What if Minny beats Iowa....

[clonedude]

.... and Northwestern also loses this week. That would put Iowa, Minny, and NW in a 3 way tie in the Big 10 at 4-4.

However... both Minny and Northwestern would have beaten Iowa head-to-head, AND, they also would both have overall records of 8-4 while Iowa would be 7-5.

Therefore, the final standings would show Northwestern ahead of Minny (they beat them head-to-head), then Minny, and finally Iowa.

Assuming that... which of these 3 teams goes to the best possible bowl game? Answer: Iowa Why? Because of money... period... nothing more or less than the almighty dollar. It isn't settled on the football field.

Of course it's been this way for quite a while now. Iowa has been to numerous bowls it hasn't been qualified for, ahead of other teams that actually finished ahead of them.

That's the system we have for college football. Love it or hate it, it doesn't matter. And it isn't going to change either.

 

[joefrog]

I would still be hella p.o.'d if I was one of those other schools however. That isn't right, but I agree it is the way the world works.

 

[cyclonepower]

props to Iowa for traveling well

 

[Aclone]

Man, you guys think about Iowa and the Big Ten wa-y-y-y too much. :biggrin:

 

[isufbcurt]

If Iowa loses to Minny, then Xmas came early for me and I'll be one happy little boy.

 

[tidbit]

If Iowa loses to Minny, then Xmas came early for me and I'll be one happy little boy.

Melt-down in the Hawk nation!!

 

[cytheguy]

The only bowls in recent history that many thought Iowa probably didn't deserve to go to were the Outback Bowl against Florida in 2005 and the Alamo Bowl against Texas in 2006. Come to find out they did deserve to be there, as they took both down to the wire and were one penalty away from blowing Texas out. Remember that TD that was wiped away after the ticky tack penalty? Would've made the score 28-7. Instead, Tate threw an INT the very next play, and the rest is history.

 

[egunzy]

But, it WAS a penalty. Illegal formation. I see it called frequently.

 

[joefrog]

But, it WAS a penalty. Illegal formation. I see it called frequently.

TE was not an eligible receiver and he caught a TD if I remember right. Just like the Hawks to try cheating. I would say bowl games usually favor the weaker team, outside of the BCS. Depth is not as much of an issue, because most teams get a chance to heal up. Coaches have a lot more time to prepare, having weeks to get ready, not a week. Underdogs have more to play for and feel slighted, the better team thinks it deserved a better game. I would guess most teams that get slighted by the BCS end up losing.

Iowa may have been in those games mentioned above, that does not necessarily mean they were as good. I would bet that both UT and FLA thought they deserved a better bowl and didn't really care too much about playing Iowa.

 

[ketelmeister]

Minnesota won't beat Iowa....they are in a free fall.

 

[MontyBurns]

Come to find out they did deserve to be there, as they took both down to the wire and were one penalty away from blowing Texas out.

Close? Maybe. Blowout? No way. Texas was coming off a national championship the previous year and had been within a game of a BCS bowl at the end of the regular season. When they fell all the way from there to playing a 6-6 team in the Alamo Bowl (the worst bowl they've been to in Mack Brown's 11 years) they were understandably not excited to be there and came out flat in the first half. When they woke up in the second half, Colt McCoy shredded the Iowa defense, just like everyone expected, and Texas won, just like everyone expected.

 

[isufbcurt]

The only bowls in recent history that many thought Iowa probably didn't deserve to go to were the Outback Bowl against Florida in 2005 and the Alamo Bowl against Texas in 2006. Come to find out they did deserve to be there, as they took both down to the wire and were one penalty away from blowing Texas out. Remember that TD that was wiped away after the ticky tack penalty? Would've made the score 28-7. Instead, Tate threw an INT the very next play, and the rest is history.

I will add to that the Alamo Bowl in 2001, by them getting selected, it knocked ISU from the Alamo Bowl to the Independence Bowl. Sad Memory

 

[mwitt]

Most Iowa fans I know are nervous about the Minnesota game. I'll be surprised if they lose to the Gophers.

 

[Rogue52]

Minnesota hates Iowa about as much as we do. I could see them winning.

 

[JHudd]

If they get Decker(Minny) back it should help them out a lot this weekend. He doesn't get huge stats but he helps that offense tick and they haven't been playing the same since he got hurt.

 

[Psyclone]

ISU has been the beneficiary of this system also when we passed A&M for a bid.

 

[everyyard]

this has happened before. Iowa will always get the nod if bowl eligible over all most all but mich, ohio state, and maybe wisconsin in the big ten even if other teams have better records. they went to the alamo with 6-6 record and 4-4 big 10 to play texas who was 9-3 or something similar.

 

[cmhawks99]

""""""""""Most Iowa fans I know are nervous about the Minnesota game. I'll be surprised if they lose to the Gophers.""""""""""""


They should be nervous; Iowa has to be one of the top 10 most inconsistent teams in the country over the last 3 plus years. They have still had talent as evidenced by the amount of kids that still find their way into the NFL, yet they have lost games while leading, lost games they never showed up for, slept walk through a couple and just fumbled away several more. They aren’t a lock to beat anyone.

With that said, they should match up well with Minne. The Gophers run game disappeared with injuries so Iowa shouldn’t have to do anything out of the norm to stop their run game therefore letting them game plan for Weber and Decker and with their speed on D and their improved D-back play they should be ok. But again, it all depends on TO’s, consistency and controlling the ball. Minne is certainly capable of winning!

As for the Bowl game comments, that is really sour grapes and depends on which side of the fence you are on. I remember perusing the cyclone report back then before it became “bad” and I chuckled at all the people suggesting they were betting their houses, as it was a lock. (bias will wreck you in a hurry) I chuckled because I had a pretty good feeling that a team that vastly underachieved would show up for a bowl game and give UT all they could handle and they did. The Florida game ironically enough was the season where all this up & down from game to game, honestly quarter to quarter crap stated. If I were a gambler I’d never beat on Iowa. You honestly never know from game to game which team will show up. The one that turned it over 5 times and lost to NW or the one that turned it over twice to PSU and still won.

As for the thread topic I’ll agree from the perspective of an opposing fan it would be frustrating, but that is the spoils of being Iowa. We have become known nationally as a solid, competitive team from year to year with a maniacal fan base. One that has money and travels well. The team for their part typically doesn’t embarrass their fans enough in those games to make them want to reign in their enthusiasm and more importantly their pocket books.

 

[besserheimerphat]

If Minnesota wins, their fans should drive down to Iowa City and tear down the goalposts.

Stay classy, hawkeyes.

 

[maintain242001]

its tough when you cant get excited about or have anything positive to talk about when it comes to your own team isnt it