If you told me at the beginning of the year...

[WinOneThisCentury]

we would beat ISU, Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska, I would say Hawkeye Nation would be thrilled...but somehow the expectation heading into the season just tempers those accomplishments. I think the real issue is the way our offense has played and how much that plays into it. If we lost a few more high scoring affairs but looked competent offensively...I think people may feel differently about this team.

I think beating Nebraska this week soothes the disappointment at not making a run at the B10 championship. I really hate Nebraska.

 

[uihawk82]

If the hawks beat nebby I think they finish with a 6-3 record and tied for 2nd in the West. That really is pretty good and it would mean beating a top 5 team and another top 15 team. Two losses would be to top 10 teams.

So again this year is one of those years where KF and company, if the beat nebby, can look at the loss to jNW as the killer in conference play. The hawks were not playing great defense and all around against NDSU and jNW. I think the only aspect not working agaisnt Wisky was the passing game, a better passing game and the hawks could have won that game and would be in the drivers seat again for the West crown.

 

[Joshbrown]

well we just jinxed the Debby game

thanx fellas

 

[SteveGarvey1]

well we just jinxed the Debby game

thanx fellas

Unless someone on the Nebby board has already chalked up a win vs. us. Then the jinxes cancel each other out.

 

[uihawk82]

jNW only started looking good when they played the hawks and they are a good team. But that was not a great defensive effort like we have seen against Minny, Mich, Ill, even Wisky.

It would be good to know why the defensive coaches and players say they did not have gaps and responsibilities worked out early after August and two home games, actually 3 home games as the defense limited a good NDSU team to only 16 points.

 

[PCHawk]

The good news is, even if we beat the teams we were supposed to, we still don't win the West. We will always have to go 2-0 against Wisconsin and Nebraska to make the Championship Game. The rest of the games don't matter near as much. If we ended up 10-2 and not win the West, it wouldn't have been all that much cooler than 8-4 in the grand scheme of things.

 

[bitmap]

... If we ended up 10-2 and not win the West, it wouldn't have been all that much cooler than 8-4 in the grand scheme of things.

Agreed. But if chaos rules this weekend then we end up in a 4 way tie for the West division. Of course the tie breaking rules will then exclude us from the CCG. Doesn't make it feel any better.