Worst Iowa State Team Ever?

[Palmer]

We are pretty bad and one of the worst programs in the country...but still better than Walden's nightmare.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Didn't we just do this thread last week?

And 1997 was so bad most people must have blocked it out of their memories. We had the nation's longest losing streak at 18 games, and we rushed the field when we snapped it when we beat a Baylor team that was just about as bad as us.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

2003 is always the gold standard for me during my ISU fandom history:

Sat, Aug 30	vs Northern Iowa	W 17-10	1-0 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 6	vs Ohio	W 48-20	2-0 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 13	vs #12 Iowa	L 40-21	2-1 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 27	@ N Illinois	L 24-16	2-2 (0-0)
Sat, Oct 4	vs #3 Oklahoma	L 53-7	2-3 (0-1)
Sat, Oct 11	@ Texas Tech	L 52-21	2-4 (0-2)
Sat, Oct 18	vs #5 Texas	L 40-19	2-5 (0-3)
Sat, Oct 25	@ #21 Nebraska	L 28-0	2-6 (0-4)
Sat, Nov 8	vs #10 Kansas State	L 45-0	2-7 (0-5)
Sat, Nov 15	vs Colorado	L 44-10	2-8 (0-6)
Sat, Nov 22	@ Kansas	L 36-7	2-9 (0-7)
Sat, Nov 29	@ Missouri	L 45-7	2-10 (0-8)

Lost every conference game by at least 21 points, and were shut out of 2 games.

I have a friend who went to the kNebraska game that season when Frank Solich was coaching them. He told me that he was listening to the post-game radio show on the way out of town and their fans were absolutely incensed that they only beat us 28-0. They only threw the ball 7 times against us for 35 yards in that game, but still rolled us as we couldn't stop anyone on the ground.

2003 may not have been the worst season in ISU history, but like I said, it's my gold standard as it happened early in my ISU fan history.

 

[cymac2408]

One thing I am tired of hearing is we are a young team. We may be young but so are a lot of other teams, and they have TRUE freshmans starting at quarterback. One of the most pivotal positions on the field and these teams are not just getting by but they are thriving. I don't put this on the kids that are working their tails off in practice, weight room, film room, and classes. This lies directly on the coaches (namely Messingham). I believe Coach Rhoads is down on the field working the officials when his team is getting bent over the "goal post". Right now we aren't playing the way I would like but it is still better than what I have seen back in the 90's.

 

[Rogue52]

We need to see how the final 5 games play out before we start ranking this season against some of the worst.

Even in this thread people are commenting how the late K-State and Colorado wins of 2007 made that season manageable. Granted, it was the first season of a new coach.

 

[simply1]

Well, I'm not 40.

Apparently you're not qualified to ask or chime in about historically bad teams then eh?

 

[KidSilverhair]

Well, I'm not 40.

So Mike Gundy says you're not a man?

Also, thread title says "Worst Iowa State Team Ever," not "Worst Iowa State Team I Have Seen Personally With My Own Eyes." This year's team is pretty bad - yesterday's first quarter was atrocious - but there have been Cyclone teams far worse than this one.

 

[RoseClone]

There is some talent. Just not a lot of experience, injuries, some poor coaching, and what is turning out to be a really tough schedule so far. They just played 4 of the 5 best teams in a high scoring conference.

1. Talent - very debatable
2. Injuries - yes
3. Poor coaching - see #1
4. Tough Schedule - that isn't going to change.

 

[awd4cy]

People can whip out the tough schedule theory but it isn't even near as tough as last year.

 

[jburke]

2003, Chizik squads and the Walden era were all a lot worse than this....

 

[State43]

People forget how bad ISU used to be. When I started watching ISU, ISU wasn't even in 80-90% of the games. Blown out by halftime. People need to sleep it off.

 

[Freebird]

Dipping into the 80's and 90's you could find multiple years that were worse than this team.

This year's team feels a lot like the 1999 team to me. And look what happened in 2000. I am actually quite optimistic for next year. This team could easily turn it around next season and pick up 8 wins. But yeah, this season is going to be painful.

 

[Wesley]

Some of the mid/late 80's teams were not as good as the current team.

Sounds like we need a poll and the five seasons presented. If we do not win, this could be the worse in a weak B12. Baylor may be the only team ranked in the Top Ten.

 

[BoxsterCy]

on a related note a practically head coachless Gopher team in 6-2. Say what you want about Big 10 competition, but sad..... Missouri which may thought would be smoked in the SEC...sigh

This was in the Star Tribune today. Thought of us when I read it:

The play of the game came on the Gophers’ second possession of the third quarter. The underdogs were leading 17-13, forced a punt, and then returner Derrick Engel’s facemask was grabbed for a 15-yard penalty.

That put the Gophers at the Nebraska 38. The Gophers of the Iowa mess and the Michigan beat down would have run a couple of read options for a few yards, misfired on a pass and punted for a touchback.

These were the new Gophers, the ones that said, “Let’s draw up some wild stuff and actually use it.’’

Limegrover sent Nelson to the huddle to call, “Shift Husker Y-Go.’’

Huh? “We don’t have a real name for it,’’ Limegrover said. “We did use the play in the bowl game last year. We wound up getting a penalty.’’

The good old Shift Husker Y-Go sent two players wide left and two wide right (including left tackle Ben Lauer), and Nebraska’s defense didn’t know if it was on foot or on a combine.

Down the middle trundled Goodger, wide open for 21 yards to the 17, and from there Cobb and Nelson took it into the end zone. And it was at that point, long-timers who had followed the Gophers through all the blowout losses to Nebraska were left saying: “They are strong enough, and they are smart enough, and doggone it, they can do this.’’

 

[chuckd4735]

I'm looking at scores from 2003, 2008 - 2008 looks just like this one except two wins. In 2003, at least we beat UNI.

I dont care if we beat UNI. 2003 was 10x worse then this season.

 

[mikem]

I'm looking at scores from 2003, 2008 - 2008 looks just like this one except two wins. In 2003, at least we beat UNI.

What is your agenda here? It certainly isn't to support the team.

The 2003 team returned something like 40 players in the two deeps, and they lost ten in a row. Mac was 6-27 after the years, WITH a 2000 years rusher in two of those seasons. Walden had an 0 fer.

No this team is not the worst in school history.

 

[Stormin]

This team definitely has problems playing a completely good game. We are playing just bad enough to lose in many cases. Youth, coaching decisions, injuries, and yes, even officiating, have combined to make this a really tough year victory wise. In perspective, we have played some of the best teams in the conference and still could win more games this year. Mental toughness will be a key to not get down and be mentally defeated before the game is even played.

It is a combination of a lot of things that have contributed. Including all the busts and fallouts from previous recruiting classes. We have a few good seniors but definitely not the numbers we should have. And our LB corps is extremely young and few numbers.

 

[Luth4Cy]

I really think this team is better than 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Unfortunately the conference is tougher now.

Note: Before ya'll say we lost to UNI, I'm basing my opinion on the fact this team is much improved since the first two games and would probably beat UNI and Iowa now.

 

[AdamJGray]

I can think of 10 worse teams in my ISU lifetime than this team.

This team has simply had a recipe of disaster. Youth, injuries, and an odd schedule. All together it has equaled the season we are seeing now.

 

[Cyhart]

Well, I'm not 40.

ha! Then why did you start this ridiculous thread without having the necessary perspective?!