JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
by a total of 30 points...or little more than a field goal per game.
Iowa has lost 8 games since start of 2008 season
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hawkitychick80
Well-Known Member
seems amazing to me considering everyone bad mouthing this team we have =/ Thats remarkable if you ask me!
HaydenHawk56
Well-Known Member
That's impressive. Nobody will ever confuse Ferentz's teams with not being competitive. Much like Mr. Davis.
jameskalina
Well-Known Member
This shows Iowa is close to getting to the next level, and that is being invited to the national championship game.
But sometimes close is as far as you get.
It's my hope before Coach Ferentz leaves the program, Iowa will somehow get over the hump and play in the NC game and win it.
But sometimes close is as far as you get.
It's my hope before Coach Ferentz leaves the program, Iowa will somehow get over the hump and play in the NC game and win it.
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
Ok.....what is that supposed to mean? How many games have they won by that margin?
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
Yep. And as I posted in a thread that got buried in the freakout avalanche, we had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead in the last 3:00 (or overtime) of every one of those 8 games.
That is an absolutely amazing stat, and I don't think any team in the country can say they've been within a touchdown at the end of the game and had the ball with a chance to score against every team they played for the last two and a half years.
Even when this team isn't clicking, they are right there at the end of the game every single week against some of the best teams in the country. You've gotten your money's worth out of 33 Iowa football games in a row. Alabama fans can't say that. Texas fans can't say that. Oregon fans can't say that. Yep, I'd trade it all for a national title, but the best way to go undefeated is to put yourself in the game every single week. Ferentz might be better at that than any coach in the country.
That is an absolutely amazing stat, and I don't think any team in the country can say they've been within a touchdown at the end of the game and had the ball with a chance to score against every team they played for the last two and a half years.
Even when this team isn't clicking, they are right there at the end of the game every single week against some of the best teams in the country. You've gotten your money's worth out of 33 Iowa football games in a row. Alabama fans can't say that. Texas fans can't say that. Oregon fans can't say that. Yep, I'd trade it all for a national title, but the best way to go undefeated is to put yourself in the game every single week. Ferentz might be better at that than any coach in the country.
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BSpringsteen
Well-Known Member
That is an incredible stat, but I would ask Shada's question... how many have we won by that many?
Is it our scheme that is causing us to always be in the game, but always unable to put teams away?
Take the good with the bad?
Is it our scheme that is causing us to always be in the game, but always unable to put teams away?
Take the good with the bad?
ShadasRevenge
Well-Known Member
Yep....it's hard to get any meaning out of stat like that without any context to go with it, like how that compares with other teams.
Throwing out a stat like that seems somewhat pointless.
ThunderHawk
Well-Known Member
Boom. Thread Win.
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
We've won 6 games in the same span by a touchdown or less, so our record in games decided by 7 or fewer points is 6-8.
In 2008 we beat Penn State by 1 and Purdue by 5.
In 2009 we beat Northern Iowa by 1, Arkansas St. by 3, Michigan by 2, and Michigan St. by 2.
The UNI and Arkansas St. games are inexplicable, and the Purdue game was way too close for comfort. I know people had issues with not putting Michigan away last year, but I'm inclined to take it as it was our 11th win against them ever. I don't see how you could complain about the wins over Michigan St. or Penn State (although I'm sure someone will find a way...)
As a point of comparison, Oregon is 27-6 over their last 33 games, two games better than we are. Those 6 losses were by a combined 78 points. And for those of you who think the aggressive teams avoid playing down to their competition, that includes a head scratching loss to an unranked Stanford team to whom they gave up 51 points and a 26-16 stinker against unranked Cal.
In 2008 we beat Penn State by 1 and Purdue by 5.
In 2009 we beat Northern Iowa by 1, Arkansas St. by 3, Michigan by 2, and Michigan St. by 2.
The UNI and Arkansas St. games are inexplicable, and the Purdue game was way too close for comfort. I know people had issues with not putting Michigan away last year, but I'm inclined to take it as it was our 11th win against them ever. I don't see how you could complain about the wins over Michigan St. or Penn State (although I'm sure someone will find a way...)
As a point of comparison, Oregon is 27-6 over their last 33 games, two games better than we are. Those 6 losses were by a combined 78 points. And for those of you who think the aggressive teams avoid playing down to their competition, that includes a head scratching loss to an unranked Stanford team to whom they gave up 51 points and a 26-16 stinker against unranked Cal.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
Great post!! I love how people only want to blame the losses on conservative play. If we lose because of it, we also win because of it....
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
The interwebs have google.
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
Also, over the last 33 games Oregon has exactly the same number of wins by a touchdown or less that we do: 6. And not against world beaters: they've beaten two mediocre-to-bad Purdue teams by a combined 8 points.
That's why this whole "too conservative, let teams hang around, play down to the level of competition" stuff bothers me so much. I just don't think it's true. I literally cannot imagine a more aggressive team than Oregon and they have almost exactly the same record as we do over the past 33 games, except for they've gotten blown out far more often. And before you say "they have no defense," they've lost a game when they held the opposing team to 19 (Boise State) and another when they held them to 26 (Stanford).
And yes, they're ranked #1. We'll see if they drop a game they shouldn't. I'm not going to be surprised if they do.
