Dienhart says

[WinOneThisCentury]

Agreed. In game coaching and adjustments may be another discussion, but KF always seems to have his teams ready to play for their bowl games. Even in years where Iowa has limped to the finish line, they have come out in the bowl games looking like a totally different team. 2006 & 2010 come to mind.

As for LSU being too much for Iowa, maybe, maybe not. But my reaction to that is: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, no team from the Big Ten deserves to be on the same field with any team from the SEC. People have been spouting that garbage for years, and the Big Ten has more than held its own in bowl games against SEC opponents. Let's play the game and see how it turns out, shall we?

Other than Iowa, I'd be willing to bet no other Big Ten team has a winning record against the SEC in bowl games over the past 7-10 years. I don't have the time to figure it out, but I think it's a safe bet. The conference has won 7 straight NC and wins bowl games against the top competition...until the B10 starts beating them...I wouldn't call it garbage. The beauty is that the B10 has a chance to show it's improved every year...maybe this is the year.

 

[LawVHawk]

BTN senior writer Tom Dienhart says that the LSU-Iowa game is a mismatch. Says LSU has too much for the hawks.

I can't disagree with this; No. 14/16 LSU versus unranked Iowa certainly appears to be a mismatch, at least on paper. I do think LSU has better talent in most positions than Iowa. That's the case almost any time the Hokks line up against a top 20 team.

But most Kirk Ferentz teams play their best ball at the end of the season and in the post-season. 3-1 speaks for itself.

This should be a good game, and no one other than LSuser fans should be shocked if Iowa wins.

 

[ATLHawkeye]

Reading between lines, it's clear he thinks the Hawkeyes are going to kick the crap out of LSU! Am I the only one who sees it?

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

When was last time the Hawks were favored in a bowl. It seems like we are almost always playing a team 5-15 spots ahead in the polls. We will need to play clean and very well. IMO we have very little to lose and everything to gain. The only negative is if we play poor and get blown out, which the given data would show is unlikely.

Geaux Hawks !!

 

[atxhawk]

Don't forget that in his writeup he said that LSU is the best team Iowa will have faced all year.

 

[HawksMN]

Let Scherff pancake his way to some respect for the Hawks.

 

[NCHawker]

Here's my take on what he says between the lines

"
































"

based on that I could go either way.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

Big Ten Network

I guess this is the vid. Haven't seen it yet

He was asked which BIG team had the best chance and toughest chance to win. He said Wisconsin as best and Iowa toughest. But, he totally missed on Minny and Cuse. It didn't sound like he was expecting the question or didn't hear it correctly. But, Auburn did lose to LSU, so there is that.

 

[Thumper]

Reading between lines, it's clear he thinks the Hawkeyes are going to kick the crap out of LSU! Am I the only one who sees it?

I'm not sure I see any evidence that he thinks Iowa will pull off the upset. But I'm actually glad that the public perception is that Iowa has the biggest uphill climb in their bowl game. There really can't be a downside to this. Either Iowa loses and the media spin is "they got stuck with the most difficult match-up." Or Iowa wins, slays yet another SEC giant, and builds upon the narrative that momentum is brewing in Iowa City. I think this is a great opportunity for the Hawks, with very little downside involved.

 

[HawkeyeTech]

If the defense shown by Auburn and Missouri in the SEC championship is any indication of the caliber of play in that league the Hawks won't have any problem scoring. I was not real impressed with LSU in the game I saw them play this year, so bring 'em on!

 

[ATLHawkeye]

I'm not sure I see any evidence that he thinks Iowa will pull off the upset. But I'm actually glad that the public perception is that Iowa has the biggest uphill climb in their bowl game. There really can't be a downside to this. Either Iowa loses and the media spin is "they got stuck with the most difficult match-up." Or Iowa wins, slays yet another SEC giant, and builds upon the narrative that momentum is brewing in Iowa City. I think this is a great opportunity for the Hawks, with very little downside involved.

It was a joke... I just left the funny out.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

4-0 most likely if it wasn't for incompetent officials from Conference USSR.

Not throwing a pick 6 and giving up a punt return touchdown probably would have helped the cause.

