Season Predictions After Kent State

[CyFan987]

Last week I posted a thread asking you what you thought Iowa State's record would be this year. A lot of you said you wouldn't know until you saw the Kent St game. So has this game changed anything in your mind?

[HandSanitizer]

Still going with 6-6. I would be ok with a 3-1 start. I am a little worried about finishing 2-2 non conference since UNLV is on the road and they will be battle tested. Nebraska and A&M don't look great. Baylor, OSU, K-State should be wins but are on the road.

I would like 3-4 non conference and 3-4 conference wins.

[BryceC]

I'm hoping for 6-6. I'm honestly not impressed with our lines at this point.

[isuno1fan]

5 wins...

[acrozier22]

5 wins

[CyFan987]

Only 3 more wins? Who would they be?

[MNclone]

I agree with 5 wins.
I think we will split the next two weeks, not sure where the win will be.
And I think we will pick up 2 from
A&M, Neb, KSU, OSU, and Baylor.
It is hard to say, because the 5 easiest teams left on the schedule are all on the road. I don't expect us to come away with too many road wins this year though.
We will see how we fair on the road on Saturday.

[Aclone]

Last week I posted a thread asking you what you thought Iowa State's record would be this year. A lot of you said you wouldn't know until you saw the Kent St game. So has this game changed anything in your mind?

And what I sais was that I'd have to wait period--nothing about Kent State at all. I hardly expected them to be an adequate barometer of our progress. That said, I'm quite sure you'll ask again next week. And the next. Fair warning, though--I have to tell you that I will probably only have settled my opinion after Kansas.

I'm hoping for 6-6. I'm honestly not impressed with our lines at this point.

Considering that only four players in the two deep had any real playing experience at all last season--and one of those is now backing up another--and two key players are newcomers, I'm not terribly worried about the offensive line. They'll eventually gel as they did last season--and be better for it. For that matter, I think that the defensive line will thoroughly enjoy not having to chase Edelman all over the field. ever. Who else has a quarterback with that kind of mobility--Baylor?

Still going with 6-6. I would be ok with a 3-1 start. I am a little worried about finishing 2-2 non conference since UNLV is on the road and they will be battle tested.

Fortunately (for me), I never saw us as 2-2 through non conference. I do have to say that I keep getting pleasantly surprised by additional elements of this team that I see unveiled, in this case, mainly the special teams, with returns and punt blocking. The coverage was just as effective as week one, very much so. It's great to know we have a kicker who can hit from 48--and it sounded like he had plenty of leg left over. I do wish that Mike Brandtner hadn't been kicking to such a short field, but he did a great job. Still, where's the room for improvement, what's left? Blocking kickoffs?

Those are hardly the only additional facets revealed--PB might be an even better runner than anticipated, and AA also seems to be an even better passer. I really like this team--and if you don't see a big 2009, at the least--you're nuts.

All that said, it's still not enough for me to improve on my prediction for a 7-5 season. Not yet. Because I also need to see some additional factors. Like how soon the lines come together. How soon Chris Brown, Devin McDowell and Alexander Robinson are fully healthy. Just the...little details like that. Another interesting thing will be to see just exactly how much is left in the playbook--and just how much Gene Chizik will let it all hang out against Iowa. Or save for Kansas.

After all, the Jayhawks' defense may be very good, but their offense has hardly been a show stopper. With the game in Ames, I just might find myself having to flip one of the losses into wins. At least...into a "maybe".

[AustinCyclone]

I think the season breaks down like this:

UNLV and Baylor are W's. We will beat either Nebraska or A&M at home. We will win at least one of the road games at Okie St, Colorado, or K-State.

That gives us 6 wins right there. Then it comes down to next weekends toss-up in Iowa City.

If I had to put money down I would say we finish 6-6, but I have no reason to think it can't be 7-5 or even 8-4.

IF we win next weekend we will be 7-5 at worst and headed to a bowl game!

[Melvin]

Still picking 7-5.

[ericlambi]

Last week I posted a thread asking you what you thought Iowa State's record would be this year. A lot of you said you wouldn't know until you saw the Kent St game. So has this game changed anything in your mind?

Symplistically, I would say we have 70% chance at beating Baylor and UNLV (.7 wins each). 50% chance vs TAMU, OSU, KSU, and Iowa (.5 wins each). 35% chance against Nebraska, Colorado (.35 wins each). And 10% chance vs MU, KU (.10 wins each).

My expectation

.7 x 2 = 1.4
.5 x 4 = 2
.35 x 2 = .7
.1 x 2 = .2
Total = 4.3 wins

Add the two wins we already have. I think 6 or 7 wins is a reasonable expectation. I'm not very knowledgeable about our opponents though, so feel free to argue with my assigned odds.

[iowastatechris]

I m going to stick with 7-5 as long as we have a healthy A-ROB and our QB play is fairly consistent.

[aeroclone]

Been at 6-6 since the beginning, and I'm not moving. I'm concerned about our inability to run the football effectively against lesser competition, I think that is going to hurt us in conference play. Also concerned about stopping the run on D. I think those factors are going to prevent us from going on to anything bigger and better.

[ajk4st8]

4 wins.. mine hasn't changed.

Unfortunately the lines are what I expected. I still see major improvements in this team from last year. I just dont like 2 non conf road games.

[Aclone]

mI'm concerned about our inability to run the football effectively against lesser competition, I think that is going to hurt us in conference play.

The same way it did last season?