Is our first game a must win?
- Thread starter CycloneNC2015
- Start date
Not that it isn't a good question, but it really doesn't matter. They must play every game as if it is a must win if they are to be successful through this killer schedule this year.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
In college football, isn't every game pretty much a must-win?
Obviously, with our schedule, we absolutely need to win this one.
Obviously, with our schedule, we absolutely need to win this one.
Depends on your goals for the season. If you want an MNC then yes every game is a must. If your goal is to make a bowl game then not every game is a must win. I believe we are in a situation where we want a bowl game but with our schedule we MUST win the games we are supposed to and then we must win a game we arent. I dont think we can afford to drop this game and think we can make it up agianst someone we arent supposed to beat.
No doubt that it makes things more difficult, but I don't think it would at all be impossible.
I think this is a really difficult matchup for us in week one, with the inexperience we'll be putting out there in key positions. If we were to play them in the 3rd or 4th game, giving our newcomers more time to get comfortable, I think we'd handle them pretty well. But being the first game makes it much more difficult.
Counting NIU, I currently see 9 possible wins on the schedule. A close loss to NIU wouldn't change my opinions of the other games, as I expect our defense to improve dramatically as the season goes on.
With Nebraska and Missouri getting hit fairly hard by injuries and suspensions, I feel like our last 4 games are winnable. Add in KSU, UNI, TT, and Utah, all of which I think we have a good shot at, and 6 wins is certainly possible even if we lose to NIU.
I'm not saying that the football team should consider this a must win. Obviously, for the team every game should be a must win.
For us fans however, no need to be writing off this season if we lose a close one.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
Given the limited # of games in the regular season, and the fact that our goal (like everyone else) is to get ourselves to a bowl game, then this is a must-win, just like every week, but with a weaker opponent that we ought to destroy.
Guess I'm going against prevailing thought. The first game is the first game of a long season. Winning would certainly help to build momentum. I think it's dangerous to call a bowl trip off after one game.
NIU played Wisconsin tough and and won at Purdue last year. I'm not sure why we think we should "destroy" them, other than their name is Northern Illinois. This is a good football team.
If we do destroy them, then I'm starting to think that winning the Big XII north is a legitimate possibility.
Well, last season, ISU went 7-6, with a win in the Insight bowl over Minnesota. They were 6-6 regular season, and 3-5 Big 12. However, you really have to consider a couple things.
1) Their non-conference schedule last year consisted of Kent State, Army, North Dakota State and Iowa. This year they face Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Utah and Iowa. Northern Iowa has beaten ISU, and nearly beat Iowa last year. Utah's pretty good... Point is, while last year ISU's non-con record was 3 solid wins and 1 solid loss, they don't have that sort of 'guarantee' of wins this season.
EDIT: Last year's opponents not named Iowa went 5-7, 5-7 and 3-8 last season. This year's opponents went 7-6 with bowl loss (NIU), 7-4 (UNI) and 10-3 with bowl win (Utah) last season.
2) They replace Baylor, Ok State and Tx A&M with Texas, Oklahoma and Tx Tech.
A&M may be better than Tech this year, but Tech is still pretty good.
But point is, ISU only has so many "probable wins" this year, in NIU, UNI, Kansas, perhaps Colorado or KSU. That's only 5 wins. You already need an upset of sorts just to make it to 6 wins. Lose to NIU in week 1 and you're going to have to upset two teams to make it to 6 wins. Not impossible, but definitely not the pressure you want to place on your guys just to reach 6-6.
1) Their non-conference schedule last year consisted of Kent State, Army, North Dakota State and Iowa. This year they face Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Utah and Iowa. Northern Iowa has beaten ISU, and nearly beat Iowa last year. Utah's pretty good... Point is, while last year ISU's non-con record was 3 solid wins and 1 solid loss, they don't have that sort of 'guarantee' of wins this season.
EDIT: Last year's opponents not named Iowa went 5-7, 5-7 and 3-8 last season. This year's opponents went 7-6 with bowl loss (NIU), 7-4 (UNI) and 10-3 with bowl win (Utah) last season.
2) They replace Baylor, Ok State and Tx A&M with Texas, Oklahoma and Tx Tech.
A&M may be better than Tech this year, but Tech is still pretty good.
But point is, ISU only has so many "probable wins" this year, in NIU, UNI, Kansas, perhaps Colorado or KSU. That's only 5 wins. You already need an upset of sorts just to make it to 6 wins. Lose to NIU in week 1 and you're going to have to upset two teams to make it to 6 wins. Not impossible, but definitely not the pressure you want to place on your guys just to reach 6-6.
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