Will we upgrade our schedule in 2019?

[Urohawk]

Getting rid of ISU is a non-issue. It's not happening. Iowa moves into a 9 game B10 schedule. Looking at the current strength of schedule controversy, do we need to upgrade who we play?

2016-ISU, Miami-OH, North Dakota St.
2017-ISU, Wyoming, North Texas
2018-ISU, N Illinois, UNI
2019-ISU, Miami-OH, ????

Miami-OH (Correction: 3rd Place in MAC), North Texas (last CUSA), and Wyoming (bottom of MWC) have all been in ESPN Bottom 10 on and off all season.

With a 9 game rotation in the B10 and ISU on the schedule, I don't necessarily need to see another power 5 on there. Again it saddens me that it is ISU because they do nothing for us. However, I think we can't continue to play FCS schools. I also think we could upgrade our competition from the MAC, CUSA, and MWC. It reminds me of when IA Basketball did an upgrade. I don't think we have to face murder's row, but at the same time we really are scheduling the worst of the worst.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

Yes we should look to add a solid team like Pittsburg.

 

[whatsup13579er]

The shedule is fine. Just look at the CFP rankings putting Iowa at #5. Most years Iowa won't miss OSU/MSU/PSU/Mich on cross over games. Stop listening to the national blowhards that hate Iowa because they can crash the blue blood party.

*Edit: Iowa would need at least a home and home arrangement like they have done with Pitt/Arizona/ASU but the problem is A) those schools won't agree to a straight up home and home and B) those schools won't travel north of the Mason-Dixon line.

 

[Dauminator]

We're playing North Dakota State? Wow. Is it the season opener? I think it is a great idea having the defending 1A and 1AA national champions raise the curtain on the new season. That's incredible planning and marketing on the part of our AD. Bravo!

 

[Ben Richards]

Since we're going to get anyway as an undefeated B1G champion, even with a supposedly weak schedule, then what the hell is the point in scheduling tougher games?

 

[Ben Richards]

We're playing North Dakota State? Wow. Is it the season opener? I think it is a great idea having the defending 1A and 1AA national champions raise the curtain on the new season. That's incredible planning and marketing on the part of our AD. Bravo!

It's Week 3, which is advantageous for us, since they can't spend the entire off-season prepping for Iowa like they have for some of these other games against Power 5 teams.

 

[Dauminator]

On the schedule, I think ISU does offer something. A cross-conference in-state rivalry? Guaranteed P5 opponent? All good. And it's unique being so early in the season. Keep it.

I see those schedules as roughly what we had this year. FCS team, mid-major, ISU, then some P5 team like Pittsburgh. It's just that now the P5 team will be a conference game. Looks the same.

I don't particularly mind one FCS game a year. You don't want to kill yourself every game. And mid major games will happen as it's not as easy as one might think to schedule the big boys. But I do think we should aim for home and homes with P5 if we can get them or at least a neutral site game with big teams every 3-4 years.

 

[ABYPFCS]

Since we're going to get anyway as an undefeated B1G champion, even with a supposedly weak schedule, then what the hell is the point in scheduling tougher games?

A lot of truth to this, but I would personally prefer a middle of the pack P5 team. Of course, the middle of the pack team might become a top of the pack team, when the game comes around.

 

[cidsports]

Other than Stanford, who plays 11 P5 teams in a season? Iowa played 10, which is better than Baylor.

Fwiw

 

[SoDakHawk]

So some of you are advocating that Iowa plays nobody OOC. When the weak OOC schedule comes around to bite Iowa in the future don't complain.

I think we should strive for more than that. In order to do so we need to get rid of the ISU albatross. If we're going to keep that game then we need to get creative, neutral site games in KC or Chicago against solid teams from other conferences. I wish the Big would do something for football like they do for basketball, a Big/PAC or Big/ACC football challenge would be sweet.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I think Iowa can get away with exploring some of the more mid-level teams from the mid-major conferences. The problem once you start asking some of the bigger names is they're gonna want home and homes just like any other P5 team would want. We'd never get Boise State, Cincinnati or most bigger names in the AAC, and a few others without them wanting a home game in return.

Iowa could go the route of some other teams and look at playing Army or Navy as we'd be less likely to be asked to travel there. Or perhaps some of the newer FBS teams like Appalachian State (I'd rather not.....), Charlotte, UTSA, Texas State, Old Dominion, etc etc to give those teams a name game. It'd be someone different and but it'd also fill spots that may otherwise end up being filled by FCS schools.

