Why the Michigan game is important

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
Assuming the game is played, a victory over Michigan virtually guarantees a New Year's Day bowl game for Iowa. For the first time, based on the victory over the Badgers, the bowl prognosticators are predicting Iowa for the Citrus Bowl or the Outback Bowl. A victory would seal it, I would think. Plus, the game will be on national television on Saturday night on ESPN against a blue blood program. Recruits will be watching. This game is as important as the Wisconsin game, in my humble opinion.
 
ChosenChildren said:
Assuming the game is played, a victory over Michigan virtually guarantees a New Year's Day bowl game for Iowa. For the first time, based on the victory over the Badgers, the bowl prognosticators are predicting Iowa for the Citrus Bowl or the Outback Bowl. A victory would seal it, I would think. Plus, the game will be on national television on Saturday night on ESPN against a blue blood program. Recruits will be watching. This game is as important as the Wisconsin game, in my humble opinion.
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Terrific. Someone still needs to explain to me why we aren't playing Indiana this week. This garbage about some kind of rivalry week is pond scum - the only rivalry games are Indiana, who would LOVE to guarantee themselves an NY6 bowl bid by playing a sister of the poor (like Purdue) and Minnesota, where Row-Row sees the opportunity to get ONE trophy in his case by year's end (against Wisconsin). NONE of the rest of the games are even close to a rivalry.

Sorry, I can't help but think Indiana pulled some strings to duck Iowa this coming week. OK, we don't dare lose against a Michigan, and a win does put us probably in the Outback Bowl - again! But beating Indiana may very well have put us into the spot they are almost guaranteed now.
 
Honestly, I think the Big Ten helped both Indiana and Ohio St duck Iowa. They did not want to take a chance at Iowa potentially spoiling their plans.
 
GVGiant44 said:
Someone still needs to explain to me why we aren't playing Indiana this week.
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We should actually be playing Ohio State this week. Indiana should be playing Northwestern for the conference title. The problem is Iowa would have had a puncher's chance of beating OSU and even if we lost, there is a decent chance that the game would be some 20-16 shitfest Big Ten game that would make OSU look really bad to the Committee. OSU is gonna regret not playing us, though. Our defense, o-line, WRs, TEs and RB duo is the ONLY thing in the conference that could come even remotely close to preparing them for what they will see in the first playoff game.

The playoff is going to be hilarious because OSU is going to walk in there without having faced a single really good O-line or WR corps. It's going to be like all those teams that played 3 or 4 non-con cupcakes and then were shell shocked the first time their d-line gets hit in the mouth or one of the WRs blows past their corners. OSU's lines really needed to play Iowa and their defense needed to go up against LaPorta, ISM, Smith and Goodson. If OSU draws Bama, I'm predicting a game that looks a lot like what Bama did to Arkansas on Saturday. It's going to be an utter joke. They have to pray that they somehow draw Notre Dame or maybe that A&M slides in somehow.
 
okeefe4prez said:
We should actually be playing Ohio State this week. Indiana should be playing Northwestern for the conference title. The problem is Iowa would have had a puncher's chance of beating OSU and even if we lost, there is a decent chance that the game would be some 20-16 shitfest Big Ten game that would make OSU look really bad to the Committee. OSU is gonna regret not playing us, though. Our defense, o-line, WRs, TEs and RB duo is the ONLY thing in the conference that could come even remotely close to preparing them for what they will see in the first playoff game.

The playoff is going to be hilarious because OSU is going to walk in there without having faced a single really good O-line or WR corps. It's going to be like all those teams that played 3 or 4 non-con cupcakes and then were shell shocked the first time their d-line gets hit in the mouth or one of the WRs blows past their corners. OSU's lines really needed to play Iowa and their defense needed to go up against LaPorta, ISM, Smith and Goodson. If OSU draws Bama, I'm predicting a game that looks a lot like what Bama did to Arkansas on Saturday. It's going to be an utter joke. They have to pray that they somehow draw Notre Dame or maybe that A&M slides in somehow.
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Very well said. Agree 100%
 
okeefe4prez said:
We should actually be playing Ohio State this week. Indiana should be playing Northwestern for the conference title. The problem is Iowa would have had a puncher's chance of beating OSU and even if we lost, there is a decent chance that the game would be some 20-16 shitfest Big Ten game that would make OSU look really bad to the Committee. OSU is gonna regret not playing us, though. Our defense, o-line, WRs, TEs and RB duo is the ONLY thing in the conference that could come even remotely close to preparing them for what they will see in the first playoff game.

