ESPN predicts Iowa will not finish last in 2008 Big Ten Football....

MontyBurns · 02-21-2008, 12:52 PM

...instead, they predict Iowa to finish next-to-last. Only because Minnesota has to play Ohio State & Michigan, and Iowa doesn't. Let the good times roll:

ESPN - Buckeyes start spring season at top of Big Ten -- again - College Football

mjones34 · 02-21-2008, 01:00 PM

Dang it...I wanted them to be predicted higher so I could laugh as they plummit.

Jeremy · 02-21-2008, 01:02 PM

It's amazing what $3 million per year will get you these days

ISUAlum2002 · 02-21-2008, 01:03 PM

Its about time that ESPN finally realizes that 2002 was 5 seasons ago now.

Maybe Mark May will still pick them in his Final Four this year?

mustangcy · 02-21-2008, 01:07 PM

I hate to say it but Iowa will not finish 2nd to last in that league. They should be improved from last year.

brianhos · 02-21-2008, 01:09 PM

I just hope ISU does not finish last in the big12 next fall. But it could happen.

ISUAlum2002 · 02-21-2008, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by mustangcy

I hate to say it but Iowa will not finish 2nd to last in that league. They should be improved from last year.

I agree, but I don't believe they'll finish in the upper half of the Little 11, even though they don't have to play the 2 big dogs.

SouthernHawk · 02-21-2008, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by ISUAlum2002

I agree, but I don't believe they'll finish in the upper half of the Little 11, even though they don't have to play the 2 big dogs.

They could finish anywhere from 2nd to last. Extreme optimism would have them only losing at MSU. Realism has the Hawks losing at MSU, IU, and a home game against UW or PSU.

Recent experience has them losing to NU, IU, UW, MSU, and then upsetting PSU and Purude, but then losing to Minnesota.

BTW - who is this Ritter guy? Never heard of him, but glad he put this list together. It really offers a lot of information. /sarcasm

mjones34 · 02-21-2008, 01:15 PM

Iowa will be around 6-6/7-5 IMO. Hopefully Iowa state can get 6-7 wins.

atlantacyclone · 02-21-2008, 01:16 PM

As long as ISU beats them I could care less if they win the rest of their games. Actually, the better they do the better the win feels!

cycloneG · 02-21-2008, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

They could finish anywhere from 2nd to last. Extreme optimism would have them only losing at MSU. Realism has the Hawks losing at MSU, IU, and a home game against UW or PSU.

Recent experience has them losing to NU, IU, UW, MSU, and then upsetting PSU and Purude, but then losing to Minnesota.

BTW - who is this Ritter guy? Never heard of him, but glad he put this list together. It really offers a lot of information. /sarcasm

I'm not sure how much research he did, because he seems to think that Iowa returning all of it's offensive line is a good thing. This is a team that was last in the conference in total offense, scoring offense, and sacks allowed. They were second to last in rushing and passing offense. It was one of the worst offenses in the nation. How can you think anyone returning on this unit is a strength?

cloneu · 02-21-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneG

I'm not sure how much research he did, because he seems to think that Iowa returning all of it's offensive line is a good thing. This is a team that was last in the conference in total offense, scoring offense, and sacks allowed. They were second to last in rushing and passing offense. It was one of the worst offenses in the nation. How can you think anyone returning on this unit is a strength?

Just because they are returning doesn't mean the same guys will be starting. They should be better then last year. How much? who konws, but there will probably some starters from last year not starting this year.

MontyBurns · 02-21-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by mustangcy

I hate to say it but Iowa will not finish 2nd to last in that league. They should be improved from last year.

How? Everyone said Iowa would be improved from 2006 to 2007 too, but they got worse.

On offense they lose Albert Young and Damian Sims, while the Big Ten's worst offensive line and quarterback return.

On defense they lose their only DB who could cover anyone (Godfrey), as well as their best two LB's (Klinkenborg & Humpal), and their two starting DE's.

Their kicking game is a joke.

They will have to deal with the constant and unending distraction of police investigations and player arrests.

For the record I don't think they'll finish 2nd to last either, because the Big Ten is not that good and Iowa doesn't play two teams that would be guaranteed losses. But I don't see them winning more than 3 or 4 conference games at the most.

Where is the improvement going to come from? I know Iowa fans drool out the names of last year's backups who are so good they'll be All-Americans...but if they were really that good they would have been playing ahead of they guys that graduated last year. Their defensive front will be ok, their pass defense will be suspect, and their offense will be impotent.

cycloneG · 02-21-2008, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by cloneu

Just because they are returning doesn't mean the same guys will be starting. They should be better then last year. How much? who konws, but there will probably some starters from last year not starting this year.

I agree. I think the only way they improve is by having people start in place of people who started last year. I was just pointing out that the author didn't do very good research.

ajk4st8 · 02-21-2008, 01:24 PM

How to win the Title.... Kidnap Tyrell Pryor.

Actually kidnapping and the Iowa football program might not be too far off.