Is this years' team better than we thought?

[t-noah]

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

Or he could run for 200 yds.

If he improves his pass game, he will be a tough out. I'm not sure how much he will improve this year. The 'last game' is not always a great indicator though.

It's not like I'm rooting for him to improve.

 

[fsanford]

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...

It's ISU. The fact you used "if" we win against Houston tells you all you need to know.

 

[t-noah]

I was thinking 7-8 wins at best before the season kicked off. Obviously that's been upticked with this start...

We win the Natty now.

 

[Sigmapolis]

We win the Natty now.

It would be really funny watching the #5 seed/the first at-large team, so probably somebody like UGA or UT-A or Alabama or Tennessee (the best team in the SEC not to win the SEC), have to play Iowa State as the "road" team in a second-round bowl game. We're likely to end up getting stomped but you never know.

 

[AppleCornCy]

It would be really funny watching the #5 seed/the first at-large team, so probably somebody like UGA or UT-A or Alabama or Tennessee (the best team in the SEC not to win the SEC) have to play Iowa State as the "road" team in a second-round bowl game. We're likely to end up getting stomped but you never know.

I’m interested to see whether the top teams are as dominant in the 12-team playoff as they were before. When you have a month to prepare for a game and you know that if you win, the opponent is going to be one of two possible teams, the most talented and best coached teams are going to perform at the top of their game. Now they only get two weeks if they didn’t win their conference, they might have to go on the road, and there are more possibilities for who the next opponent will be.

 

[t-noah]

I don't think the team is better than we thought.

I think the Kansas schools are worse than we thought, and Utah without Rising doesn't scare anyone.

Utah, w/o Rising just beat OkState in Stillwater. They don't have a one man team.

 

[Al_4_State]

Utah, w/o Rising just beat OkState in Stillwater. They don't have a one man team.

OSU sucks this year. Gordon is broke and Bowman is awful.

That win wont age well.

 

[IlliniCy]

OSU sucks this year. Gordon is broke and Bowman is awful.

That win wont age well.

Every win ages well.

 

[Cyclonsin]

OSU sucks this year. Gordon is broke and Bowman is awful.

That win wont age well.

I wonder if Gordon read about his own hype a bit too much during the offseason and didn't put in the work he should have. Just the DUI thing alone is proof he was given leeway other players wouldn't have been.

 

[Al_4_State]

Every win ages well.

I’m just saying that win over OSU won’t look as impressive in December as it does today.

 

[JM4CY]

I’m just saying that win over OSU won’t look as impressive in December as it does today.

I can get here too. I do also think Gundys teams can be weird though. Both in streaks of wins and losses. Bouman is terrible though.

 

[Frak]

I wonder if Gordon read about his own hype a bit too much during the offseason and didn't put in the work he should have. Just the DUI thing alone is proof he was given leeway other players wouldn't have been.

Dude should have declared. He might not have been a high draft pick, but he would have been drafted. For a RB, another year of college carries was going to hurt his stock more than help it. And he had already shown what he could do. That was a dumb decision and I thought that right away.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

If they get to 6-0, THEN I'll be looking like the Texas Tech bell ringer

If you have that hair doo I'm going to smack you.

 

[IceCyIce]

"Is this years team better than we thought" Dennis Green has that answer.

 

[Saul_T]

We win the Natty now.

Twice this year if the lord wills it

 

[SolarGarlic]

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.

It's easy to make a case that West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas, and Kansas State are all not as good as expected coming into the year. The games at WVU and KU have gone from games we're underdogs in to now most likely being favorites.

Everyone knew this schedule was the easiest we've had in awhile. The difference that you're missing is that it's gotten even easier since the season started.

 

[SolarGarlic]

If those are our respective records it should be a great environment, but I still think the overwhelming majority of our fanbase will struggle to ever view UCF as a game to get excited for unless they're near the top of the conference year after year (which I think they very well could). Most people just don't pay close enough attention.

I think you're overestimating the relevance of the opponent if Iowa State is 6-0 and ranked near the top 10. This fanbase will explode if that's the case. That UCF might also be in the top 25 only adds juice to the matchup.