The playoff is going to be hilarious because OSU is going to walk in there without having faced a single really good O-line or WR corps. It's going to be like all those teams that played 3 or 4 non-con cupcakes and then were shell shocked the first time their d-line gets hit in the mouth or one of the WRs blows past their corners. OSU's lines really needed to play Iowa and their defense needed to go up against LaPorta, ISM, Smith and Goodson. If OSU draws Bama, I'm predicting a game that looks a lot like what Bama did to Arkansas on Saturday. It's going to be an utter joke. They have to pray that they somehow draw Notre Dame or maybe that A&M slides in somehow.
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I also agree with this 100%. In my post, I decided not to even get mixed into this Ohio State thing. But a couple of prognosticators were asked last week what the difference would be between tOSU playing Northwestern in a designated title game, vs. having to play Iowa. Both of the ones I heard had to admit that the only things that would matter to both tOSU and the committee had nothing to do with playing Iowa - it would work out the same with either the Wildcats or the Hawkeyes.

This means there was no reason - NONE WHATSOEVER - to suspend the established rules for Ohio State's sake. So yes, that makes two teams the B1G decided to keep away from Iowa. So again, it is time to ask the question, "Just why is Iowa having to play Michigan this week??"
 
Harbaugh press conference: "We are practicing well and fired up to play Iowa. I have great respect for their team and their coaching staff. They play the right way. We will leave for Iowa City on Friday. I cannot comment on the number of players out. "

You have to play the team on your schedule. Iowa is a better team than Michigan, but they have to prove it on the field.
 
GVGiant44 said:
Terrific. Someone still needs to explain to me why we aren't playing Indiana this week. This garbage about some kind of rivalry week is pond scum - the only rivalry games are Indiana, who would LOVE to guarantee themselves an NY6 bowl bid by playing a sister of the poor (like Purdue) and Minnesota, where Row-Row sees the opportunity to get ONE trophy in his case by year's end (against Wisconsin). NONE of the rest of the games are even close to a rivalry.

Sorry, I can't help but think Indiana pulled some strings to duck Iowa this coming week. OK, we don't dare lose against a Michigan, and a win does put us probably in the Outback Bowl - again! But beating Indiana may very well have put us into the spot they are almost guaranteed now.
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Indiana's a flash in the pan like Minnesota, they're having their one-time cinderella season. That game would have zero national attention. Quite literally, the only people watching it would be Indiana and Iowa fans, period.

I know Michigan isn't what it used to be at all, but it's still a huge national brand, and it'd be a whole lot better for Iowa recruiting to beat Michigan in a bowl game. Sorry to say, but for the future of any program, you need wins that make you look good, not wins that "make sense."
 
It's hard for me to believe the offensive line I've seen for Michigan this year is going to fare well against our front seven...in either running the ball or protecting the QB. I'm sure Harbaugh will want the ball out quickly...but that means you have to sustain drives...and I'm not sure they can do that without a running game.

Iowa has to show up...obviously...and Kirk's team usually does...and the ESPN national audience should be enough motivation.
 
HuckFinn said:
Iowa vs Michigan = Trap Game. I am nervous.
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I’m nervous because Michigan has to be itching to get back on the field. But Iowa will match that enthusiasm, who wouldn’t get up to play Michigan on national TV?

My main concern will be an over anxious Petras.
 
ssckelley said:
Because ESPN doesn’t want Iowa vs Indiana in prime time, they want Iowa vs Michigan.
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I think that was a big driving force. The game will go up head to head against the SEC title game and it is the only game with any degree of national draw for ESPN to pick up.
 
I'd gladly be the last conference team Ol' Jimmy faces as coach of the Wolverines and the first team to wish him well in unemployment. I mean what other program aside from OSU would be lucky enough to do that.

Question is do we throw a Slumber Party on Saturday night in his honor and will there be a pillow fight?
 
What happens if....?
- OSU beats NW badly
- IA beats MI badly
- Indiana loses to Purdue

Iowa and IU and NW would all have two losses. Could IA get a NY 6 bowl?
 
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SCHawkeye2 said:
What happens if....?
- OSU beats NW badly
- IA beats MI badly
- Indiana loses to Purdue

Iowa and IU would both have two losses. Could IA get a NY 6 bowl?
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I want Coastal Carolina in the Peach Bowl. If the Hox make the Peach, Outback or Citrus, I will try to go if they will accept fans, but the Peach would be ideal because it's only 2 hours away.
 
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