But the fact is, as long as Iowa has ISU on the schedule, and Iowa shows no intent to play fewer than 7 home games every year, we will not see any other P5 teams in the non-conference in the foreseeable future.

Unless, of course, they finally go to a 13-game regular season schedule.

 

[whatsup13579er]

This is such a stupid argument. No undefeated Power 5 team is ever going to be left out. If Baylor runs the table, nobody is going to say "Hey,they only played Lamar and 1-8 SMU in the non-con! They don't deserve a spot!"

It's such an idiotic, moronic argument. There is absolutely no advantage to playing ridiculously tough OOC games. None.

The Big Ten schedule is tough enough most years (even more so now with the 9th game), what the hell is the point in playing tough OOC games? The poster above is correct, ISU is actually the PERFECT opponent right now. They suck enough that we should always have a strong chance to beat them, and no one can accuse us of ducking other Power 5 opponents because we "have" to play them as an in-state rival. It's win-win.

What's going to eventually happen is ISU will get sick and tired of missing a bowl game every year so they'll ultimately move to end this as an every year series (only they can do it) so that they can buy another win, and the Cy-Hawk game will move to something like a 2-years-on, 2-years-off sort of thing allowing both sides more scheduling flexibility. Look for this to happen within the next 10 years.

What metric will they use if someday there are 5 undefeated power 5 champions?

 

[Ben Richards]

What metric will they use if someday there are 5 undefeated power 5 champions?

Why don't you start by listing every single time that's happened in the 150 year history of college football, and then I'll get back to you.

I'm gonna guess that the number is real close, or equal to, a big fat zero. But yes, by all means, let's get our panties in a bunch about something that's never happened, and never will.

You're FAR more likely to see a scenario with zero undefeated teams and about 10 with one loss.

 

[IACub]

Remember that most years we'll play tougher teams from the East Division. That said, we need to stop scheduling FCS teams. I like playing Pitt, but I'm kind of nervous how good they'll be after Narduzzi gets his own guys in there.

 

[whatsup13579er]

Why don't you start by listing every single time that's happened in the 150 year history of college football, and then I'll get back to you.

I'm gonna guess that the number is real close, or equal to, a big fat zero. But yes, by all means, let's get our panties in a bunch about something that's never happened, and never will.

You're FAR more likely to see a scenario with zero undefeated teams and about 10 with one loss.

Okay, what metric will they use to determine a 4 team playoff from 5, 1 loss conference champions?

 

[Vroom_C14]

Let's get someone new - NC State, NC, Duke, Virginia, California, Wash St, UCF, Wake Forest...

 

[Ben Richards]

Okay, what metric will they use to determine a 4 team playoff from 5, 1 loss conference champions?

Who the hell cares?

In that scenario, it would be most advantageous to have the easiest possible schedule, as you would then be the most likely team to be the only undefeated.

I have zero sympathy for any one loss team getting left out of any type of championship discussion.

 

[Ben Richards]

That said, we need to stop scheduling FCS teams.

The Big Ten has already made that decision for us.

 

[IACub]

We used to do a lot of home & aways with the Pac 10.

 

[IACub]

The Big Ten has already made that decision for us.

Right - I forgot that. Sorry UNI.

 

[Ben Richards]

We used to do a lot of home & aways with the Pac 10.

And still do. Kirk had home and aways with Arizona and ASU.

We used to have some of the toughest schedules in the country back in the '60s and '70s, and not coincidentally, sucked big fat hairy donkey balls during that period.

Hmmmm...wonder why?

 

[bagdropper]

Baylor played SMU, Lamar and Rice this year.
Okie State played at Central Michigan, Central Arkansas, and TX-San Antonio
TCU played at Minnesota, SMU and SF Austin
Oklahoma played at Tennessee, Tulsa and Akron
OSU played at Va Tech, Western Michigan, Hawaii and Northern Illinois

Pretty much every SEC team schedules a FCS team as one of their 2-3 remaining games every year. Not only FCS teams, but bad FCS teams. It'd be nice if Iowa was playing Drake this weekend, wouldn't it?

You can look at almost every P5 team and rag on their schedule in some fashion.

These are why I never, ever rag on Iowa's non-con schedule.

