Could ISU break the top 25 without even playing a game?

**cyrocksmypants** · 09-24-2011, 08:59 AM

Help me out, fanatics. Who do I cheer for this weekend? For example, #23 USC vs. Unranked Arizona State. I'd normally think I'd cheer for ASU, but I don't know how far out of the polls they are. Would a win over 23 USC move ASU to the top 25? In that case wouldn't I want to cheer for USC so they'd move up and ASU couldn't leap over ISU?

I realize that's a bad example, because I don't think I could ever find myself cheering for USC, but you get what I mean.

**Rogue52** · 09-24-2011, 09:04 AM

IMO, the only route to the Top 25 is a win over Texas.

**ianoconnor** · 09-24-2011, 09:04 AM

I think ASU would jump back in with a win.

**hawkeyeh8r** · 09-24-2011, 09:05 AM

if 20-25 have a rough day today then there is a possibility but its not very likely

**52342cyclone** · 09-24-2011, 09:15 AM

I hope we don't. til we beat Texas anyways.

**EddieISU** · 09-24-2011, 09:15 AM

When it comes to ranking its all about the brand name....so we need to beat Texas to get ranked.

**Cyclonepride** · 09-24-2011, 09:19 AM

Yeah, if they beat Texas, they're ranked. That's all anyone should be worried about.

**CycloneErik** · 09-24-2011, 09:20 AM

It's possible. If those last 5 all go down, that would probably do it.

Beating Texas is the surest route. That one's a guaranteed ticket.

**hawkeyeh8r** · 09-24-2011, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by CycloneErik

It's possible. If those last 5 all go down, that would probably do it.

Beating Texas is the surest route. That one's a guaranteed ticket.

nothing is guaranteed with isu....people just love to **** us over

**justcynn** · 09-24-2011, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by EddieISU

When it comes to ranking its all about the brand name....so we need to beat Texas to get ranked.

Rankings aren't nearly as important as winnining. At the end of the year - Iowa State will have done well to gone 7-5 with our the schedule they play this year, 8-4 would be phenominal, 9-3 unspeakable - I personally don't care if no one notices until we are a lot closer to the W's needed. Conversely - getting ranked and then destroyed is more demoralizing than not being there in the first place - see 2002 vs OU and the subsequent meltdown of that team. Reality was they just weren't that good, Seneca was great, the O-Line and other areas were very suspect.

I believe Rhoads will get the team there, maybe not this year - but when he does it will be because we deserve to be there and will prove it on the field week in and week out.

**cyrocksmypants** · 09-24-2011, 09:25 AM

Yes, it's obvious ISU would be ranked if they beat Texas next week, but being that we're on a bye week, I'm trying to just find something worth watching, and that means finding a reason to cheer for certain teams.

**CycloneErik** · 09-24-2011, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by hawkeyeh8r

nothing is guaranteed with isu....people just love to **** us over

Whatever. Beat Texas and we're in. We will have earned it. People are already recognizing it.

**clonechemist** · 09-24-2011, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by justcynn

Rankings aren't nearly as important as winnining. At the end of the year - Iowa State will have done well to gone 7-5 with our the schedule they play this year, 8-4 would be phenominal, 9-3 unspeakable - I personally don't care if no one notices until we are a lot closer to the W's needed. Conversely - getting ranked and then destroyed is more demoralizing than not being there in the first place - see 2002 vs OU and the subsequent meltdown of that team. Reality was they just weren't that good, Seneca was great, the O-Line and other areas were very suspect.

I believe Rhoads will get the team there, maybe not this year - but when he does it will be because we deserve to be there and will prove it on the field week in and week out.

Agreed. I hope I'm wrong, but my gut reaction is that ISU is not a top 25 team right now. Coming in to the meat grinder portion of our schedule, an undeserved ranking would only set us up for disappointment for our fans and for the national media to say 'Yep, it's still the same old Iowa State'.

**justcynn** · 09-24-2011, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by clonechemist

Agreed. I hope I'm wrong, but my gut reaction is that ISU is not a top 25 team right now. Coming in to the meat grinder portion of our schedule, an undeserved ranking would only set us up for disappointment for our fans and for the national media to say 'Yep, it's still the same old Iowa State'.

I think we are closer than we have been in a long, long time - the part that lends hope is all of the mistakes and turnovers, we beat three pretty good teams despite our inefficiency, in the past - our victories have generally come due to the turnovers and mistakes of other teams - so in a sense - this is as close an ISU team to line up and beat you as I have seen but I think you are right that we aren't quite there yet. In the Big East, Big 10 or Pac 12 - I think this ISU team COULD be upper half, in the Big 12 this year, 6th or 7th would be a real win. They do have a chance to get better though which is exciting, DMAC's team's rarely got better s the season progressed - that was the most frustrating part of his career.