Big Ten

[johnnydugouts]

I can't really disagree with any of this. Do I wish ISU was a more fundamental smash mouth team with an identity..... yes I do. I do admire Iowa for that. They are what they are, but they are usually fairly decent at it.

But I'm glad you also at least admit that Iowa has a very easy schedule compared to ISU, Which is also a direct reflection on the lack of any good teams in the Big 10 West.

Over the last couple of decades, Iowa and ISU have been very close teams with each winning about the same number of times against one another. However, go back over those last 2 decades and look at how many bowl games Iowa has been in compared to ISU. Iowa has been to a LOT more by far.

So two fairly equal teams, but yet one of those teams goes to a lot more bowls. That means they consistently play a much easier schedule year in and year out and if we flipped conferences, Iowa would likely be in nearly the same boat as ISU IMO.

come on man. there's no way you actually believe that. who cares if we can regularly beat Iowa? they aren't in our conference. you need a philosophy to compete for the conference grind where everyone has a full scout on everyone and manage/recruit to it, not some rivalry game where the talent level doesn't really matter. also, Iowa's style lends itself to a ton of close games. hence why they are regularly competitive. we have been able to win many of those close games against iowa. it doesn't automatically translate to the current ISU program being competitive in the big ten. as mentioned, we may not have the athletes to win in the current B12 but we don't have the size or physicality to compete in the big ten either. it's the same result, one just results in triple the points on the scoreboard.

yes, Iowa has had a cake schedule for 2 years. They've still had some years where they had to beat all or most of the big dogs in the conference.

 

[Jacktronic]

Clonedude versus the Hawks. Turning into a real solid thread.

 

[ISUTex]

Nebraska went 9-3 their first season? We can easily easily easily easily be a Bowl team if we were big ten. We could schedule an easier non conference for one, and then you add some easy wins from the conference like the many teams I've mentioned many times in this thread you have at least 6 every year easy peasy. We could absolutely 100% do it.

Didn't Penn State go undefeated in their first Big 10 season? Didn't Nebraska play in the Big 10 Championship game in their second Big 10 season? It will never happen, but Iowa State in the Big 10, would be much more competitive in football than they are now. To deny that is just plain silly.

 

[SplitIdentity]

Was that basketball game tight right up until the last few minutes? Ok, I didn't think so.

The year before would be a better comparison IMO with Iowa losing right at the end to ISU in Ames. That was a competitive ballgame. Last year, not so much.

Had Iowa built a 21 point lead by the end of the 3rd quarter against ISU in football this year, that would have been the equivalent of the basketball game last year.

Nah, it was tight until the half though, so really the teams were even.

 

[Gonzo]

Didn't Penn State go undefeated in their first Big 10 season? Didn't Nebraska play in the Big 10 Championship game in their second Big 10 season? It will never happen, but Iowa State in the Big 10, would be much more competitive in football than they are now. To deny that is just plain silly.

You're selling yourself short. You guys would probably wreck the SEC if you joined. Screw this B1G crap. Never mind that Nebby won at the same clip in their first 3 years in the B1G as they did in the final 3 years in the Big 12. That's just facts. You're right. Silly to think that ISU wouldn't come in and be "much more competitive" in the B1G than they are in the Big 12. Nebby couldn't do it, but they're Nebby. They're not ISU.

 

[Knight78]

Iowa is going to go undefeated in the Big 10 West, and ISU was tied with them and had the ball with about 3 minutes left to go in the game. IMO, we could beat anyone in the Big 10 West with how we played against Iowa.

Northwestern is going to be a tough win. When you're missing both starting tackles, starting running back, starting wide receiver, starting tight end and a pre-season all-conference pick at defensive end, it's pretty tough to win on the road. Doesn't matter what conference you play in.

 

[dexterhawk]

We didn't stop caring until Sam threw that horrible INT with about a minute and a half left with Iowa up 7. Game was over at that point, and then we gave up the late garbage TD when a smart coach would have just knelt down and killed the clock instead of running plays and risking a fumble which could have cost Iowa the game.

Wrong, ISU still had timeouts and if Iowa knelt it they'd have turned the ball over on downs. So a smart coach would run it down the clones throat.

 

[Knight78]

Ok then.... tell me where I'm wrong? ISU was up 17-10 on Iowa at the half, and it should have been worse. Beathard escaped a safety in that first half by a couple inches or IMO it would have at least been 19-10, but more likely either 22-10 or 26-10 after we received the kick back after the safety.

Even without that though, we still had the ball and were tied with about 3 mins left. Iowa and ISU could hardly have been more two even teams that day on the football field. It was close the entire game.

So IMO, we'd have a decent shot at winning the Big 10 West too, just like Iowa does. Tell me where I'm wrong.

Yes, he did escape the safety. And what happened after that? A great play like a near-safety should really fire up the ISU defense. Instead, Iowa grinds it out, goes the length of the field and scores a touchdown.

You could say that Iowa left points on the board by going for a fake field goal to end the half instead of kicking the field goal.... which, by the way, Iowa started on their own 2 and they STILL managed to go 78 yards in 2:18.

Score-wise they were even with 3 minutes left. In every other important facet of the game, Iowa had the advantage. From 9:09 in the 4th qtr, ISU ran 14 plays for 35 yards which resulted in a punt, a pick and 4 downs with only 1 yard gained. Iowa, on the other hand, ran 10 plays for 73 yards which resulted in 2 TDs and a kneel-down. Iowa had the interior advantage and basically ran smash-mouth football and ISU had no answer.