 

[iahawkeyes17]

We're playing North Dakota State? Wow. Is it the season opener? I think it is a great idea having the defending 1A and 1AA national champions raise the curtain on the new season. That's incredible planning and marketing on the part of our AD. Bravo!

First off NDSU hasn't won the title yet this year and already has 2 losses on the year. Second it's not their opening game of the year. Third they lose their QB who is projected as a late round pick. Finally we did play the Runner Up this year who had the lead with 2 min left in the title game returning their All American RB and QB and how did that game end up playing out?

 

[FloridaHawk82]

Teams I'd love to see us set up a Home-Home with, starting in 2019:

Big 12 makes sense, as they have been trying to beef up OOC after last year's diss...

Baylor: Problem is they already have Rice, UTSA, and yes, the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals scheduled for 2019.

Texas: Already has a Home-Home with LSU in 2019-20

Oklahoma State : Already scheduled with Oregon State for 2019-20

West Virginia: Mizzou has them in 2019

Oklahoma: Already has a 2018-19 with UCLA

TCU: Has Ohio state in 2018-19

SEC:

LSU and Mizzou: See above

Arkansas: Has Michigan scheduled for 2019

TAMU: Has Oregon in 2019

Since I'm running out of ideas, I say we make a run for the Cowboy Classic in Arlington against ALABAMA in 2020!? I say, why not?

Past and Future Cowboys Classic Games

• 2015 – Alabama vs. Wisconsin
• 2016 – Alabama vs. USC
• 2017 – Florida vs. Michigan
• 2018 – LSU vs. Miami
• 2019 – Auburn vs. Oregon

BUT, we may not have a chance at this. The below is borrowed from a past AL.com article:

ESPN and Alabama would have to "mutually approve" the opponent in the game. The contract states Alabama will receive $6 million guaranteed for participation. Also, it says Alabama will receive "a minimum of $1,000,000 more than their opponent for the 2019 or 2020 game."

Alabama will open the 2015 and 2016 seasons in the Cowboy Classic in the home of the Dallas Cowboys. It will receive $4 million to play Wisconsin this season and $6.5 million for the 2016 game with USC.

 

[bagdropper]

And still do. Kirk had home and aways with Arizona and ASU.

We used to have some of the toughest schedules in the country back in the '60s and '70s, and not coincidentally, sucked big fat hairy donkey balls during that period.

Hmmmm...wonder why?

71 = Oregon State, Penn State
72 = Oregon State, Penn State
73 = UCLA, Penn State, Arizona
74 = UCLA, Penn State, USC
75 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
76 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
77 = ISU, Arizona, UCLA
78 = ISU, Arizona, Utah
79 = Oklahoma, Nebraska, ISU
80 = Nebraska, ISU, Arizona
81 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA
82 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA

Notice how Oklahoma never came back to Iowa City in return. That's what we would get today if we negotiated and scheduled southern and SE US P5 programs...games there, none here.

If they'd agree to them at all.


It wasn't until 1985 that Iowa eased the schedule - which was probably the result of Hayden Fry getting in Bump Elliott's ear about playing a Murderer's Row every non-con - as well as letting the in-place contracts play out. He as much mentioned it in his opening presser when he got hired.

Iowa has had by my count exactly 4 years since 1978 out of 36 I believe...that would fit in with the 70's.

Iowa has sustained not sucking as bad as the 70's as a direct result of easing the schedule. One could say it saved the program.

 

[bagdropper]

Iowa has never...not once...played a game against an SEC school in the regular season (only a one off like the kickoff classic in the 80's).

It will NEVER happen unless it's a one-off type game, and judging from Alabama's terms, we'd get raped in payout.

 

[hansenhawk]

Won't happen, period. With a 9 game B1G schedule and ISU on the sched forever, those other 2 teams will be complete cupcakes and will have to be home games.

 

[cidsports]

We used to do a lot of home & aways with the Pac 10.

Why do I have visions of the 1970s, when you bring this up. 1961-1980 Iowa was pretty ugly. UCLA has always been a good non-conference opponent, but for some reason the games were always back loaded in Iowa City. Great win in Week 3 for the 1981 Hawkeyes ...

 

[cidsports]

Won't happen, period. With a 9 game B1G schedule and ISU on the sched forever, those other 2 teams will be complete cupcakes and will have to be home games.

Was Northern Illinois a complete cupcake for Ohio State in September 2015?

