How many Big 10 teams?

And for a minute can we just enjoy the fact that Matty Campbell has yet again stubbed his toe in the CFP parking lot, then tripped on the curb walking up to the door, and finally slipped on the ice and landed flat on his back staring up at the sky like Marv from Home Alone?
Yes. Yes we can.
 


Yeah if it gets to the point where the deciding factor of Iowa getting in the playoffs comes down to the ISU loss, they didn't deserve to be there anyway.

I mean let's be real, we ain't gettin in anyway so it's less work to just accept it now rather than be mad later.
There's a better chance Iowa loses 2 more games then not losing any... So yeah I'm not gonna set myself up for any disappointment. I'm hopeful but not expecting anything magical here. We'll see
 




10-2 Oregon gets in but a late season loss my make it tougher. 10-2 Iowa will have a good case but the loss to ISU will lead to questions. And it does not happen in a vacuum. Other 10-1 or 10-2 teams will be in competition from other conferences.

I doubt Iowa gets in under any scenario.
 


10-2 Oregon gets in but a late season loss my make it tougher. 10-2 Iowa will have a good case but the loss to ISU will lead to questions. And it does not happen in a vacuum. Other 10-1 or 10-2 teams will be in competition from other conferences.

I doubt Iowa gets in under any scenario.
I think Iowa gets in if they sweep to 10-2 and Oregon falls to either USC or Washington. Then we'd be the clear #3 with quality wins against Oregon and USC. I don't see Michigan beating tOSU.
 


Here's another fun one. Hawks win out, and Ohio State shits the bed again in Ann Arbor.

Guess what? It's Hawks and Indiana Part 2 in Indianapolis for all the marbles.

Three way tie results in records vs common opponents. Iowa would be 4-0, Michigan 3-1.

Jesus, winning the 18 team Big Ten would be a hell of a way for a Kirk to ride out...
 


Here's another fun one. Hawks win out, and Ohio State shits the bed again in Ann Arbor.

Guess what? It's Hawks and Indiana Part 2 in Indianapolis for all the marbles.

Three way tie results in records vs common opponents. Iowa would be 4-0, Michigan 3-1.

Jesus, winning the 18 team Big Ten would be a hell of a way for a Kirk to ride out...
And ruining Indiana’s undefeated season to win the B1G would wipe Iowa/Michigan State ‘15 from my brain permanently.
 


And ruining Indiana’s undefeated season to win the B1G would wipe Iowa/Michigan State ‘15 from my brain permanently.
It's crazy. I'm 100% realistic about Iowa's chances to win the Big Ten title this season. They have to win 4 games in a row, including some tough ones. They need Michigan to knock off Ohio State in Ann Arbor. Then they'd need to beat the Hoosiers. But I see all of those events as a series of coin flips, more or less. Nobody needs to spell out the odds for me of all those coin flips coming up the right way. I get it.

That said, I never, ever thought Kirk would even come this close (on Halloween) to not only playing for, but actually winning a Big Ten title in this 18 team conference. If the path included having to beat Ohio State in Indianapolis, I'd argue it'd be infinitely harder. Like almost impossible. But it doesn't.

I thought the odds of Iowa winning the Big Ten championship games in 2021 or 2023 seemed longer, even once they had already made it to the title game. You had to squint really hard. Iowa would need to knock out the first couple quarterbacks. Get a punt return for a touchdown. Maybe a pick six. Maybe roll out a total surprise wildcat offense for an entire half that scratched out a couple field goals. Maybe a series or two of running option with Labas or Marco. There basically was no path.

2025 is just a bunch of coin flips.
 


It's crazy. I'm 100% realistic about Iowa's chances to win the Big Ten title this season. They have to win 4 games in a row, including some tough ones. They need Michigan to knock off Ohio State in Ann Arbor. Then they'd need to beat the Hoosiers. But I see all of those events as a series of coin flips, more or less. Nobody needs to spell out the odds for me of all those coin flips coming up the right way. I get it.

That said, I never, ever thought Kirk would even come this close (on Halloween) to not only playing for, but actually winning a Big Ten title in this 18 team conference. If the path included having to beat Ohio State in Indianapolis, I'd argue it'd be infinitely harder. Like almost impossible. But it doesn't.

I thought the odds of Iowa winning the Big Ten championship games in 2021 or 2023 seemed longer, even once they had already made it to the title game. You had to squint really hard. Iowa would need to knock out the first couple quarterbacks. Get a punt return for a touchdown. Maybe a pick six. Maybe roll out a total surprise wildcat offense for an entire half that scratched out a couple field goals. Maybe a series or two of running option with Labas or Marco. There basically was no path.

2025 is just a bunch of coin flips.
Yeah there's just as good a chance of Iowa going 1-3 these next few games and then the Fire Kirk crowd will come back out of their holes. Actually, I think the chances they go 1-3 are even greater than 3-1 to be honest. If I had a gun to my head and had to bet money on Iowa's next 4 games its going to be 2-2. That's my prediction. Oregon, USC two time zones away, and nebraska's yearly Super Bowl? Lots of stars have to align to be better than that.

I'm just enjoying the past couple weeks and I won't be mad if that happens because that's what most of us thought was going to happen back in August anyway.
 




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