The OU game determines the rest of the season IMO. Win and I think we find two more.
Getting to 6 in the final 5 (Poll)
- Thread starter cycophagus
- Start date
ISU revenge tour inbound after the bye… if we play like we did last week with a healthy jirehl Brock we have a shot against anyone in this league. I wouldn’t count us out against any of these teams. People shitting on us now but I would bet we make a bowl game. Go cyclones
Agree. though I will truly start to panic if and when we lose game 6 before we win game 6. I can realistically envision us losing every game remaining on the schedule. Consequently, however, I think all are winnable outside of @ TCU.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of those "none of the above" voters were actually thinking ISU was going to win 10 games just 4 or 5 weeks ago. Hah! I think it's probably a mix of the few eternal pessimists voting "none of the above" but actually just shows a lot of those fans who swing massively one way or the other based on one week's results.
I've said it a million times and it proves true more times than not. Things are usually not as bad as they seem or as good as they seem. Hard for some fans to understand that. That Fiesta Bowl winning team probably punched above it's weight. The 2021 team likely punched below it's weight. This team has lost close games and been statistically superior to more teams than less this season. ISU could easily be anywhere from 2 - 5 to 6 - 1 right now if a little luck of the ball bouncing a different way, calls, etc. Enjoy the ride, but I'm going to guess we either win two more games or three. Pin me down, I'll go optimist and say 6 and 6 because that's what I was guessing at the start of the year, even though 5 and 7 seems most realistic right now.
6 - 6 is a solid year. To get there though, I think we need to continue to see the diversity in play calling from the Offensive Coordinator with deeper routes, more plays to keep the opponent off-balance (more QB keeps, screens every once in a while, jet sweeps every once in a while, option, reverse, etc.). I must say it's been disappointing until last week seeing the constant 3 yard crossing routes from the offensive play callers and lack of diversity in the calls. Still were in place to win some of those games.
Optimism isn't the same thing as toxic positivity. That would be saying we're going to win out or only lose one game. If you don't think we even have a chance at winning 3 more games then I think you're being pessimistic.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
People love to use this line in so many areas, but it's almost never true. That's a good line to just throw away and never use for anything.
I think the final stretch all depends on the focus of this off-week. If the coaches are doubling down on the success seen by opening the playbook and try to find a way to create any sort of running game, there is hope we’ll find enough wins. I would have to believe that to be the focus, else heads should roll.
Even after this past week, we’re dead last in the conference for yards per game, rushing per game, and points per game. Example – TCU is averaging 526 ypg to our 369, 229 rypg to our 101, and 45 ppg to our 22. While our defense will keep our opponents to at or near season lows (we avg 15 ppg given up), we still must be able to score 20+ against OU, OSU, and especially TCU. Continue to move the pocket, try some outside runs, and pass down field.
However, I think some people may be underestimating OU, WV, and TT and chalking them up to near instant wins. All are very beatable, but each also have strengths – they just aren’t consistent in any way. They could each beat anybody in the league by 20 or lose by 49.
OU is going to be the most interesting. They finally found some rhythm last week – yes, I know it was against a week defense – and they have an off-weak to try and build off that. They’re really a mirror image to the situation ISU finds ourselves in, just with strengths/weaknesses of offense and defense switched. While I’ve never liked Gabriel back to UCF, he’s got a 13/1 TD/INT ratio to Hunter’s 13/7 and can be dynamic in an open field. They’re another multi-dimensional offense – even though it’s either been really good or really bad.
My confidence ranking from most to least likely…
TT
WV
OU
OSU
TCU
Even after this past week, we’re dead last in the conference for yards per game, rushing per game, and points per game. Example – TCU is averaging 526 ypg to our 369, 229 rypg to our 101, and 45 ppg to our 22. While our defense will keep our opponents to at or near season lows (we avg 15 ppg given up), we still must be able to score 20+ against OU, OSU, and especially TCU. Continue to move the pocket, try some outside runs, and pass down field.
However, I think some people may be underestimating OU, WV, and TT and chalking them up to near instant wins. All are very beatable, but each also have strengths – they just aren’t consistent in any way. They could each beat anybody in the league by 20 or lose by 49.
OU is going to be the most interesting. They finally found some rhythm last week – yes, I know it was against a week defense – and they have an off-weak to try and build off that. They’re really a mirror image to the situation ISU finds ourselves in, just with strengths/weaknesses of offense and defense switched. While I’ve never liked Gabriel back to UCF, he’s got a 13/1 TD/INT ratio to Hunter’s 13/7 and can be dynamic in an open field. They’re another multi-dimensional offense – even though it’s either been really good or really bad.
My confidence ranking from most to least likely…
TT
WV
OU
OSU
TCU
OU will be such a tough game to predict. Both teams coming off a bye, like you said, and Gabriel should be 100% healthy by then. Wish we could have played them over the last couple of weeks. Their defense is extremely spongey, but whether ISU can take advantage of that is yet to be seen. They did almost nothing against pillow soft KU's defense.
Hoping that Brock and Norton are much closer to 100% the rest of the way. If they are, we should theoretically have a chance in every game.
Wins - TT, WV, Oklahoma St
Losses - OU, TCU
That is about as optimistic as I can be.
I selected 2 - went with Tech and WVU. But it could've been OU instead. Hard to gauge that.
Basic outlook, as far as a bowl, we're going to regret not winning at least one of those previous 3.
Iowa game could've been a loss, too, so it could be worse.
Basic outlook, as far as a bowl, we're going to regret not winning at least one of those previous 3.
Iowa game could've been a loss, too, so it could be worse.
We could win any one of them and lose any one of them. It will be tough to go 3-2 if you don’t beat OU.
