Is this years' team better than we thought?

[DSM4Cy]

I think the schedule is softer than we thought.

You’re not the only person saying this, but I don’t know who people expected would be truly tough on this schedule. For me looking at it, I can’t remember an easier schedule in my lifetime, and that’s going back to Walden times. We took Texas and OU off the schedule, plus we don’t have Okie State this year. K-State is at home, UCF is at home, Tech is at home, Baylor is at home, KU is at a neutral/JTS South environment.

IMO our 2nd-toughest game has already taken place and we won it. @ Utah will be tough, but I see no game left that isn’t completely winnable and it’s not crazy to expect that we are favored in every remaining game except that one. If there’s been any year in our history to get to double-digit wins, it’s this one.

 

[madguy30]

10+ wins has always been the potential for this team/schedule. We are still on pace, nothing surprising. We knew we were better than Iowa, but they’ve also beat us in years we’ve out performed them so that was always a potential loss.

If this is another total yards reference, that's a nothing burger in most games. It comes down to performing at the critical moments and Iowa did that those years.

Punt returners running into one another, the '21 meltdown etc. were not good performances.

Either way Iowa doesn't seem that good and it's hard to gauge ISU.

I'd go with 8-9 wins. Good team in that 15-25 range.

 

[DSM4Cy]

If I had to guess right now, I’d say we lose 2 games in the regular season but we will surprisingly win at Utah. @ WVU could easily be a loss, and I could see either UCF or K-State getting us at home.

 

[bozclone]

I’ve learned to enjoy one game at a time. I had fun watching the Arkansas State game and now I am looking forward to Houston. Lots can happen over the course of a season and many things are not in our control. I don’t want to look ahead and not enjoy the now.

 

[cycloneworld]

If I had to guess right now, I’d say we lose 2 games in the regular season but we will surprisingly win at Utah. @ WVU could easily be a loss, and I could see either UCF or K-State getting us at home.

I don’t think anyone gets us at home. UCF and K-State will be ROCKING at JTS if we are squarely in the Big 12 title game hunt.

My biggest question is do we take care of business against teams where we will be a 2+ score favorite - Houston, Baylor, Tech, Cinci. And then can we go 3-2 in the 1 score games. That’s 10-2 and might be good enough to play in Arlington.

 

[DSM4Cy]

I don’t think anyone gets us at home. UCF and K-State will be ROCKING at JTS if we are squarely in the Big 12 title game hunt.

My biggest question is do we take care of business against teams where we will be a 2+ score favorite - Houston, Baylor, Tech, Cinci. And then can we go 3-2 in the 1 score games. That’s 10-2 and might be good enough to play in Arlington.

If we’re 6-0 at the midpoint of the season, I think 10 wins becomes the floor (crazy). If we are 4-2 or worse (somehow), I think we’re looking at a 7-5 season. I don’t think it’s likely that we’re 5-1. If we’re going to lose to WVU then we probably are going to lose one of the previous two as well. To me, that WVU game will make or break the season.

 

[RagingCloner]

If I had to guess right now, I’d say we lose 2 games in the regular season but we will surprisingly win at Utah. @ WVU could easily be a loss, and I could see either UCF or K-State getting us at home.

Avery Johnson will throw 3 interceptions against our secondary. Not worried about that game at all

 

[Thomasrickj]

We’ve gotten better each week. Last week the squad just manhandled Arkansas State. Houston shouldn’t be too daunting and we need to keep pushing hard on offense and staying tough as nails on defense. At WVU doesn’t scare me like it did at the beginning of the year. The Mountaineers haven’t looked good. Their losses to Penn State and Pitt were rough and they barely beat a battered Kansas team at home. I’m optimistic about the next three.

 

[BryceC]

Here is how I'm looking at things the rest of the way:

@Houston, Win
Baylor, Win
@WVU, Tossup
UCF, Tossup
Texas Tech, Win
"@"Kansas, Win
Cincinnati, Win
@utah, Loss
Mildcats, Tossup

Then take one of those wins and make it a tossup to be conservative. Floor of 7-5, ceiling of 11-1. Can't remember the last time I looked at our conference schedule and said there's only one game I think we probably lose. Probably never.

I’m saying 8-4 floor. KSU is trash on the road

 

[Gunnerclone]

I predicted a 9-3 season, but we are are already +1 on that by beating Iowa in Iowa City.

