play 3 of the best teams in the conference and all of the "rivalry" games are at home.
I would say pSU is in the top 3 and if wiscy isnt 3rd they are a close 4th to mich imo.
Edit: I read that post as we dont play any of the top 3 teams.....
Edit: I read that post as we dont play any of the top 3 teams.....
That remains to be seen. We haven't had a long enough look at Young, Martin, or any of the young guys to make a full evaluation. I could see either or both of these guys having a breakout year. We'll see.....
Montgomery is a stud. One of these stat lines is his from the 2017 game, and the other is Akrum Wadley from the same game:
28 carries for 118 yards, 4.2 YPC & 4 receptions for 72 yards, 18.0 YPR
20 carries for 112 yards, 5.6 YPC & 5 receptions for 53 yards, 10.6 YPR
28 carries for 118 yards, 4.2 YPC & 4 receptions for 72 yards, 18.0 YPR
20 carries for 112 yards, 5.6 YPC & 5 receptions for 53 yards, 10.6 YPR
Both guys were tremendous. Montgomery's TD where he ran over Jewell and some other guys was a great effort. And Wadley's TD to tie it up late was something to behold.
I bit. Nice use of sarcasm. I haven't read the other replies but this year's schedule really does invite positive speculation.
First 4 games at home. We'll be favored in all except Wisconsin.
5 road games: Minny; Indy; Purdy; Illin and Ped State. Only 1 blue blood in the group.
Only 3 teams with name recognition.
Nebraska - we've owned of late
Wisconsin - their talent is in line with ours
PSU - KF does have a winning record against them
Northwestern - ugh, we SHOULD beat them every year. Fitz is inside Kirk's head and KF needs to kick him out.
No Mich
No MSU
No OSU
Now 7-1 in bowls is a reminder we are in a tough conference. But I think the schedule sets up nicely. 8 wins is the floor imo.
- Every bowl was against a Power 5 team: Ohio State over USC, Wisconsin over Miami, Penn State over Washington, Michigan State over Washington State, Northwestern over Kentucky, Purdue over Arizona, and Iowa over Boston College.
- The Big Ten won half of the New Year’s Six bowls (the Cotton, Fiesta, and Orange).
- Big Ten teams covered the spread in six of their eight bowls, suggesting they exceeded expectations regardless of opponent strength. The only B1G team not to cover was Northwestern. The previously 9-3 Wildcats beat 7-5 Kentucky, 24-23, with a backup quarterback.
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I generally agree with this. Schedule is decent/good. @ Penn State is going to be very difficult, and I think Wisconsin is tremendous. Purdue actually has a coach now and people talk about losing to them like it was losing to Illinois. Overall, yes a bad loss but Purdue went 7-6. Maryland could be better if their starting QB stays healthy. A lot of unknowns at this point.
Do Iowa fans want an easy schedule? Not playing Michigan, Mich State or Ohio State can be good or bad.
This years schedule is easier than last years, as Iowa fans we can't win, if we have a great season everyone will criticize the strength of our schedule, if we have a horrible season well be considered a joke. Gotta hope we can win the games were supposed to win and get the win against Wisconsin at home.
Ok, so you're correct that we could be criticized, but other than that it makes NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever. Should Iowa go 12-0 and perhaps even 11-1, AND win the B1G championship game, I think they would make the playoffs. I know for sure they would if they were 13-0 as there simply is no chance an undefeated B1G champ gets left out.
Should Iowa go 8-4, yeah, perhaps some will nitpick the schedule, but we'd still get invited to a good bowl game regardless. Should Iowa go 5-7 there would probably be some grumbling, but nothing would change for the 2019 outlook really.
