I'm actually rooting for Iowa to win big. In my experience, when Iowa struggles or gets a test before playing ISU, they end up playing ISU tough and typically winning. When Iowa has a cakewalk in their first game, then they don't seem to get the kinks worked out by the time they play ISU.
2011 - Week 1 - W 34-7, Week 2 - L 41-44 to ISU
2009 - Week 1 - W 17-16 vs UNI, Week 2 - W 35-3 vs ISU
2007 - Week 2 - W 35-0 vs Cuse, Week 3 - L 15-13 vs ISU
2006 - Week 2 - W 20-13 (OT) vs Cuse, Week 3 - W 27-17 vs ISU
2005 - Week 2 - W 56-0 vs Ball St, Week 2 - L 3-23 vs ISU
So 5 of the last 7 years, if Iowa rolls their first opponent then we play them close. If Iowa needs to work hard to win their first game, they've come out and rolled us. I would love an Iowa loss just simply because my co-workers that live and die by the hawks would not make any obnoxious comment about the ISU game. If NIU is to lose, I want them to lose big.
2011 - Week 1 - W 34-7, Week 2 - L 41-44 to ISU
2009 - Week 1 - W 17-16 vs UNI, Week 2 - W 35-3 vs ISU
2007 - Week 2 - W 35-0 vs Cuse, Week 3 - L 15-13 vs ISU
2006 - Week 2 - W 20-13 (OT) vs Cuse, Week 3 - W 27-17 vs ISU
2005 - Week 2 - W 56-0 vs Ball St, Week 2 - L 3-23 vs ISU
So 5 of the last 7 years, if Iowa rolls their first opponent then we play them close. If Iowa needs to work hard to win their first game, they've come out and rolled us. I would love an Iowa loss just simply because my co-workers that live and die by the hawks would not make any obnoxious comment about the ISU game. If NIU is to lose, I want them to lose big.
