***Utah Game Week Discussion Thread***

[stewart092284]

Even when healthy it's not like ISU was some dominant force.

Even the 'bad' teams are fairly evenly matched.

I expect a tough game Saturday and I would even if ISU were 10-0.

Disagree on that one to a degree.

Beat Houston by 20
Baylor by what, 22?
West Virginia by 12.
Even taking away Sama's late TD, we were beating Cincy by 10.
Obviously ND was what, 18?
Arkansas State was 45



My point is ...outside of the Iowa and UCF game, essentially all of our other wins came by double digits. They might not have been 500 yards to 189, so no, we are not some insanely over powering force. But our two losses have come by a combined 10 points where as we have 6 wins by at least 10 points.

Is that domination? IDK. Perhaps not quite. But it is certainly better than sweating it out every Saturday. This team is better talent wise (when reasonably healthy) than 90% of the Big 12 and even when missing 25-30 players, still is on par.

We're never going to prime time Alabama boat race people like Saban did in the heyday... but we are somewhere between dominant and good when we are healthy.


That being said, Utah , despite their record, is talent wise, very similar to that. So I expect an ugly, 12 round, slugfest barring injuries and some kind of crazy blocked punt / turnover game

 

[madguy30]

Disagree on that one to a degree.

Beat Houston by 20
Baylor by what, 22?
West Virginia by 12.
Even taking away Sama's late TD, we were beating Cincy by 10.
Obviously ND was what, 18?
Arkansas State was 45



My point is ...outside of the Iowa and UCF game, essentially all of our other wins came by double digits. They might not have been 500 yards to 189, so no, we are not some insanely over powering force. But our two losses have come by a combined 10 points where as we have 6 wins by at least 10 points.

Is that domination? IDK. Perhaps not quite. But it is certainly better than sweating it out every Saturday. This team is better talent wise (when reasonably healthy) than 90% of the Big 12 and even when missing 25-30 players, still is on par.

We're never going to prime time Alabama boat race people like Saban did in the heyday... but we are somewhere between dominant and good when we are healthy.


That being said, Utah , despite their record, is talent wise, very similar to that. So I expect an ugly, 12 round, slugfest barring injuries and some kind of crazy blocked punt / turnover game

I'm referring to 42-6 type of scores across the board or something.

ISU won those games by double digits but also had to have very few turnovers including 0 fumbles lost through 7 games and was very low in penalties/game.

It's a solid team but the margin for error is very small.

 

[Thomasrickj]

Given how much injuries have decimated our roster this season, we should all be elated that we're sitting at 8-2 right now. ANY additional win from here on out is just gravy.

Hopefully, we go into Provo with a loose attitude and we let it rip.

Provo? Utah is in SLC. BYU is in Provo.

 

[stewart092284]

I'm referring to 42-6 type of scores across the board or something.

ISU won those games by double digits but also had to have very few turnovers including 0 fumbles lost through 7 games and was very low in penalties/game.

It's a solid team but the margin for error is very small.

Agree on that. The margin is not that great. I do think there is more of a margin with this team than previous Iowa State teams. Which is why I say its somewhere in that grey area between similar to dominant. Above average? I'm not sure what that category would be called. But its better than the bottom and similar to the top. So I guess above average is probably the best phrase I can think of.


In general, I think really most of college football falls into that category. There are a lot of good to above average teams. But I've not yet seen one team I can look at and say "wow" on a consistent basis. On a given week, Georgia can look " wow" or Ohio State, they have the talent, etc.

But week to week? No one looks that separated from the middle of the pack.

 

[MartyFine]

 

[troutslayer]

Up to -7.5 btw

 

[CoachHines3]

SIAP-

 

[NorthCyd]

 

[nrg4isu]

Hey, Will McLaughlin came back this past week... he could be telling the truth!

 

[cytor]

We haven't lost a true road game since OU last year

Sadly, I was at that game.

 

[DesertClone1]

 

[wintersmd]

That's surprising to me. I don't want to be a downer, but I didn't come away from the Cinci victory feeling like anything substantial had changed for ISU. Cinci had 13 penalties, several of them dubious, and their QB missed numerous wide-open receivers. The game was closer than the final score would indicate and did little for my confidence moving forward.

I've been a Cyclone fan since my freshman year of HS in 1978, I'm now in my 60's and I want a conference title as bad as anybody - it's there to be seized but we're simply run out of bodies. We snuck by Cinci by dropping eight and trying to keep everything in front. Our LBers are young, inexperienced and slow - I'd rather see them attacking every down than sitting back and getting washed out.

I agree. We had 24 yards rushing at the half, and just over 100 yards total. I don't know what is going on with the O line, but they are not opening holes for our backs. Roco has no time to throw the ball, so many of his throws are either rushed, throw aways, or quick 3 yard passes. As for defense, our linebackers are killing us. We have got to be the WORST 3rd and long defense in the country. I don't know the stats, but I would bet that we are less than 50% 3rd and long stops.

Having said that, this team has no quit. I don't remember a team that plays as hard for 60 minutes. They just do not quit and for that they have benefited from some of the greatest come backs in cyclone history. If we get down to Utaha and the purple kitties, it will be hard to come back like in the Kansas game.

 

[Aclone]

 

[stewart092284]

The way he answered about JR makes me think best case is K-State. An arm injury that they were initially worried about being season ending but wasn't... I hope he plays but doubt it.

Didn't he say Brahmer's was good news that it wasn't as bad as they thought and that was what, 3 weeks ago?

 

[Im4State]

I don’t get the Hawaiian slogan on the helmet???

the equipment X account had a smirking gif this week so I think we’ll see something new. Worst case it’s only the gold pants. Best case it’s also something cool on the helmet too.

My guess is white white gold. Don’t think we’d do a yellow helmet

 

[CycloneErik]

Might as well beat 'em.

 

[CloneLawman]

Might as well beat 'em.

Guess so.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

I don’t get the Hawaiian slogan on the helmet???

the equipment X account had a smirking gif this week so I think we’ll see something new. Worst case it’s only the gold pants. Best case it’s also something cool on the helmet too.

My guess is white white gold. Don’t think we’d do a yellow helmet

Mormons converted the Polynesia's so there is a large population in Utah.

 

[CyGuy5]

Sadly, I was at that game.

Yeah same here. God that sucked.

Was in attendance at KU too. Pretty sure I’m cursed when it comes to road games.

 

[Lincoln_Cyclone]

Utah offense isn't good but their defense is decent. Should be a win but you never know with how inconsistent we can be on both sides of the ball and playing in a tough environment with altitude. We will know more about our CCG chances by kickoff since BYU, ASU, and CU play at 2:30.

this is giving me Iowa game vibes. They have a good D, bad O... Granted, we won that one this year but came down to last minute drive and FG.