SpiderRico
Well-Known Member
Wyoming - Close at halftime as Josh Allen is able to move their offense against our Rugamba-less secondary, but continue to settle for field goals. Our offense, as is typical in the first game, struggles to find a rhythm and consistency. However, our running game eventually wears their defense down in the 2nd half, with both Wadley and Butler going for 100+ each and Allen throws a couple late picks trying to bring the Cowboys back and we win going away 38-16. 1-0
@ Iowa State - After getting drubbed 42-3 last year, ISU comes out motivated at home and throws a couple haymakers early on. However, our running game once again settles in and controls the clock against their undermanned defense with Wadley and Butler both going over 100+ and we win a close, high scoring affair 45-34. 2-0
North Texas - This North Texas team is a lot better than the one Danny Mac brought to Kinnick a few years ago....and they're coming off a bowl berth the previous year. However, they're still not much of a match against the Hawks at home. This is the game that the coaches let Stanley go to work a little more and gain some more confidence before the start of conference play. He throws for 250+ and 3 tds and we win handily 38-13. 3-0
Penn State - This one gets scheduled for nightfall at Kinnick. Doyle has Barkley's quote from last year plastered all over the walls. The Hawks come out showing a similar 3 TE set to the one they displayed at OSU 4 years ago. It's ground and pound with play action to Fant and Hockenson. PSU is also able to do some things offensively with the best QB/RB tandem in the B1G. However, a late fumble by Barkley with the game tied allows the Hawks to take over at midfield and they drive down into field goal range and hit a late 35 yd field goal as time expires to win a Kinnick Classic 27-24. 4-0
@ MSU - While MSU is improved from their freefall from a year ago, the Hawks O-line takes over early and often and Wadley and Butler do their thing. It's close and low scoring as it always is in East Lansing between these 2 teams, but the Hawks prevail again 20-16. 5-0
Illinois - It's Illinois. They're bad. Real bad. Hawks win 41-10. 6-0
@NW - Hawks are flying high and ranked in the Top 15, but have the dreaded bye in the midst of an undefeated run. Northwestern, at 4-2, has lost a couple of close, tough battles against the Badgers and PSU. But Fitz does it once again. He schemes his defense to sell out to stop the run and Stanley can't get on track, throwing 2 picks. We do a good job bottling up Jackson, but Thorson is able to find a few holes in our young secondary and NW trips up the Hawks 27-21. 6-1
Minnesota - Back home in the friendly confines for the next 2 weeks and first up is a struggling Minnesota team. With 55 scholarship players as freshmen/redshirt freshmen on Minny's squad, there isn't much experienced depth to overcome the typical injuries that start mounting up in late Oct/early Nov. Couple that with BF's severe dislike of Fleck and it's a recipe for a good old fashioned butt whupping. Hawks control the line of scrimmage on both side and win in convincing fashion 37-14. 7-1
OSU - Another night game in Kinnick. Unfortunately, we can't recreate the magic like we did against PSU to start the conference season. The Hawks put up a good fight, but in the end, OSU is just better. We keep it close in the friendly confines, but OSU pulls away late to make the margin larger than how the game played out. Bucknuts win 38-21. 7-2
@ Wisconsin - Wisconsin comes into this game with 1 loss in conference and the Hawks come in with 2. We win this game and we're tied in the loss column and hold the tie breaker. The visitor has won the last 6 in a row and 8 out of the last 10...a crazy stat to be sure. I'd love to say that the Hawks were able to make it 7 in a row, but the streak stops on this day. Wisky and Iowa play their typical ball control, field position battle, game....but Wisky's 3-4 once again baffles us and we fail to muster 200 yds of offense and leave with a 17-13 loss. 7-3
Purdue - What's the best remedy for a 2 game conference losing streak and, effectively, losing the conference race? A home game against Purdue. They stink. Bad. Hawks rough up the Boilermakers 41-10. 8-3
@ Nebraska - Contrary to what their fans may say outwardly....the Hawks are in Nebby's head something fierce. They haven't been able to handle our physicality at the point of attack in the last 2 years. Which then caused their now-fired Defensive Coordinator to say, "I can't imagine what their practices must be like....they must be bloodbaths." Lincoln is not an intimidating place to play as far as road venues go....the Hawks have recent history on their side and, as long as the softie West Coast guy in Mike Reilly is there, they'll never out physical us. We win a late November slobber knocker 28-17. 9-3
There you have it....a final record of 9-3 overall and 6-3 in the conference. Good for a 2nd place tie with Northwestern.