 

[Statefan10]

Hypothetical "When We Play Them" Prediction because I'm bored at work (If you're mad about anything in here, deal with it):

@ Houston (1-3): Not going to sugarcoat it. Houston is just not very good. Holgerson left Fritz with a very bare cupboard and Fritz is trying to pick up the pieces. Looking at their schedule, they may be lucky to win two games this year. I really hope we're not one of them, but this "should" be a comfortable victory. Iowa State 34 - Houston 17

Baylor (3-2): First off, give me the Baylor Bears in an upset at home this week against a BYU team coming off a very big high last week. Baylor then comes back down to earth when they come to Ames for a WHITE OUT game under the lights. Iowa State 30 - Baylor 17

@ West Virginia (2-3): West Virginia will lose in Stillwater next week and OSU will be coming off a loss in Manhattan this week. This is going to be a tough one, but the Mountaineers will be in their gauntlet of their season in playing KU, OSU, ISU and KSU 4 games straight. Iowa State goes into Morgantown and steals a close one in a barn burner. Iowa State 38 - West Virginia 35

#25 UCF (5-1): UCF brings their high powered offense into Jack Trice and gets their first taste of The Wizard Jon Heacock. The under hits big time in this one and Iowa State stays undefeated. Iowa State 17 - UCF 14

Texas Tech (5-3): This is likely going to be Texas Tech's hardest game on their entire schedule. Going into Jack Trice against an undefeated Iowa State team on homecoming does not bode well for the Red Raiders. Iowa State 31 - Texas Tech 10

Kansas (4-4): At the beginning of the year, KU was talked about as a team that's going to compete for a conference title. That has been the opposite as they've looked poor so far. There's going to be some buzz this game as it'll be in Arrowhead, but Iowa State fans bring Trice South to Kansas City and keeps the wheels turning. Iowa State 27 - Kansas 20

Cincinnati (4-5): Again, this is going to be the toughest game on Cincinnati's schedule. It's in Ames against a rolling Cyclones squad. Iowa State embarrasses the Bearcats. Iowa State 41 - Cincinnati 10

#5 Utah (10-0): An undefeated Utah takes on an undefeated Iowa State under the lights in a top-10 matchup and College Gameday in appearance. Utah prevails at home comfortably. Iowa State 13 - Utah 27

#13 Kansas State (9-2): Kansas State comes into Ames at night in a game to go to the Big 12 Championship. No snow in this one, but Iowa State wins in a high scoring back and forth shootout. Iowa State 40 - Kansas State 38

 

[madguy30]

Hypothetical "When We Play Them" Prediction because I'm bored at work (If you're mad about anything in here, deal with it):

@ Houston (1-3): Not going to sugarcoat it. Houston is just not very good. Holgerson left Fritz with a very bare cupboard and Fritz is trying to pick up the pieces. Looking at their schedule, they may be lucky to win two games this year. I really hope we're not one of them, but this "should" be a comfortable victory. Iowa State 34 - Houston 17

Baylor (3-2): First off, give me the Baylor Bears in an upset at home this week against a BYU team coming off a very big high last week. Baylor then comes back down to earth when they come to Ames for a WHITE OUT game under the lights. Iowa State 30 - Baylor 17

@ West Virginia (2-3): West Virginia will lose in Stillwater next week and OSU will be coming off a loss in Manhattan this week. This is going to be a tough one, but the Mountaineers will be in their gauntlet of their season in playing KU, OSU, ISU and KSU 4 games straight. Iowa State goes into Morgantown and steals a close one in a barn burner. Iowa State 38 - West Virginia 35

#25 UCF (5-1): UCF brings their high powered offense into Jack Trice and gets their first taste of The Wizard Jon Heacock. The under hits big time in this one and Iowa State stays undefeated. Iowa State 17 - UCF 14

Texas Tech (5-3): This is likely going to be Texas Tech's hardest game on their entire schedule. Going into Jack Trice against an undefeated Iowa State team on homecoming does not bode well for the Red Raiders. Iowa State 31 - Texas Tech 10

Kansas (4-4): At the beginning of the year, KU was talked about as a team that's going to compete for a conference title. That has been the opposite as they've looked poor so far. There's going to be some buzz this game as it'll be in Arrowhead, but Iowa State fans bring Trice South to Kansas City and keeps the wheels turning. Iowa State 27 - Kansas 20

Cincinnati (4-5): Again, this is going to be the toughest game on Cincinnati's schedule. It's in Ames against a rolling Cyclones squad. Iowa State embarrasses the Bearcats. Iowa State 41 - Cincinnati 10

#5 Utah (10-0): An undefeated Utah takes on an undefeated Iowa State under the lights in a top-10 matchup and College Gameday in appearance. Utah prevails at home comfortably. Iowa State 13 - Utah 27

#13 Kansas State (9-2): Kansas State comes into Ames at night in a game to go to the Big 12 Championship. No snow in this one, but Iowa State wins in a high scoring back and forth shootout. Iowa State 40 - Kansas State 38

 

[DSM4Cy]

It's easy to make a case that West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas, and Kansas State are all not as good as expected coming into the year. The games at WVU and KU have gone from games we're underdogs in to now most likely being favorites.

Everyone knew this schedule was the easiest we've had in awhile. The difference that you're missing is that it's gotten even easier since the season started.

Eh, not sure I'm missing it. I thought it was pretty easy before what you're saying played out. Now it's almost criminally easy. Definitely the greatest opportunity we've had that I can ever remember.