That’s always a good win, but the way we did it showed me that we are capable of having a bad half and good offensive teams will pound us if we aren’t moving the ball.

 

[mjhavlo76]

I'll say this, there is an element of luck in sports in general. Those who've said we've got an easy conference schedule--agree . Let's seize the opportunity.

 

[FerShizzle]

You’re not the only person saying this, but I don’t know who people expected would be truly tough on this schedule. For me looking at it, I can’t remember an easier schedule in my lifetime, and that’s going back to Walden times. We took Texas and OU off the schedule, plus we don’t have Okie State this year. K-State is at home, UCF is at home, Tech is at home, Baylor is at home, KU is at a neutral/JTS South environment.

IMO our 2nd-toughest game has already taken place and we won it. @ Utah will be tough, but I see no game left that isn’t completely winnable and it’s not crazy to expect that we are favored in every remaining game except that one. If there’s been any year in our history to get to double-digit wins, it’s this one.

Ya. Maybe it seems softer because ISU is better than thought, while the schedule is just meh. I know I was cautiously optimistic about the season over the summer. I’ve been hurt too many times by offseason expectations. But 10+ wins is definitely on the table.

The emergence of the 2 freshman LBs is what has me excited. I think the D can gel into one of CJHs best.

I would also point out for teams like KU and OSU that seem to struggling… ISU was 1-2 and appeared to be in a death spiral last season before catching fire. Those mentioned teams and others could vastly improve before it’s their turn on ISUs schedule.

 

[mjhavlo76]

We’ve gotten better each week. Last week the squad just manhandled Arkansas State. Houston shouldn’t be too daunting and we need to keep pushing hard on offense and staying tough as nails on defense. At WVU doesn’t scare me like it did at the beginning of the year. The Mountaineers haven’t looked good. Their losses to Penn State and Pitt were rough and they barely beat a battered Kansas team at home. I’m optimistic about the next three.

If you want comparison, Arkansas State lost to a pretty touted Michigan team by only 10 points. We rolled them. I'm not saying I'm Einstein by any stretch of the means, but I've got some optimism...

 

[Big Daddy Kang]

I know it's pretty early in the season, but that victory over the Hawks was massive man!

I may be drinking the Koolaide, but if we win against Houston on the road and then beat Baylor?

We may be in the discussion about title hopes and playoff discussion. Our schedule conference wise, is really favorable. Utah, maybe K-State huge roadblocks-- you could argue Baylor. It's attainable...

Aren't they always. Until they aren't?

 

[JM4CY]

I’ve learned to enjoy one game at a time. I had fun watching the Arkansas State game and now I am looking forward to Houston. Lots can happen over the course of a season and many things are not in our control. I don’t want to look ahead and not enjoy the now.

Bingo

 

[madguy30]

If you want comparison, Arkansas State lost to a pretty touted Michigan team by only 10 points. We rolled them. I'm not saying I'm Einstein by any stretch of the means, but I've got some optimism...

Michigan turned it over a bunch in that game.

 

[mjhavlo76]

I’ve learned to enjoy one game at a time. I had fun watching the Arkansas State game and now I am looking forward to Houston. Lots can happen over the course of a season and many things are not in our control. I don’t want to look ahead and not enjoy the now.

Not saying you're wrong, and I like to look at the glass half-empty when it comes to Cyclone athletes (which many have piled on to me). But you've got to admit, I think we are better than most have projected to at this point.

 

[mjhavlo76]

Michigan turned it over a bunch in that game.

Ok. Still a formidable team, correct? I mean, last time I checked they're ranked 12th in the country...

 

[jsb]

Michigan turned it over a bunch in that game.

Well we turned it over against Iowa and had god awful field position several times and still won the game.

Turnovers are part of the deal. Maybe Arkansas State did some things that made Michigan turn it over.

I’m sure we aren’t the only fans that do this. But we must be the best at it. If our team does something it’s luck or the team we are playing sucks. But if another team does it it’s because they are good.

 

[Ctrans]

If we’re 6-0 at the midpoint of the season, I think 10 wins becomes the floor (crazy). If we are 4-2 or worse (somehow), I think we’re looking at a 7-5 season. I don’t think it’s likely that we’re 5-1. If we’re going to lose to WVU then we probably are going to lose one of the previous two as well. To me, that WVU game will make or break the season.

I think ISU will be totally jacked to win this game for Rocco's father.