Does anyone on Iowa's schedule really scare you?

[homerHAWKeye777]

Iowa could lose quite a number of teams that we face this year. However, like others, I also believe that we cannot write off a single game as a "sure loss."

 

[ICHawk24]

NW is one game I won't worry about at all.

 

[olddude]

Kinda like we hit our stride last year at the end of the season. Granted we were without some key players, but even so....

2011 Iowa @ 2010 Iowa - 2011 Iowa 25% chance of winning

Yes injuries were huge for us last year. Thats why I said, you have to also look at who is playing who, before we play them this year. You also have to figure Vandy is going to do nothing but get better as the year goes on. As will some other spots on our team.

 

[billdozer15]

I really dont see a cause for concern in any games. You guys usually play everyone close so barring any catastrophic injury sequence you'll probably be right there in every game. It does seem though that you have a tendancy to wear out late in the game or atleast last year and if you allow a team to hang around it could bite you. Make sure you bury them early and often......except for the last game of the season.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I agree with you mostly. Looking at the schedule, we should be in every game. The Hawks have conditioned us to think this way, I don't think we have lost by more than 7 points in what 3-4 years now??

Here are a few that worry me some:

1) Iowa State. On paper, we should walk in there and run the show. In the past two years we have. The game in Ames 4 years ago is still giving me nightmares. They should have had no business beating us. Throw history and records out the door, this one could be a battle.

2) Pitt. I hear they are saying they want to run fast and something like 70 to 80 plays a game. Nightmares of last years Northwestern game when our fellas on the D Line had to come out for fatigue. This is at Kinnick so hopefully we can take care of business.

3) Northwestern. We have won something like once in the past 6-7 years. 'Nuff Said.

4) Purdue. These guys give us fits every time we play them. Always worried going to Ross Aide

5) Nebraska. This won't be the game of 10 years ago when they mopped us all over the field. Both teams will be up for this game no matter what our records are. Playing in Lincoln will be like Ann Arbor and Columbus.


Going to be a fun season, I need to get to the Pharmacy to get some Tums!!

Go Hawks!!

Funny how everyone is talking about the "new" Pitt offense and running 80 plays. And suddenly...people get worried.

Watch the replay of the Insight Bowl. Missouri ran more than 80 plays. Had they stopped short--say about 65 or 70--their fans wouldn't be re-living the Hyde pick-6.

Certainly, the more plays a team runs, the quicker the defense can get tired. Conversely, the more plays a team runs, the greater the exposure to turnovers.

The games that "worry" me: Nebraska (in Lincoln), Northwestern (the last IOWA QB to beat them was Jake C) and Purdue (we don't win too often at Ross Ade). I certainly think Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State will all be tough games. But not one of those games is a "scare", to me. Minny had their win last year, so that's out of the way for another six or seven years. ISU is ISU, i.e., rarely have they ever blown us out, and rarely has KF beaten them by more than two TDs.

Gonna be a fun season, assuming we don't go worse than 7-5 or 8-4. I'm still of the opinion that, as long as KF is at IOWA, 9-3 is a "safe" expectation, with a year or two of 10-2 and 8-4, slightly less of 7-5 and 11-1, with 12-0 being the "dream and 6-6 being the statistical "outlier".

 

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

The only game that might make me nervous is who ever we play in the national championship this year...

That makes me nervous too.

 

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

Every game is winnable, but a lot of games are losable, too.

Isn't this like saying it might rain or it might not?

 

[MNHawkeyeFreak]

Tums? I think XANAX is a better idea for Hawk fans.

For sure! Last year I even asked my doctor if I could have an Rx for football games...she laughed at me...so I'll just keep medicating with beer. Going to bring some Spotted Cow to the first one!

 

[DTF]

The game that worries me is the one where we have to close out a close game with minutes left in the 4th quarter and our defense is on the field. Or the game we play against an opponent who is average at best and instead of going for the jugular we dink and dunk on offense to the point that we are no longer the better team. Maybe that's just me though.

 

[trapperjon]

Nebraska...

Really, we are talking about Iowa who can lose to anyone and beat anybody.
I never know what to expect which makes every game exciting. We can blow out a top 10 team in Mich St. one week and lose to Minn the next.

 

[djwoody98]

ISU always worries me...even more so than Pitt. The first two B1G games are huge. If we win at Penn State and (by the grace of God) defeat Wizgerald and jNW, then we could have some fun, even with the tough November schedule. Looking forward to the grind.

 

[hawkinn3]

Northwestern, they live to beat us.

 

[MultipleDundieAwardWinner]

I don't see how Iowa scares anyone either. You have a very good team, but almost no depth on D line or skill positions on offense. Your margin of error is so small, you have to be perfect.

Of course, you've done it before...

 

[hawkinn3]

I don't see how Iowa scares anyone either. You have a very good team, but almost no depth on D line or skill positions on offense. Your margin of error is so small, you have to be perfect.

Of course, you've done it before...

No depth? Unless we had a rash of injuries I have not heard about I don't know what you are talking about. We may have a lack of experience but our depth is fine. We have a top 20 defense in our off years so don't be scared at your peril.

 

[MultipleDundieAwardWinner]

No depth? Unless we had a rash of injuries I have not heard about I don't know what you are talking about. We may have a lack of experience but our depth is fine. We have a top 20 defense in our off years so don't be scared at your peril.

Really?

 

[ssckelley]

After last year thinking Iowa was a shoo in for at least 10 wins almost everyone scares the hell out of me now. Tennessee Tech and Louisiana Monroe are about the only 2 teams that don't scare me.

 

[bcl20]

With the way Iowa usually plays defense and they way they play a conservative ball control game I don't see how they aren't in every game with their schedule we'll see if this is a year they win most of the close ones, like 2009. Or if this is a year they drop most of the close ones, like last year.

 

[hawkforlife9]

In years past, there are 2-3 games on the schedule that I usually point out that really scare me going into the season. A few that I think Iowa really doesn't stand a chance.

Do you see anything this year?

There are a lot of questions about this year's squad, but honestly I don't see a lot of scary match-ups this year.
Nebby seems like the only one I think is scary, but I also think that team is a bit overrated. Some will point to Pitt, but Iowa gets them at home.

Thoughts?

Exactly what I thought. I could easy see going undefeated regular season. Nebby sucks... don't worry about that one.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Nebraska and Northwestern

 

[MoseSchrute]

Isn't this like saying it might rain or it might not?

Nope. Rain can be predicted within a decent probability. The Hawks tend to play a lot of games so close that many of them can go either way depending on a few plays.