Top 10 Nat'l Ranking

[mplscyclone]

It may have been brief, but it still counts.

IDK. When you're bowling in Boise, it's hard to say you were a top 10 team. I think most Cyclone fans were amped that we were ranked that high, but we knew we were overrated.

I care more about how we end; not where we are towards the beginning of the conference schedule.

[egami]

IDK. When you're bowling in Boise, it's hard to say you were a top 10 team. I think most Cyclone fans were amped that we were ranked that high, but we knew we were overrated.

I care more about how we end; not where we are towards the beginning of the conference schedule.

I agree, the only rankings that really matter long term are the last week rankings. In conversations I sometimes will give credence to pre-bowl rankings because bowl selections can artificially hurt or help teams.

[Stewo]

The fact is, we were considered a top 10 team and we were playing like it, that is, until we played OU. After that, we fell pretty hard.

[Cat4ISU]

That was the same year we beat Florida State. That's right, we beat them.

[wesley_w]

If I've got the correct year, that team was 5-0-1 coming out of the the tie OU in which Giffords missed four field goals - two of them chippies if I remember correctly.

Next game, Crutchfield tore his hammy and we were never the same.

I believe the year before we were 5 - 0 when Quinn had a rotator cuff injury.

I think in 1980 we were 6-0 and were headed down to Kansas and got beat. Then later on Kansas had to forfeit all their games that year so we were actually 7-0 at that point even though it wasn't known till after the season. 6-0 just sounds right to me but you might be right and it was 5-0.
I went down to that KU game in 1980 and it was very disappointing.

[wesley_w]

If I've got the correct year, that team was 5-0-1 coming out of the the tie OU in which Giffords missed four field goals - two of them chippies if I remember correctly.

Next game, Crutchfield tore his hammy and we were never the same.

One of those years we lost in a night game early in the season at San Diego State, it might have been 1981. I don't think we were undefeated when we tied OU but I might have my years mixed up.

[mplscyclone]

The fact is, we were considered a top 10 team and we were playing like it, that is, until we played OU. After that, we fell pretty hard.

First off were you in Ames that season?

I am just asking because that was my Freshmen Year and I remember it pretty well, especially because of that.

Here's what I will say: our #9 ranking was artificial.

It was based on this:

• Losing to the #3 team by 1 TD (but Seneca was really in). In hindsight, FSU wasn't all that great and finished the year 9-5
• Beating Kansas (they sucked back then), Tennessee Tech, and Iowa (Iowa ended up being good and it was a hell of a game, except to Hawks fans).
• After being 3-1, we were #21
• We then beat Troy to move up to #19
• We also beat an overrated Nebraska team who was ranked #20 at the time (they ended up being 7-7). We moved up to #11, because of the perception of beating a traditional power like Nebraska
• We beat a Texas Tech team that sucked at home also, and moved up to #9
• At this point now, we're 6-1. We lost at a neutral site (but it was pro ISU there, very much so), won 1 game on the road (Iowa) and won 5 home games, 3 of which were in a row.
• Then we go on the road. We're the #9 team and we lose to the #2 team 49-3. We drop to #17 and Seneca Heisman talks are basically over
• We then lost a close game to Texas on the Road, and moved to #22
• We barley beat an unranked Missouri team (that ended up being 5-7 that year)
• We get blown out @ K State, lose @ Colorado, and home against UConn.
• We then go to Boise and Lose to #18 Boise State

IMO, be benefited by playing some perceived good teams, and by having 5 of our first 7 games at home, 1 on the road. If you look back, you see that we had a weak schedule at the beginning and a harder schedule at the end.

Can you tell me off the top of your head which team was ranked #9 last year during mid-October? Probably not, because it doesn't matter. IMO, we maybe played stretches like we were a top 25 team, but when you finish 7-5, you aren't as good as you thought you were.

[egami]

First off were you in Ames that season?

I am just asking because that was my Freshmen Year and I remember it pretty well, especially because of that.

Here's what I will say: our #9 ranking was artificial...

And, actually, I don't know if any poll other than the AP had them in the top ten. Seems like other major polls still had them in the teens.

[GoCy]

We were playing very well before the OU game. OU was the first team to exploit the weakness in our offensive line by applying lots of pressure and blitzing like crazy. Every team after that game just copied their game plan, and we never developed an answer.