 

[Knight78]

Ok then, let's take out all the hypotheticals and just deal with what really happened. Was the game not tied with about 3 or 4 mins left? Yes or no? Did Iowa only lead the game for about 3 minutes out of 60?

That is not a dominating win by any definition. Sorry it just isn't.

As for Saturday, Beathard took an absolute beating from Illinois. Iowa looked like a very average team beating a below average team. Of course everyone in the Big 10 West is below average, so there is that.

Take away ISU's starting tackles and their best wide-out. Do you think Sam would take an absolute beating from a team with a decent defense? It's like Hubie Brown's quote when he was coaching the injury-riddled Knicks "People say we don't have any bench - WE'RE PLAYING IT!"

And since when is a 4-1 team below average?

 

[Knight78]

I can't really disagree with any of this. Do I wish ISU was a more fundamental smash mouth team with an identity..... yes I do. I do admire Iowa for that. They are what they are, but they are usually fairly decent at it.

But I'm glad you also at least admit that Iowa has a very easy schedule compared to ISU, Which is also a direct reflection on the lack of any good teams in the Big 10 West.

Over the last couple of decades, Iowa and ISU have been very close teams with each winning about the same number of times against one another. However, go back over those last 2 decades and look at how many bowl games Iowa has been in compared to ISU. Iowa has been to a LOT more by far.

So two fairly equal teams, but yet one of those teams goes to a lot more bowls. That means they consistently play a much easier schedule year in and year out and if we flipped conferences, Iowa would likely be in nearly the same boat as ISU IMO.

No. What that means is that Iowa treats the ISU game as it should: a non-conference game to get you ready to play the conference season. ISU usually plays the game with more intensity and emotion because they believe it is one of the few wins they will get.

 

[Clark]

If you want to know what ISU would do in the Big 10 west, just look at Illinois. They're not exactly the same, since Lunt is better than Richardson but the way they're built reminds me of ISU's best teams under Rhoads.

 

[Wesley]

If Iowa wins the West I'm hoping so bad that the team they face in Indy is Michigan.

The Ruddock connection?

 

[CyTwins]

Northwestern is going to be a tough win. When you're missing both starting tackles, starting running back, starting wide receiver, starting tight end and a pre-season all-conference pick at defensive end, it's pretty tough to win on the road. Doesn't matter what conference you play in.

Yeah, Northwestern isn't very good but Iowa's lack of depth is going to be a concern

 

[mattyheiden]

Northwestern would win quite a few games in the Big 12 with their style of play. Why are people so quick to discount the Wildcats? They've been a pretty solid program the last 20 years or so and beat Stanford and Duke on the road.

 

[mattyheiden]

Lack of depth is an issue for any team. All teams have their injuries but that's been ISU's major issue over the years. The inability to replace guys due to a lack of depth and talent. Other teams often get better as the year progresses but ISU does not. The running game has gotten better tho, but defensively the talent isn't there. This isn't on Wally, it's the talent

 

[CyTwins]

Lack of depth is an issue for any team. All teams have their injuries but that's been ISU's major issue over the years. The inability to replace guys due to a lack of depth and talent. Other teams often get better as the year progresses but ISU does not. The running game has gotten better tho, but defensively the talent isn't there. This isn't on Wally, it's the talent

That is going to be Iowa's struggles moving forward IMO. They really lack depth this year

 

[ICHawk24]

That is not a dominating win by any definition. Sorry it just isn't.

It may not have been dominating, but Iowa outgained ISU 475 to 310. That is pretty big.

You folks are delusional that ISU would contend in the B1G West. ISU is a dumpster fire of a program that regularly loses to FCS teams.

 

[mattyheiden]

Yea, they lack depth.

They've been without their #1 RB since the ISU game and Ott played sparingly until last week. Canzeri has 700 yards rushing in 6 games. Ott has been replaced by two RS Freshman whom both have played well. Hesse had a sack vs ISU and the other replacement (Nelson) is 6-8 270lbs. Iowa's DT rotation is pretty deep and features a 310lb 4 star backing up another 310lb 4 star recruit (Johnson)

The #1 TE (Duzey) hasn't taken any meaningful snaps due to a torn ACL in the spring. Iowa has gotten great blocking and production from their other 3 TEs.

They've faced two of the better defensive fronts they'll face this season in the last two weeks without a starting LT and RT and won both games. Iowa's OL is deep and will be really salty next season

Their #1 WR has missed the last two games. His replacement had 4 catches for 118 yards last weekend.

Yea, depth has been an issue.

 

[CyTwins]

Yea, they lack depth.

They've been without their #1 RB since the ISU game and Ott played sparingly until last week. Canzeri has 700 yards rushing in 6 games. Ott has been replaced by two RS Freshman whom both have played well. Hesse had a sack vs ISU and the other replacement (Nelson) is 6-8 270lbs. Iowa's DT rotation is pretty deep and features a 310lb 4 star backing up another 310lb 4 star recruit (Johnson)

The #1 TE (Duzey) hasn't taken any meaningful snaps due to a torn ACL in the spring. Iowa has gotten great blocking and production from their other 3 TEs.

They've faced two of the better defensive fronts they'll face this season in the last two weeks without a starting LT and RT and won both games. Iowa's OL is deep and will be really salty next season

Their #1 WR has missed the last two games. His replacement had 4 catches for 118 yards last weekend.

Yea, depth has been an issue.

I agree, will probably be the reason they lose a couple games down the stretch. Teams with good depth tend to get better as the season progresses. I don't think Iowa will with the lack of talent

 

[HandSanitizer]

i would say ISU Belongs in the B10, but we would still be losing, but not by 30. IMO.

If you think Iowa would allow Texas Tech to score 66 points on them you are crazy.