@ Iowa State - After getting drubbed 42-3 last year, ISU comes out motivated at home and throws a couple haymakers early on. However, our running game once again settles in and controls the clock against their undermanned defense with Wadley and Butler both going over 100+ and we win a close, high scoring affair 45-34. 2-0
North Texas - This North Texas team is a lot better than the one Danny Mac brought to Kinnick a few years ago....and they're coming off a bowl berth the previous year. However, they're still not much of a match against the Hawks at home. This is the game that the coaches let Stanley go to work a little more and gain some more confidence before the start of conference play. He throws for 250+ and 3 tds and we win handily 38-13. 3-0
Penn State - This one gets scheduled for nightfall at Kinnick. Doyle has Barkley's quote from last year plastered all over the walls. The Hawks come out showing a similar 3 TE set to the one they displayed at OSU 4 years ago. It's ground and pound with play action to Fant and Hockenson. PSU is also able to do some things offensively with the best QB/RB tandem in the B1G. However, a late fumble by Barkley with the game tied allows the Hawks to take over at midfield and they drive down into field goal range and hit a late 35 yd field goal as time expires to win a Kinnick Classic 27-24. 4-0
@ MSU - While MSU is improved from their freefall from a year ago, the Hawks O-line takes over early and often and Wadley and Butler do their thing. It's close and low scoring as it always is in East Lansing between these 2 teams, but the Hawks prevail again 20-16. 5-0
Illinois - It's Illinois. They're bad. Real bad. Hawks win 41-10. 6-0
@NW - Hawks are flying high and ranked in the Top 15, but have the dreaded bye in the midst of an undefeated run. Northwestern, at 4-2, has lost a couple of close, tough battles against the Badgers and PSU. But Fitz does it once again. He schemes his defense to sell out to stop the run and Stanley can't get on track, throwing 2 picks. We do a good job bottling up Jackson, but Thorson is able to find a few holes in our young secondary and NW trips up the Hawks 27-21. 6-1
Minnesota - Back home in the friendly confines for the next 2 weeks and first up is a struggling Minnesota team. With 55 scholarship players as freshmen/redshirt freshmen on Minny's squad, there isn't much experienced depth to overcome the typical injuries that start mounting up in late Oct/early Nov. Couple that with BF's severe dislike of Fleck and it's a recipe for a good old fashioned butt whupping. Hawks control the line of scrimmage on both side and win in convincing fashion 37-14. 7-1
OSU - Another night game in Kinnick. Unfortunately, we can't recreate the magic like we did against PSU to start the conference season. The Hawks put up a good fight, but in the end, OSU is just better. We keep it close in the friendly confines, but OSU pulls away late to make the margin larger than how the game played out. Bucknuts win 38-21. 7-2
@ Wisconsin - Wisconsin comes into this game with 1 loss in conference and the Hawks come in with 2. We win this game and we're tied in the loss column and hold the tie breaker. The visitor has won the last 6 in a row and 8 out of the last 10...a crazy stat to be sure. I'd love to say that the Hawks were able to make it 7 in a row, but the streak stops on this day. Wisky and Iowa play their typical ball control, field position battle, game....but Wisky's 3-4 once again baffles us and we fail to muster 200 yds of offense and leave with a 17-13 loss. 7-3
Purdue - What's the best remedy for a 2 game conference losing streak and, effectively, losing the conference race? A home game against Purdue. They stink. Bad. Hawks rough up the Boilermakers 41-10. 8-3
@ Nebraska - Contrary to what their fans may say outwardly....the Hawks are in Nebby's head something fierce. They haven't been able to handle our physicality at the point of attack in the last 2 years. Which then caused their now-fired Defensive Coordinator to say, "I can't imagine what their practices must be like....they must be bloodbaths." Lincoln is not an intimidating place to play as far as road venues go....the Hawks have recent history on their side and, as long as the softie West Coast guy in Mike Reilly is there, they'll never out physical us. We win a late November slobber knocker 28-17. 9-3
There you have it....a final record of 9-3 overall and 6-3 in the conference. Good for a 2nd place tie with Northwestern.
