Williams Blog: Tough luck scheduling

[StPaulCyclone]

Okay. I give up. You guys are right. Iowa State is going to win that game 78-0 next season.

Then if ISU wins, expect an "I told you so". If ISU loses, expect a meltdown...

[ChrisMWilliams]

Signed KU

It seemed to work out okay for Boise State a few years back didn't it?

[CycloneErik]

Okay. I give up. You guys are right. Iowa State is going to win that game 78-0 next season.

Now you're just a sore loser

I think I was pretty clear earlier that we don't know what to expect at all from this game. It's just too early to project what their turnover looks like, how our OL looks, whether our now-experienced defense has developed, whether we have safeties, stuff like that.

I just don't the momentum for a BCS game, since so many of last year's BCS participants flamed out this year, and the Big East has failed to develop a real threatening program with their guaranteed BCS participation.

[drmwevr08]

Because that ISU team back in 2002 was a flame-out that had lost all confidence. We could have played just about anybody at the end of the 2002 season and lost to them - as evidenced that we lost to a team that was in their first year of DI-A.

Here's the thing that really gets to me as a Cyclone fan, though - everyone here for the most part is of the opinion that CPR is the man that can change the fortunes of ISU football. Yet, at the same time, of those supporters, you have a lot of vocal people who are of the opinion that ISU football simply cannot win a game like this. Which is it? Do you have faith, or don't you? If you can't expect CPR to win a game such as the one we're discussing now, how can you possibly expect him to turn ISU's football program around, especially when he's already had bigger wins as ISU's coach than this UConn game would be?

Can not win a game like this and won't win this particular game are two different things. In another year or two I have hopes that CPR will have us winning such a game, next year, while I'm still hopefull, if pressed I'd say its an L.

[jdoggivjc]

How did Pitt do against Utah in SLC this season? One of the better teams ISU had couldn't take care of UConn at home in 2002. Granted they were limping at the end, after running the B12 gaunlet. This will be a very tough game.

You said it yourself - ISU couldn't take care of ANYBODY down the stretch in 2002. Not only that, I really fail to grasp any relevance that the loss to UConn has on a game that will occur nearly a decade later. We don't judge Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, or any other team based on the outcome of the 2002 game, why should we be doing it with UConn? Just because we lost to UConn in 2002 DOES NOT MEAN we're going to lose to them in 2011 - anybody that thinks this is a reasonable analysis needs to take courses in statistical analysis because the 2002 game will have NO IMPACT on this game. If UConn happens to win the game next year, it will be because they were better than us at least that week and 2002 will have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with that outcome.

[jtdoyle1]

How did that "momentum" work out for Georgia Tech this year? The year following a BCS appearance, they're quite lucky to even be in a bowl game at all and their resume sports a loss to perhaps the worst BCS team this season (Kansas).

Don't forget Texas was in the BCS National Championship last year and undefeated. We did just fine in Austin this year.

[jdoggivjc]

Okay. I give up. You guys are right. Iowa State is going to win that game 78-0 next season.

Never thought I'd see the day when our beloved site owner would jump the shark in such a fashion. You really need to stop hanging around Matty P - he's rubbing off on you in the worst possible way.

[ChrisMWilliams]

The point of the blog was that when this game was scheduled, UCONN was nobody. Now, they're playing in a BCS game. That was unthinkable back in 2001.

[ChrisMWilliams]

Never thought I'd see the day when our beloved site owner would jump the shark in such a fashion. You really need to stop hanging around Matty P - he's rubbing off on you in the worst possible way.

Oh come on dude. It was a joke. Erik got it. I should have added one of these

[CycloneErik]

The point of the blog was that when this game was scheduled, UCONN was nobody. Now, they're playing in a BCS game. That was unthinkable back in 2001.

Unless we say that they had momentum back then...............

[Clones33]

Okay. I give up. You guys are right. Iowa State is going to win that game 78-0 next season.

You are giving up to easily! IMO saying that UCONN is in a BCS game this year doesn't really have an effect on the game next year. That has been "proven" by the GTs, Kansas', and Texas' of the world.

However, this will still be a tough game for ISU. While I believe that Rhodes is moving this team, and program, in the right direction, any road game is going to be a tough game. That doesn't just apply to Iowa State. OU almost lost at Cincinnati this year.

Also, we will be breaking in a new QB. I tend to think that Tiller will not be the starter next year, but even if he is - it will be a tough game. In a way-to-early prediction I would hope for a defensive battle and a one possession game in the 4th quarter. Maybe 16-13 ISU?

[Cyhart]

If these teams can do that, being as deprived as you say, why can't ISU do it too?

I think even though being in the Big 12 helps our recruiting, it doesnt help it enough to compensate for the brutality of a Big 12 schedule. We play with the big boys. Utah doesnt. I dont care what anyone says about the MWC. Its hard to gain momentum and respect when you are getting thrown on the mat so often.

[jdoggivjc]

The point of the blog was that when this game was scheduled, UCONN was nobody. Now, they're playing in a BCS game. That was unthinkable back in 2001.

Much like Georgia Tech and the ACC last year, the Big East had to send SOMEBODY to the BCS, regardless of how bad the conference (and the teams in it) truly are. Credit UConn - they won the Big East tiebreakers and qualified fair and square for their BCS beatdown. But it doesn't change the fact that they're probably the worst team ever to qualify for a BCS bowl.

[synapticwave]

I think we are looking at 2-4 wins next year. Of course I don't know what other teams are losing and such.
I will proabably get rolled for saying that, but whatever..

Sat, Sep 03 Northern Iowa Ames, Iowa TBA

Sat, Sep 10 Iowa Ames, Iowa TBA

Sat, Sep 17 Connecticut at Storrs, Conn.

Sat, Oct 01 Texas (Family Weekend) * Ames, Iowa

Sat, Oct 08 Baylor * at Waco, Texas

Sat, Oct 15 Missouri * at Columbia, Mo.

Sat, Oct 22 Texas A&M (Homecoming) * Ames, Iowa

Sat, Oct 29 Texas Tech * at Lubbock, Texas

Sat, Nov 05 Kansas * Ames, Iowa TBA

Sat, Nov 12 Oklahoma * at Norman, Okla.

Sat, Nov 19 Oklahoma State * Ames, Iowa

Sat, Nov 26 Kansas State * at Manhattan, Kan.

Agreed. If people thought this season's schedule was tough, next season's is ridiculous.

Somewhat Agree. I would say next year is about the same difficulty as this year, maybe slightly more difficult. I think we're looking at another 5 win season personally, but I can see only 2 wins. On the flip side, I can also see 9 wins. It'll all depend on the offense and whether we can build an OLine that can consistently block and pick up stunts. A great Oline can make a below average QB look good and can make an above average RB look great. Until I see what the offense looks like in the spring game, I won't make any predictions.

[RayShimley]

Wow everyone is really on edge today. This is going to be a long off-season!