 

[doclee]

BTN Live last night. He all but said we are the only B1G team that doesn't have a chance to win our bowl game.

No...he said we have the biggest challenge. He did say that LSU is more loaded with athletes than Iowa, although he failed to mention that they will be without their starting QB. A lot of teams Iowa plays are judged to have more athletes than Iowa; and, Iowa beats a lot of those teams in Bowl games...LSU, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri. I remember the conventional wisdom this year, which is sort of typical, is that Nebraska and Michigan have better athletes than Iowa. How did that work out for them this year? I am not saying Iowa should be favored. However, with LSU losing their big time QB, it will impact the Vegas guys on the spread. Right?

 

[doclee]

I'm not sure I see any evidence that he thinks Iowa will pull off the upset. But I'm actually glad that the public perception is that Iowa has the biggest uphill climb in their bowl game. There really can't be a downside to this. Either Iowa loses and the media spin is "they got stuck with the most difficult match-up." Or Iowa wins, slays yet another SEC giant, and builds upon the narrative that momentum is brewing in Iowa City. I think this is a great opportunity for the Hawks, with very little downside involved.

I don't disagree with you at all. What I think is that if Iowa wins, the SEC spin will be: "Well, LSU really didn't want to be there. Once they weren't playing for all the marbles, the Outback just wasn't that important to them." Same old, same old.

 

[iloveyoularrystation]

Here's what i know: Lowery and King can play with the wide receivers, but if we do our usual let one of those guys sneak up the seam one on one with tanner miller, were going to be toast. Tanner finally looks back to form, but he has no business as a safety covering an nfl-caliber wide receiver, and we'll be playing two of em. Time for Lowery to play like Lowery of old, and we got a good shot. LSU like the entire SEC is overrated and they don't play defense in that conference. Lots of canzeri, pound em with weisman and the three tight end package, throw deep a couple times to back the safeties off, we got a good shot. I feel good about this one. Freshman qb, played hardly at all, blitz him all night like we did nebraska, and we'll be in good shape at the end of the game.

 

[Sooby]

Here is what is going to happen, bc it has happened in all but two bowls ferentz has been a coach of. Iowa will come out very prepared, will keep LSU off balance and out of sink. Probably will start out with a 7-0, 10-0 type score. And then Iowa will either pull away for the win, or barely lose at the end. Oklahoma and USC are the two times I can remember where it appears our prep wasn't well executed.

Prep vs. Oklahoma was solid, but Vandenberg and the WRs greatly disappointed, and the Defense got worn out at the end of the game.

 

[uihawk82]

Question: does anyone know if their #2 QB as the new starter is a really good, elusive, fast runner? the kind that gives the hawks fits.

 

[uihawk82]

Don't forget that in his writeup he said that LSU is the best team Iowa will have faced all year.

I am not sure LSU is better than sparty or the buckeyes.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

No...he said we have the biggest challenge. He did say that LSU is more loaded with athletes than Iowa, although he failed to mention that they will be without their starting QB. A lot of teams Iowa plays are judged to have more athletes than Iowa; and, Iowa beats a lot of those teams in Bowl games...LSU, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri. I remember the conventional wisdom this year, which is sort of typical, is that Nebraska and Michigan have better athletes than Iowa. How did that work out for them this year? I am not saying Iowa should be favored. However, with LSU losing their big time QB, it will impact the Vegas guys on the spread. Right?

I did amend in later post to "biggest challenge", but if you listened (since he was on via phone), it was clear he doesn't expect us to win.

Not sure how the injured/out QB will figure. Not even sure if it already IS being figured into the odds. Once the line is released, you can "sort" of guess. Once betting starts and the lines moves (assuming it will by a half-poin to one and a half points either way leading up to the game), it's tough to tell what impact it has.

I know I NEVER bet football for money, and I would NEVER bet against the Hawks. But it doesn't mean I would always bet ON them, either, when real money involved

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I don't disagree with you at all. What I think is that if Iowa wins, the SEC spin will be: "Well, LSU really didn't want to be there. Once they weren't playing for all the marbles, the Outback just wasn't that important to them." Same old, same old.

This.