Do you really believe the Hawks are good enough to be a playoff team?

ibahawkeye

ibahawkeye

Well-Known Member
Sure it's fun to think about but deep down I just can't buy into this team being 1 of the top 4 teams in the country.

The schedule sets up for a nice finish and I would be disappointed not to play in the Big 10 championship game. If we do make it to Indy, this team won't beat the Buckeyes. We've had some breaks to get where we with the fumble at Wisconsin and a last second field goal to beat Pitt. I still anticipate losing one game in the regular season.

Enjoy the ride but don't get your hopes up, Indy is the cap for this team.
 
I don't think we are one of the 4 best teams, but you don't have to be. You just have to be ranked in the top 4. I absolutely think we're good enough to win out regular season and I think we are good enough to have a punchers chance against OSU. Our best bet is for MSU to upset them and for us to upset MSU. If that happens, there's a good chance we're in even though we aren't a top 4 team. There is a good chance we would get put in our place with an *** whoopin but at that point, who cares.
 
If their defense is for real or as advertised along with their run game, I think yes. Those two things can keep any team in any game. Without one or the other no, not with KF system.
 
No I don't. These teams do, Clemson, Baylor, TCU, Michigan St, OSU & I'm sure Alabama will by late November will. I'd be happy just getting to the Rose Bowl and playing someone like UCLA or Arizona St. & winning it this time around!!
 
I don't think they're a CFP quality team, but I think they would beat a Memphis and could hang with a Stanford/Michigan State type team. I think a high flying offense like Baylor or TCU would make Iowa look foolish...as would a stacked team like Alabama or Ole Miss (see Tennessee last year).

But thats why you play the games. If Iowa could somehow beat Ohio State, then why couldn't they beat other teams? Iowa has a really good running game that would give any team fits...yes any team.
 
EstronHawkKing said:
No I don't. These teams do, Clemson, Baylor, TCU, Michigan St, OSU & I'm sure Alabama will by late November will. I'd be happy just getting to the Rose Bowl and playing someone like UCLA or Arizona St. & winning it this time around!!
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You can take Baylor out of that mix. They are a different team without their starting QB (as are most teams) and he's not playing again this year. I really think the Big 12 is going to get left out again. Baylor, TCU, OK St. and OK are going to beat up on each other and eliminate their conference champion from the playoff again.

That said, I don't think Iowa is one of the 4 best teams in the country but it doesn't take a top 4 team to go undefeated in the next 6 games. It takes a killer defense and a playmaker at QB. Check and check for Iowa. Add in an offensive line that is hitting their stride and you have a very solid team that has a puncher's chance against one of the big dogs in the B1G title game.
 
The better question might be do we have Top 4 talent, and the answer is no. But talent doesn't always win, right now this TEAM is playing well together and improving. So if the trend continues, yes they may well be a Top 4 team.
 
ibahawkeye said:
Sure it's fun to think about but deep down I just can't buy into this team being 1 of the top 4 teams in the country.

The schedule sets up for a nice finish and I would be disappointed not to play in the Big 10 championship game. If we do make it to Indy, this team won't beat the Buckeyes. We've had some breaks to get where we with the fumble at Wisconsin and a last second field goal to beat Pitt. I still anticipate losing one game in the regular season.

Enjoy the ride but don't get your hopes up, Indy is the cap for this team.
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I don't think Iowa is good enough right now to be one of the top 4 teams, but they have been improving. By the end of the season, I don't know why they wouldn't be good enough to compete against those other teams. Iowa's defense is proving to be elite, and it takes an elite defense to win championships. Iowa's offense needs to continue to improve, but they have already shown signs of dominating their opponents with the running game. That will be the difference.

Those other teams that are being considered for the playoff have also had some luck along the way. MSU beat Michigan on a fluke, OSU only beat Northern Illinois by 7 points. Alabama already lost a game to an Ole Miss team that we have now realized is inconsistent and bordering on average. Stanford lost to NW. TCU barely beat Minnesota.
 
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mopkins said:
I don't think they're a CFP quality team, but I think they would beat a Memphis and could hang with a Stanford/Michigan State type team. I think a high flying offense like Baylor or TCU would make Iowa look foolish...as would a stacked team like Alabama or Ole Miss (see Tennessee last year).

But thats why you play the games. If Iowa could somehow beat Ohio State, then why couldn't they beat other teams? Iowa has a really good running game that would give any team fits...yes any team.
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How do you explain TCU barely getting by Minnesota? Baylor has played no serious competition, and will face no defense in the Big 12, Northwestern beat Stanford by 10.
 
