Howe: Ranking Iowa's '21 Games, Easiest to Hardest

The Iowa State game intrigues me the most. They have a lot of experience, but I'm thinking their defense may not be a juggernaut. They had 3 decisive wins in 2020, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia. They gave up 28 points in those three games. KSU was really hit by covid at the time. The WVA game was the last regular season game and WVA had nothing to play for. Kansas did score 22 points on them.

If you take out those three games the defense gave up 26.4 points per game and they had a 5 and 3 record excluding the bowl game and against opponents cited earlier. Their offense did well averaged over 35 pts but again the defenses in the Big XII were not top flight. I still think injuries could derail ISU.
 
The Iowa State game intrigues me the most. They have a lot of experience, but I'm thinking their defense may not be a juggernaut. They had 3 decisive wins in 2020, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia. They gave up 28 points in those three games. KSU was really hit by covid at the time. The WVA game was the last regular season game and WVA had nothing to play for. Kansas did score 22 points on them.

If you take out those three games the defense gave up 26.4 points per game and they had a 5 and 3 record excluding the bowl game and against opponents cited earlier. Their offense did well averaged over 35 pts but again the defenses in the Big XII were not top flight. I still think injuries could derail ISU.
Um, the Big 12 does not allow defense to be played at a competent level. Whenever a team tries to play defense in that conference the rest of the teams look at them like the guy in your rec basketball league that tries a full court press.
 
Um, the Big 12 does not allow defense to be played at a competent level. Whenever a team tries to play defense in that conference the rest of the teams look at them like the guy in your rec basketball league that tries a full court press.
Doesn’t matter. We’ve said that for years but ISU turns it up to 11 against us.

You can take any Big 12 comparisons and toss ‘em out the window.
 
imo, ISU is 9-3 good I don't think they are college football playoff good. Right now I would say that ISU and Wisconsin are interchangeable. ISU and Wisconsin will be in that 10-2/9-3 range and Iowa a notch below at 8-4/7-5
 
The Iowa State game intrigues me the most. They have a lot of experience, but I'm thinking their defense may not be a juggernaut. They had 3 decisive wins in 2020, Kansas, Kansas State, and West Virginia. They gave up 28 points in those three games. KSU was really hit by covid at the time. The WVA game was the last regular season game and WVA had nothing to play for. Kansas did score 22 points on them.

If you take out those three games the defense gave up 26.4 points per game and they had a 5 and 3 record excluding the bowl game and against opponents cited earlier. Their offense did well averaged over 35 pts but again the defenses in the Big XII were not top flight. I still think injuries could derail ISU.

or TCU and Kansas St. being a lot better. Sarkisian being able to figure out what Herman and Strong couldn't. And the biggest bug-a-boo....you know their FG kicker will cost them at least one game this year.
 
One thing I like about Iowa's chances against ISU is that ISU under Campbell usually starts out the season slowly. I mean last year they lost to frockin Louisiana in their first game.

One thing I don't like about Iowa's chances against ISU is that Iowa usually starts out the season slowly. I mean last year the lost to frickin Purdue in their first game.
 
If Iowa beats Indiana, which dammit, they should, then we will have a lot of momentum and confidence and will be playing with house money going into Ames. I also think having a tough opening game against a really good opponent should get us more ready to play the Clowns. I think the reason Iowa starts slow sometimes is that we start with a cupcake and then are not prepared for the intensity of the match-up against Iowa State. I agree with Fry they give us everything they have. The Indiana game should help us be ready for that intensity.
 
If Iowa beats Indiana, which dammit, they should, then we will have a lot of momentum and confidence and will be playing with house money going into Ames. I also think having a tough opening game against a really good opponent should get us more ready to play the Clowns. I think the reason Iowa starts slow sometimes is that we start with a cupcake and then are not prepared for the intensity of the match-up against Iowa State. I agree with Fry they give us everything they have. The Indiana game should help us be ready for that intensity.

I think you made the main point which is the Hawks schedule under Kirk has maybe never started with a Big 10 opponent. Kirk knows he has to have his team ready at home to get a win or it is almost like dropping two games.

Hayden's very first game was Indiana and Corso at Kinnick and the hawks came out on fire but couldnt quite keep it up to lose a close game as you know.

Kirk's bullies lost some luster in 2005 and 06 starting to lose some home games. To win the West at least the hawks almost need to be perfect at home in conference games.
 
As much as it pains me to say it that isu team is seasoned and very talented. That defense could give Petras serious problems.
 

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