That's why this whole "too conservative, let teams hang around, play down to the level of competition" stuff bothers me so much. I just don't think it's true. I literally cannot imagine a more aggressive team than Oregon and they have almost exactly the same record as we do over the past 33 games, except for they've gotten blown out far more often. And before you say "they have no defense," they've lost a game when they held the opposing team to 19 (Boise State) and another when they held them to 26 (Stanford).
And yes, they're ranked #1. We'll see if they drop a game they shouldn't. I'm not going to be surprised if they do.
Rawkhawk73
Banned
As I posted earlier, of all the teams (a total of 27) that have made a BCS bowl in the last 5 years, Iowa is dead last in games decided by 8 points or less at 11-15.
So yes, we have certainly been in most games. Unfortunately, we are losing them at a clip that is worse than any successful major BCS team. To jump to the "next level" that just can not happen.
I think 2 things contribute to that:
1. Clock management at the end of half and end of games. There are points there for the taking that the staff has not taken advantage of.
2. "Bend but don't break" at all times. I love this defense. However, to get to the elite level, we HAVE to be willing to take chances on defense and make the quarterback as uncomfortable as possible. Contrast our defensive philosophy, at home, with a 6 point lead against Arizona's philosophy, at home, with a 7 point lead. I know we have been more successful than Arizona over time. However, I use that to prove a point that sometimes, you just have to bring it and not sit back and let the opposition bring it to you.
So yes, we have certainly been in most games. Unfortunately, we are losing them at a clip that is worse than any successful major BCS team. To jump to the "next level" that just can not happen.
I think 2 things contribute to that:
1. Clock management at the end of half and end of games. There are points there for the taking that the staff has not taken advantage of.
2. "Bend but don't break" at all times. I love this defense. However, to get to the elite level, we HAVE to be willing to take chances on defense and make the quarterback as uncomfortable as possible. Contrast our defensive philosophy, at home, with a 6 point lead against Arizona's philosophy, at home, with a 7 point lead. I know we have been more successful than Arizona over time. However, I use that to prove a point that sometimes, you just have to bring it and not sit back and let the opposition bring it to you.
DunderMifflinHk
Well-Known Member
I think this stat is shows how good of a program we've been in the last few years. Think about, we haven't been blown out in a game since 2008. We have also have had a chance to win every game since 2008. I bet not many teams can say that and have been blown out few times over that stretch.
hawkfan2679
Well-Known Member
The comparisons to Oregon were interesting, so I ran a few numbers...
The last 33 games (the sample size of choice):
Oregon 27-6
Iowa 25-8
In games decided by a touchdown or less:
Oregon 6-1
Iowa 6-8
Average margin of victory (margin of losses included):
Oregon 18.4 points
Iowa 13.2 points
Losses by greater than 1 TD:
Oregon 5 (34, 10, 11, 9, 9)
Iowa 0
Wins by greater than 2 TD's:
Oregon 17
Iowa 12
Total points scored:
Oregon 1400
Iowa 931
Total points allowed:
Oregon 784
Iowa 479
The last 33 games (the sample size of choice):
Oregon 27-6
Iowa 25-8
In games decided by a touchdown or less:
Oregon 6-1
Iowa 6-8
Average margin of victory (margin of losses included):
Oregon 18.4 points
Iowa 13.2 points
Losses by greater than 1 TD:
Oregon 5 (34, 10, 11, 9, 9)
Iowa 0
Wins by greater than 2 TD's:
Oregon 17
Iowa 12
Total points scored:
Oregon 1400
Iowa 931
Total points allowed:
Oregon 784
Iowa 479
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
Here's another fascinating one, again since the beginning of the 2008 season:
Oklahoma 26-8 (34 games), Iowa 25-8 (33 games)
Wins by 7 or less: Oklahoma 4, Iowa 6
Losses by 7 or less: Oklahoma 4, Iowa 8
Combined deficit in 8 losses: Oklahoma 69, Iowa 30
Iowa doesn't blow out teams like Oklahoma does (they have a lot of 62-21 type scores in the last three years), but their overall record is virtually identical. Iowa is 6-8 in games decided by a touchdown or less, Oklahoma is 4-4. Oklahoma has two less close wins than we do but has been less competitive in their 8 losses, losing by more than twice the margin Iowa has.
This is a team that had three players drafted in last year's first four picks, played for the national title two years ago and was ranked #1 last week. If Iowa continues to play at this level in future years they have a shot to be in a similar situation (draft picks excluded... I doubt we ever see that again).
Oklahoma 26-8 (34 games), Iowa 25-8 (33 games)
Wins by 7 or less: Oklahoma 4, Iowa 6
Losses by 7 or less: Oklahoma 4, Iowa 8
Combined deficit in 8 losses: Oklahoma 69, Iowa 30
Iowa doesn't blow out teams like Oklahoma does (they have a lot of 62-21 type scores in the last three years), but their overall record is virtually identical. Iowa is 6-8 in games decided by a touchdown or less, Oklahoma is 4-4. Oklahoma has two less close wins than we do but has been less competitive in their 8 losses, losing by more than twice the margin Iowa has.
This is a team that had three players drafted in last year's first four picks, played for the national title two years ago and was ranked #1 last week. If Iowa continues to play at this level in future years they have a shot to be in a similar situation (draft picks excluded... I doubt we ever see that again).