 

[ClearwaterHawkI]

Getting rid of ISU is a non-issue. It's not happening. Iowa moves into a 9 game B10 schedule. Looking at the current strength of schedule controversy, do we need to upgrade who we play?

2016-ISU, Miami-OH, North Dakota St.
2017-ISU, Wyoming, North Texas
2018-ISU, N Illinois, UNI
2019-ISU, Miami-OH, ????

Miami-OH (3rd from last MAC), North Texas (last CUSA), and Wyoming (bottom of MWC) have all been in ESPN Bottom 10 on and off all season.

With a 9 game rotation in the B10 and ISU on the schedule, I don't necessarily need to see another power 5 on there. Again it saddens me that it is ISU because they do nothing for us. However, I think we can't continue to play FCS schools. I also think we could upgrade our competition from the MAC, CUSA, and MWC. It reminds me of when IA Basketball did an upgrade. I don't think we have to face murder's row, but at the same time we really are scheduling the worst of the worst.

It really depends if coach can stop calling 1-800-cream-puff

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

71 = Oregon State, Penn State
72 = Oregon State, Penn State
73 = UCLA, Penn State, Arizona
74 = UCLA, Penn State, USC
75 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
76 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
77 = ISU, Arizona, UCLA
78 = ISU, Arizona, Utah
79 = Oklahoma, Nebraska, ISU
80 = Nebraska, ISU, Arizona
81 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA
82 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA

Notice how Oklahoma never came back to Iowa City in return. That's what we would get today if we negotiated and scheduled southern and SE US P5 programs...games there, none here.

If they'd agree to them at all.


It wasn't until 1985 that Iowa eased the schedule - which was probably the result of Hayden Fry getting in Bump Elliott's ear about playing a Murderer's Row every non-con - as well as letting the in-place contracts play out. He as much mentioned it in his opening presser when he got hired.

Iowa has had by my count exactly 4 years since 1978 out of 36 I believe...that would fit in with the 70's.

Iowa has sustained not sucking as bad as the 70's as a direct result of easing the schedule. One could say it saved the program.

 

[cidsports]

71 = Oregon State, Penn State
72 = Oregon State, Penn State
73 = UCLA, Penn State, Arizona
74 = UCLA, Penn State, USC
75 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
76 = Syracuse, Penn State, USC
77 = ISU, Arizona, UCLA
78 = ISU, Arizona, Utah
79 = Oklahoma, Nebraska, ISU
80 = Nebraska, ISU, Arizona
81 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA
82 = Nebraska, ISU, UCLA

Notice how Oklahoma never came back to Iowa City in return. That's what we would get today if we negotiated and scheduled southern and SE US P5 programs...games there, none here.

If they'd agree to them at all.


It wasn't until 1985 that Iowa eased the schedule - which was probably the result of Hayden Fry getting in Bump Elliott's ear about playing a Murderer's Row every non-con - as well as letting the in-place contracts play out. He as much mentioned it in his opening presser when he got hired.

Iowa has had by my count exactly 4 years since 1978 out of 36 I believe...that would fit in with the 70's.

Iowa has sustained not sucking as bad as the 70's as a direct result of easing the schedule. One could say it saved the program.

In 1985, I believe Iowa was scheduled to play Oklahoma in Iowa City, as well as KU. But, both asked out, since OU had a game already with Miami-FL and KU and Missouri both pulled out of contracts with Iowa with football. I may have it backward on OU-Miami-FL, maybe it was Miami-FL was scheduled to play at OU and at Iowa and pushed back the Iowa game, until 1992?

peace

 

[cidsports]

Baylor played SMU, Lamar and Rice this year.
Okie State played at Central Michigan, Central Arkansas, and TX-San Antonio
TCU played at Minnesota, SMU and SF Austin
Oklahoma played at Tennessee, Tulsa and Akron
OSU played at Va Tech, Western Michigan, Hawaii and Northern Illinois

Pretty much every SEC team schedules a FCS team as one of their 2-3 remaining games every year. Not only FCS teams, but bad FCS teams. It'd be nice if Iowa was playing Drake this weekend, wouldn't it?

You can look at almost every P5 team and rag on their schedule in some fashion.

These are why I never, ever rag on Iowa's non-con schedule.