[tejasclone]

I think in 1980 we were 6-0 and were headed down to Kansas and got beat. Then later on Kansas had to forfeit all their games that year so we were actually 7-0 at that point even though it wasn't known till after the season. 6-0 just sounds right to me but you might be right and it was 5-0.
I went down to that KU game in 1980 and it was very disappointing.

According to Cyclones.com, in 1980 we were 5-0 and ranked #19 heading into the Kansas game, which we lost 28-17. We proceeded to lose the next 4 games in a row until beating OSU in Stillwater in the season finale to close the season at 6-5. Would have been bowl eligible in today's college football climate.

Football - Schedule - Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - The home of Iowa State Cyclone Sports

One of those years we lost in a night game early in the season at San Diego State, it might have been 1981. I don't think we were undefeated when we tied OU but I might have my years mixed up.

Looks like in 1981 we were 3-0 and ranked #20 before we played OU to a 7-7 tie, which boosted us to #12 the next week. We then went to San Diego State and lost 52-31 to drop to 3-1-1 and out of the rankings. We then returned home to soundly beat #8 Missouri, 34-13, which put us back in the ranks at #14. We then beat unranked Colorado to climb to #11 at 5-1-1. Then we lost the last four games to finish 5-5-1, including a bizarre 31-4 loss to #7 Nebraska.

Football - Schedule - Iowa State University Athletics Official Web Site - www.CYCLONES.com - The home of Iowa State Cyclone Sports

[dunar]

And, actually, I don't know if any poll other than the AP had them in the top ten. Seems like other major polls still had them in the teens.

IRRC, USA Today/Coaches had us at 11 or 12. ESPN has all that data, I'm just feeling too lazy to look it up...

I think Wallace was carrying that team, and the wet conditions made the blow out at OU worse than it should have been. Confidence out the window and team went with it... I also seem to remember that he was injured at Boise, early in the game? There were definitely flashes of a top 15 or better team that year, we just could sustain it.

[egami]

IRRC, USA Today/Coaches had us at 11 or 12. ESPN has all that data, I'm just feeling too lazy to look it up...

They do...same here. Just didn't go look for sure. :)

[clone4life82]

First off were you in Ames that season?

I am just asking because that was my Freshmen Year and I remember it pretty well, especially because of that.

Here's what I will say: our #9 ranking was artificial.

It was based on this:

• Losing to the #3 team by 1 TD (but Seneca was really in). In hindsight, FSU wasn't all that great and finished the year 9-5
• Beating Kansas (they sucked back then), Tennessee Tech, and Iowa (Iowa ended up being good and it was a hell of a game, except to Hawks fans).
• After being 3-1, we were #21
• We then beat Troy to move up to #19
• We also beat an overrated Nebraska team who was ranked #20 at the time (they ended up being 7-7). We moved up to #11, because of the perception of beating a traditional power like Nebraska
• We beat a Texas Tech team that sucked at home also, and moved up to #9
• At this point now, we're 6-1. We lost at a neutral site (but it was pro ISU there, very much so), won 1 game on the road (Iowa) and won 5 home games, 3 of which were in a row.
• Then we go on the road. We're the #9 team and we lose to the #2 team 49-3. We drop to #17 and Seneca Heisman talks are basically over
• We then lost a close game to Texas on the Road, and moved to #22
• We barley beat an unranked Missouri team (that ended up being 5-7 that year)
• We get blown out @ K State, lose @ Colorado, and home against UConn.
• We then go to Boise and Lose to #18 Boise State

IMO, be benefited by playing some perceived good teams, and by having 5 of our first 7 games at home, 1 on the road. If you look back, you see that we had a weak schedule at the beginning and a harder schedule at the end.

Can you tell me off the top of your head which team was ranked #9 last year during mid-October? Probably not, because it doesn't matter. IMO, we maybe played stretches like we were a top 25 team, but when you finish 7-5, you aren't as good as you thought you were.

Nice, I was a freshman that year too. That was a heckofa fun trip down to KC also for the game (we also hit the royals game which was right before it too). Brings back good memories.

[hurdleisu24]

I still have nightmares about that Oklahoma game. We were totally destroyed. On a sidenote... We do currently hold the worst winning percentace against a conference opponent in the country. Our winning percentage against OU is the lowest of any BCS team against a conference foe. I think we are less then 5% or something outrageous against the Sooners.

ISU is 5-67-2 vs OU ISU is 16-85-2 vs Nebraska the nearest that I found non ISU was KSU vs Neb they are 15-76-2

[CTTB78]

Does anyone know what the '76 or '77 teams were rated?