Can ISU make a bowl in 2015?
- Thread starter BryceC
- Start date
To be fair, by nats *** hair worth of luck you mean an ability to execute in crucial spots and do things like, say, field a kickoff, pick up a first down with a lead late in the fourth quarter, not give up a 60 yard drive with 50 seconds left in the 4th quarter.
Turnarounds are possible, look at Rhoads in 2009, but it's really dependent on this defense. We need big improvement on the defensive side of the ball. The offense isn't any good right now, but it's clear that the skill and potential are there assuming they all stay healthy.
Oh yeah, and Big 12 Round Robin. Key to getting to a bowl game next season? Win all three non-conference games. I'm not going to go back and look, but I suspect that every bowl game we've been to since the McCarney years was the result of a minimum of three non-conference wins. I know that is the case for Rhoads. It's the major reason why our bowl hopes were immediately put on life support after the NDSU and UNI games the past two seasons.
So yes, UNI 2015 is a must win for more reasons than one.
Oh yeah, and Big 12 Round Robin. Key to getting to a bowl game next season? Win all three non-conference games. I'm not going to go back and look, but I suspect that every bowl game we've been to since the McCarney years was the result of a minimum of three non-conference wins. I know that is the case for Rhoads. It's the major reason why our bowl hopes were immediately put on life support after the NDSU and UNI games the past two seasons.
So yes, UNI 2015 is a must win for more reasons than one.
no chance unless systemic issues with s and c and practice engineering are addressed. we are getting worse as the year goes on; bad sign. all the blame is on cpr.
People need to remember the defense showed potential early in the year and then started to struggle. What happened? Injuries to Cousins, Jensen, Garcia, Miller, and Tribune.
I'm not saying they'll be great next season, but the quality of play is significantly better when key players are healthy.
I'm not saying they'll be great next season, but the quality of play is significantly better when key players are healthy.
Yes, because of our lack of depth, we need to hope for a relatively healthy team for a chance at a bowl game.
I can't access any of his posts prior to the beginning of September so I can't give specific examples, but I remember him being pretty optimistic about the team's progression this season. I haven't seen any sort of progression. This is exactly what I expected when I looked at the defensive side of the ball, and I have to admit the offense has been even worse than I thought it would be. I figured Mangino would be able to do more than this.
We're going to be 2-10 this year, the schedule isn't easier. The defense will still suck. The offense could be average.
No, we won't make a bowl. Especially with Captain Rhoads in charge of things.
No, we won't make a bowl. Especially with Captain Rhoads in charge of things.
North Dakota State had over 300 rushing yards and over 500 total yards. It doesn't get any earlier in the year than that. Only the plodding Schmuckeyes haven't destroyed Iowa State's defense.
This really shows we aren't that far off of a bowl game next year. I understand people are frustrated with the NDSU and KU losses, and I am too. I don't think the program is in "free fall" just because we lost 2 games we shouldn't have this year.
But if we can clean up some things, another year in Mangino's system, and stay a little healthier, I think the UNI, Iowa, Toledo, KU are definitely winnable. In fact, we may be favored in all 4 (maybe not Iowa). We have OSU at home, Texas at home...both are winnable. At Texas Tech should be winnable and maybe even at WVU.
If we could win 3 of 4 or even 4 of 4 of the first group plus Texas/OSU at home plus a road game, we are right there competing for a bowl.
UNI
Iowa
Toledo
KU
OSU/Texas
Tech/WVU
That's 6 wins. I'm willing to give Rhoads and the staff the opportunity to put the pieces back together next year. If it happens, great. If it doesn't, its time to move on.
This. Hate to say it. No way ISU is going bowling next year. Major changes need to occur now or at season's end.
I was mostly referring to the games against Iowa, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State.
Next year will be just as rough. At least with home games with UNI, and Iowa our new larger capacity stadium will provide plenty of tickets for Panther and Hawk fans to fill.
K-State had 232 rushing and 471 total. Ok State "only" had 400 yards --- which I will admit was less than I remembered. Compared to the Okla game, all those early games seem not as bad. I'm not trying to be a Richard.
They weren't great, but they showed promise. Once they moved Miller inside, inserted Knott as a starter, Taylor as a starter, and moved Meyers inside it was a unit that proved to be somewhat respectable.
I'm not saying they were good, or that they'll be good next season, but if key players stay healthy they'll at least have a chance.
I would add to that that Jensen, Cousin and Tribune all played hurt against KU, and it really showed. Unfortunately all of the backups for the DL are hurt or really not ready. I wish it were different, and the play could certainly be better, but there apparently are very few options at this point in time.
Still would like to see Wally step down at the end of the season so a new DC can start to figure out what to do to make the defense serviceable.
Can they? Well they can if some a lot of players improve greatly and/or there are new players that are better than this year.
Will they? Doesn't look likely.
Will they? Doesn't look likely.
