Should we drop Iowa?

[Jerms]

I don't understand this mentality. Iowa State has played in 6 bowl games since 2000, and the Cyclones are 4-2 against Iowa in the years that we've gone to a bowl. Yet, some Cyclone fans have this mentality that it is the Iowa game that is keeping us from getting a 6th win, to get to a bowl game. That we need to dump the Iowa game to schedule a "South Dakota State" sure win to get to a bowl game. I don't get it.

I don't remember a time where the Iowa-Iowa State game wasn't on TV, but dropping the Iowa game for a 1-AA opponent every year would mean less TV exposure.

As a former band member who never got to go to a bowl game, and therefore definitely understands the "need 6 wins" mentality, I still say DO NOT drop the Iowa game. A couple reasons:

1. Whether you care about Iowa or not, the Iowa game brings the biggest and best gameday atmosphere of the year. Sure hawk fans are a pain in the ***, but my best memory as a band member was running onto the field in Kinnick after we beat them the first time in 15 years and watching the hawk fans quietly retreat.

2. If we have to schedule three cupcakes inorder to get six wins every year, then there are bigger issues. I think Rhodes is improving the team and we will get to where this isn't an issue.

3. Iowa doesn't effect our change at winning conference. If we are winning the conference, we should be able to beat Iowa, so why does that even matter? Outside the fact that it would likely improve our SOS and therefore our BCS standings if that was the case.

Man up and play them and beat them.

[Frak]

I don't remember a time where the Iowa-Iowa State game wasn't on TV, but dropping the Iowa game for a 1-AA opponent every year would mean less TV exposure.

With the new TV contract, ISU is going to be on TV pretty much every game regardless. ISU vs iowa is going to be more attractive for the networks than ISU vs Kent St, but both would be on TV somewhere.

[IcSyU]

From a money standpoint, we need it more than any other game on the schedule.

From a wins standpoint, if you can't win 4 conference games, you don't belong in a bowl. Period.

[Frak]

I know that people have this emotional attachment to playing Iowa because it is an instate rivalry but ISU needs to win games right now, not worry about playing an instate rivalry game. Kids in Texas and Florida don't care if we play Iowa, they want to play for a team that wins and goes to bowl games. Maybe some people on here would rather play Iowa than go to bowl games, but that is not good for the program. When KState had its bets years they were always playing cupcakes in the nonconference schedule.

Yeah, try to sell that to TX kids..."we play OU, UT, A&M and iowa every year"...TX kids don't care about iowa. They care more that ISU will play two games in TX every season. And that ISU is going to bowl games.

I'm all for playing them 2 out of every 4 years, but I don't see the need to penalize ourselves more than TT, KSU, KU do schedule-wise. And that is with my belief that they will take a downturn at some point soon when KF leaves.

[Jerms]

Only once in the past 20+ years has Iowa State been one win away from bowl eligibility and lost to Iowa. It just happens that was last year. The "risk" we run (which personally I perceive as cowardice) is nowhere near the level of excitement and energy that this game brings the team and its fanbase. Some of you may disagree, but there is no question that for the fanbase as a whole, this is the biggest game of the year.

If you're "worried", don't b**** about the schedule being too hard... just win the damn game! Go Cyclones

Exactly.

[rholtgraves]

Iowa doesn't effect our change at winning conference. If we are winning the conference, we should be able to beat Iowa, so why does that even matter? Outside the fact that it would likely improve our SOS and therefore our BCS standings if that was the case.

Man up and play them and beat them.

We are not winning the conference, so you can take that argument off the table. The program needs to get wins and go to bowl games period. Winning and going to bowls helps recruiting. Without these things we will continually be at the bottom of the league.

[RING4CY]

Again, last year we didn't have a 9 game schedule. Having Iowa basically means you are playing another top tier major conference team. It is like playing ten conference games out of a total of 12 games. Having the toughest schedule in the nation or close to it, is not a good thing for a program that is trying to improve. Having that tough of schedule means we probably aren't going to a bowl game and therefore not attracting better recruits, which equals continued losing. Who cares if we beat them every few years, we need someone we can beat every year so we can have three wins going into conference play.

Iowa shouldn't want this game either when the big ten goes to a 9 game schedule.

And in 2000, 2001, and 2005 Iowa State played 11 regular season games. 9 of their 11 games in those years were against Iowa and conference opponents, and Iowa State still made bowl games those years.

[RING4CY]

With the new TV contract, ISU is going to be on TV pretty much every game regardless. ISU vs iowa is going to be more attractive for the networks than ISU vs Kent St, but both would be on TV somewhere.

Sure it will. On FCS, like the South Dakota State and North Dakota State games in 2008 & 2009 were. The channel no one has.

[rholtgraves]

I don't know why people keep bringing past years into this. Who cares that we lost to Iowa last year. I would be saying the same thing if we won last year. The difference is a 9 game conference schedule. Iowa should drop it for the same reason when the big ten moves to a 9 game conference schedule. If we were still playing an 8 game schedule then keep it but we are not.

[benjay]

Sure it will. On FCS, like the South Dakota State and North Dakota State games in 2008 & 2009 were. The channel no one has.

'cept me baby

[RING4CY]

I don't know why people keep bringing past years into this. Who cares that we lost to Iowa last year. I would be saying the same thing if we won last year. The difference is a 9 game conference schedule. Iowa should drop it for the same reason when the big ten moves to a 9 game conference schedule. If we were still playing an 8 game schedule then keep it but we are not.

Because it shows that Iowa State has been able to make it to bowl games when they only have 2 games on the schedule that aren't against Iowa or conference opponents. Just as is the case with the 2011 schedule.

[rholtgraves]

Because it shows that Iowa State has been able to make it to bowl games when they only have 2 games on the schedule that aren't against Iowa or conference opponents. Just as is the case with the 2011 schedule.

Yeah three out of how many years? I would rather have a gauranteed win and a better shot of going to a bowl game every year, which will help recruiting, and better recruiting will get us more wins. The only reason you want to keep them on the schedule is because it is Iowa. If it was another team from a bcs conference with a similar record over the past five years you wouldn't be saying we should play them.

We likely won't go to a bowl game this year and that will be two years in a row, so we need to win and win now. Getting Iowa off the schedule increases our chances.

[alarson]

Quite honestly, aside from the w/l and bowl game thing, i honestly could do without a road game in iowa city every year (been there a couple times and have zero desire to return), and without thousands of ********* hawks coming into ames every other year.

Id rather have another team to play. Even if its a home and home with another team that might be worth making a trip for (somewhere warm, or somewhere not that far away)

[RING4CY]

The only reason you want to keep them on the schedule is because it is Iowa.

Show me a quote/link to where I said this.

If it was another team from a bcs conference with a similar record over the past five years you wouldn't be saying we should play them.

Oh really? Right now we're talking about dropping Iowa. A couple months ago, there was a discussion about dropping UConn. In which I said to man up and play UConn instead of babying and backing out. So your statement right there is incorrect.

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/...ml#post2116347 (Drop UConn)

[BryceC]

Football is suppose to be fun and entertainment and that is exactly what our in-state rivalry is all about. Keep this series.....GEEZUS People

The instate game is neither fun nor entertaining for me.