How much does an extra week help for a game?

**CyCloned** · 11-11-2010, 08:41 PM

Of the three ugly losses that ISU has had this year, the opposing team had an extra week, or in Iowa's case, all summer, to get ready for the ISU attack. ISU has faired much better against the teams that only had a week to prepare. Is it the extra time to watch and plan an attack on what ISU does, or is it that the other teams are well rested?

On a side note I suspect CU has had only about 3 days to prep for ISU with all the activity going on over there.

**CrossCyed** · 11-11-2010, 08:44 PM

Further you get into the season, the more the rest helps.

**ameshammer** · 11-11-2010, 08:53 PM

To say Iowa had all summer to prepare for ISU is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this website. Do you really think Iowa focused on ISU "all summer?".

**CyCrazy** · 11-11-2010, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by ameshammer

To say Iowa had all summer to prepare for ISU is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this website. Do you really think Iowa focused on ISU "all summer?".

If that quote is the dumbest thing you have read on here, you haven't been around all that long.

**Cyclonepride** · 11-11-2010, 09:05 PM

Some very good points, and the wide variation in some of the results make more sense in that context. Not saying that ISU couldn't have made the Iowa, Utah and OU games much closer anyway if they had played well, but you've found a common denominator.

**CyCloned** · 11-11-2010, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by ameshammer

To say Iowa had all summer to prepare for ISU is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this website. Do you really think Iowa focused on ISU "all summer?".

Ya, like Iowa spent all summer getting ready to play a direction school from IL. I am sure that the Hawks didn't spend all summer preparing for ISU, but they probably spent 20 minutes on SE IL state, and the rest of the time on ISU.

**ameshammer** · 11-12-2010, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by CyCloned

Ya, like Iowa spent all summer getting ready to play a direction school from IL. I am sure that the Hawks didn't spend all summer preparing for ISU, but they probably spent 20 minutes on SE IL state, and the rest of the time on ISU.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't ISU start season with directional school from IL as well?

**acrozier22** · 11-12-2010, 07:29 AM

I think the bigger reason for the lopsided losses was the talent gap. Utah, Iowa, and OU have WAY better player than us right now.

**ameshammer** · 11-12-2010, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by acrozier22

I think the bigger reason for the lopsided losses was the talent gap. Utah, Iowa, and OU have WAY better player than us right now.

I would tend to agreee, however the later in season--the less talented OU looks...Seems that is a trend with OU over the past decade.

**melt** · 11-12-2010, 07:47 AM

Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal on the bye week.

Is the Bye-Week Advantage a Myth? - WSJ.com

Funny enough it has a picture from the ISU-Iowa game.

Short and sweet of it is that teams that had an extra week only won .480 of the time. So the bye week doesn't seem to help at all, at least for that immediate game.

**KneeGusto** · 11-12-2010, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by ameshammer

To say Iowa had all summer to prepare for ISU is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this website. Do you really think Iowa focused on ISU "all summer?".

Not sure it's all that dumb. Their win over Iowa State was fairly vital to their national title hopes. Much more so than a pedestrian 37-7 over Eastern Illinois.

A crazy rivalry game early in the season could mess up running the table... it's happened before.

**isuforlife** · 11-12-2010, 08:32 AM

any week off helps to prepare for any team

**Cyclone1985** · 11-12-2010, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by isuforlife

any week off helps to prepare for any team

Agree. How can an extra week of prep, getting over minor injuries, and adding kinks to the playbook not benefit a team?

I would say healing injuries and adding new looks on offense and defense would be the greatest benefit--opposition has never seen it and cant prepare for it.

**DRCHIRO** · 11-12-2010, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by ameshammer

To say Iowa had all summer to prepare for ISU is one of the dumbest things I have ever read on this website. Do you really think Iowa focused on ISU "all summer?".

Yes, did you see how they played? It must have obviously been their Super bowl, especially since they lost the following week.