No different than the SEC schools, who play FCS programs, often in the month of November.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

In 1985, I believe Iowa was scheduled to play Oklahoma in Iowa City, as well as KU. But, both asked out, since OU had a game already with Miami-FL and KU and Missouri both pulled out of contracts with Iowa with football. I may have it backward on OU-Miami-FL, maybe it was Miami-FL was scheduled to play at OU and at Iowa and pushed back the Iowa game, until 1992?

peace

Boy that kinda sucks. Could've been a big factor in our race to win a national title that year. Granted it didn't matter because we lost the Rose Bowl, but there was still very much an outside chance we could've shared the title with Oklahoma that year had we won against UCLA. And Miami was also pretty solid at that time as well, in between national title game appearances.

 

[bagdropper]

I remember the Miami game got moved (can't remember why), but I did not know Iowa had a home game scheduled with Oklahoma.

That Oklahoma game is such an outlier...I have to think part of it was they were scheduled during an era where Iowa was terrible, so OK didn't regard going to IC as an issue.

Look at Iowa's scheduling through their history. Talking going back a long way. Very few teams south of the Ohio River.

TCU in the 50's and 60's
The U in 1966 and 1950 (there)
NC State in 65
KU and KSU here and there.

Everything else was Pac 8/10/12 for the most part. USC, UCLA, Wash State, Oregon State, Cal, Oregon. No Washington or Stanford that I see.

Arizona now and then when they were a WAC team. Air Force a couple times.

Just think...there was a time when Iowa played Notre Dame as one of the last games of the year, every year. Ended in 64 except for one final home and home in 67-68.


Iowa's best bets historically has been with teams they have things in common. Pitt, Arizona, ASU, Oregon State, Wash State, NC State. To me, those are our most likely targets.

I could see maybe (examples) a Utah State, New Mexico, Syracuse, North Carolina, Colorado, Colorado State, BYU, San Diego State, Nevada, UNLV, Cincinnati, Louisville - those types of teams...being Iowa's most likely successful targets for home and homes. Temple, BC, UConn too.

But again...it truly takes two to tango. For all we know, Barta has gone to many of these schools and gotten turned down big time. We will honestly never know.

 

[hansenhawk]

Supposed cupcakes. Nobody looks at Northern Illinois and expect a loss, even though they might get one.

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

Pretty sure the BG1 will no longer be scheduling FCS schools, NDS should be Iowa's last.

 

[hansenhawk]

That's true, but get use to the other 2 games being Ball State and Western Michigan.

Or Buffalo
Or North Texas
Or...

you get the gist.

 

[jpphawk]

Playing 9 BIG games a year and having ISU on the schedule limits who else we can play. When we play 4 BIG home games we need to play 3 non-conf games at home to keep our 7 home game revenue. When we play 5 BIG home games we will play at ISU. Any P5 team won't agree to anything but a two game home/away series. This will limit us to non P5 games. The moral of this story is we need to get little step brother off the schedule.

 

[cidsports]

I remember the Miami game got moved (can't remember why), but I did not know Iowa had a home game scheduled with Oklahoma.

That Oklahoma game is such an outlier...I have to think part of it was they were scheduled during an era where Iowa was terrible, so OK didn't regard going to IC as an issue.

Look at Iowa's scheduling through their history. Talking going back a long way. Very few teams south of the Ohio River.

TCU in the 50's and 60's
The U in 1966 and 1950 (there)
NC State in 65
KU and KSU here and there.

Everything else was Pac 8/10/12 for the most part. USC, UCLA, Wash State, Oregon State, Cal, Oregon. No Washington or Stanford that I see.

Arizona now and then when they were a WAC team. Air Force a couple times.

Just think...there was a time when Iowa played Notre Dame as one of the last games of the year, every year. Ended in 64 except for one final home and home in 67-68.


Iowa's best bets historically has been with teams they have things in common. Pitt, Arizona, ASU, Oregon State, Wash State, NC State. To me, those are our most likely targets.

I could see maybe (examples) a Utah State, New Mexico, Syracuse, North Carolina, Colorado, Colorado State, BYU, San Diego State, Nevada, UNLV, Cincinnati, Louisville - those types of teams...being Iowa's most likely successful targets for home and homes. Temple, BC, UConn too.

But again...it truly takes two to tango. For all we know, Barta has gone to many of these schools and gotten turned down big time. We will honestly never know.

Miami-FL moved it to play one game, rather than two in the Midwest. They kept the 1985 game @ OU, then moved the Iowa game to 1992, which was Iowa's first night game at Kinnick.

peace