If Drew Ott was available the argument for them being a top 4 team gets much easier to make. That would allow them to play their desired base package and still pressure the QB, which will be tougher for the remainder of the season. Hard to bet against this team, though. Go Hawks.
 
I don't think this team is THAT good, and honestly, I think I would rather go to the Rose Bowl and play a team like Stanford. Getting owned in a playoff game doesn't help recruiting as much as a competitive game/victory in the Rose Bowl would. Win the Rose Bowl, and the national media basically has to eat crow and admit they were wrong about Iowa. Get blown out in a playoff game, and all you'll hear is "We told you so." Not the kind of message I'd want recruits to hear.
 
From a talent/roster standpoint, top to bottom - no, Iowa is not one of the top 4 teams. But that's not always what wins games.

And about playing a team like Baylor or TCU...go back to the 2009 season and the Orange Bowl. Most experts thought Georgia Tech's juggernaut offense would steamroll us. It turned out we were the first team all year they played that had an actual defense and we shut them down.

Barring a meltdown against the bottom feeders of the Big Ten, the Hawks are playing their way into a top level bowl game, or if things fall the right way, maybe even the playoff.

Win or lose, that's an awesome season and way more than anyone expected 8 weeks ago.
 
vork22 said:
They would have tobeat OSU and that wont happen.
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Why are you so sure of that?

This isn't one of the tough, smash-mouth Jim Tressel OSU defenses. They have a lot of talent and speed, but haven't played a single team that will match, or surpass their physicality. I think the true assessment of OSU will be when they play MSU and Michigan.
 
I think they are improving, but we will know more after this weekend with injuries and how well they play...their run defense is real, King and the dbs are real, and the lbs are quickly becoming much better of not being out of position. The D could overall be very productive if we have a playmaker up front like J Johnson, Jewell, or a Bazatta step up consistently, but we will miss Ott in any big game.....our special teams have proven to be effective...our O is based on the gelling of the line, and bottom line, it is all tied to the health of CJ. The overall cohessiveness and chemistry seems to be there.

So yes, I think by the end of the next 5 weeks, if healthy, we "could" compete with essentially anybody...however, we do matchup better vs some teams than others. No one team is dominant thus far this year and I believe they all are beatable.

Are we the type of team that would win against some of the "perceived " top teams 8 times out of 10? No, but I think it would be fair to say 4 or 5 times we would...those are good enough odds to be in the picture...again, time will tell.
 
tm3308 said:
I don't think this team is THAT good, and honestly, I think I would rather go to the Rose Bowl and play a team like Stanford. Getting owned in a playoff game doesn't help recruiting as much as a competitive game/victory in the Rose Bowl would. Win the Rose Bowl, and the national media basically has to eat crow and admit they were wrong about Iowa. Get blown out in a playoff game, and all you'll hear is "We told you so." Not the kind of message I'd want recruits to hear.
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This argument is a lot like the "would you rather lose first round off the NCAA tournament or win the NIT". I definitely see the advantages of what you're saying, but if we end up in the playoffs it means we beat OSU. If we beat OSU, our chances of winning the playoffs are good enough where I would want to try.
 
After 7 games in '08 I would have said no way we could complete with top 5 teams. By the end of the year I would say bring on anyone. This could very well be like that team other than losing the close cames early. It could also be like '02 where struggle with ISU, Penn State, and Purdue early, then go on to dominate later. The Northwestern game could be like our '02 Michigan game.
 
PCHawk said:
This argument is a lot like the "would you rather lose first round off the NCAA tournament or win the NIT". I definitely see the advantages of what you're saying, but if we end up in the playoffs it means we beat OSU. If we beat OSU, our chances of winning the playoffs are good enough where I would want to try.
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Agreed. This is how I would sum it up. I think the Hawks have proven that they are good enough to at least earn an opportunity to prove themselves against the likes of OSU. If they can compete in that game and win it... then they absolutely deserve to be in the playoffs. Honestly, I believe OSU is the best team in the country with JT Barrett at the helm. If Iowa can compete with them I have no doubt they can compete with whomever else they would be matched up against. They'll have to stay focused and continue to take care of business though.
 
Maybe not talent wise like others have said, but we are well coached, we'll disciplined, play smart, and we do have some difference makers like King, JaKill, TeVaun, Casey Junior, etc. Our units perform well, etc. So, yeah, if we keep winning, keep getting better, get fully healthy, why not. With what I've seen of CJB, the kids got it, I believe in this kid, he might just have enough to take us where we've never gone before. Lots to happen before this is a concern, but yeah, let's get it on, bang a gong, all that stuff.
 
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