Iowa up to 14 in coaches

[DBorwig316]

Dropping 9 spots for Zona seems pretty harsh. They beat Iowa a few weeks ago and were already ranked 6 spots ahead of them. Goes to show you that early season losses are much easier to overcome

They lost to an unranked team at home. They're lucky that's all the farther they fell. Ask Wisconsin.

 

[ThunderHawk]

Those of you ripping Nebraska...have you seen them play? They have no weaknesses.

Even their kicker is a stud.

 

[Jerk44]

I live on the Nebraska-Iowa border, and I can't stand 98% of Husker fans, but I have to say they are a top-10 caliber team and should be ranked exactly where they are. They beat an undefeated K-State team like a drum Thursday night, and I wouldn't dare second guess the performance of a Bill Snyder coached football team...

 

[tm3308]

Tell me again though, who's slowed Oregon's offense? And more importantly, who is going to? I agree that their defense isn't anything special, but until someone comes even close to slowing their offense, let alone consider stopping it, I don't know how anybody will beat them.

They won't see a defense in the Pac-10 that can stop them. I never said they wouldn't reach the NCG. But you don't win that game without good defense. That's been the formula for literally EVERY team to win it all. Think for a minute. OSU 2002, LSU 2003, USC 2004, Texas 2005, Florida 2006, LSU 2007, Florida 2008, and Alabama 2009 all played TREMENDOUS defense. Several of those teams had only average offenses. But no team has won the NCG with an average defense. Video games only work when you're playing other teams with poor to average defenses. Oregon was held down quite well by OSU in the Rose Bowl. Track stars look great on ESPN, but they don't equate to national championships simply on the basis that they're fast.

 

[SeattleHawkeye]

They won't see a defense in the Pac-10 that can stop them. I never said they wouldn't reach the NCG. But you don't win that game without good defense. That's been the formula for literally EVERY team to win it all. Think for a minute. OSU 2002, LSU 2003, USC 2004, Texas 2005, Florida 2006, LSU 2007, Florida 2008, and Alabama 2009 all played TREMENDOUS defense. Several of those teams had only average offenses. But no team has won the NCG with an average defense. Video games only work when you're playing other teams with poor to average defenses. Oregon was held down quite well by OSU in the Rose Bowl. Track stars look great on ESPN, but they don't equate to national championships simply on the basis that they're fast.

You're correct re the defense, as I stated in my first post. But again, name a team on Oregon's schedule right now that you're confident can beat or at least slow them down. I live on the West Coast and see Pac 10 ball every weekend, and I don't think there is a team to stop them...until maybe the NCG. I'm looking at teams and scenarios for IA to jump and get into better bowl position, and the more teams w/ losses, the better for IA. W/ AL losing, I'd say Oregon's chances of getting to the NCG now are very, very good, and if Stanford doesn't lose again, there's a very good chance the Pac 10 gets 2 BCS nods. If you can't connect the dots, that's not good for IA unless the Hawks win out. Obviously there's a ton of ball left to be played, but it's nonetheless interesting to try to forecast how things may play out. And re the NCG, as BSU has proven, anything is possible in a 1-game situation, defense or not.

 

[tm3308]

You're correct re the defense, as I stated in my first post. But again, name a team on Oregon's schedule right now that you're confident can beat or at least slow them down. I live on the West Coast and see Pac 10 ball every weekend, and I don't think there is a team to stop them...until maybe the NCG. I'm looking at teams and scenarios for IA to jump and get into better bowl position, and the more teams w/ losses, the better for IA. W/ AL losing, I'd say Oregon's chances of getting to the NCG now are very, very good, and if Stanford doesn't lose again, there's a very good chance the Pac 10 gets 2 BCS nods. If you can't connect the dots, that's not good for IA unless the Hawks win out. Obviously there's a ton of ball left to be played, but it's nonetheless interesting to try to forecast how things may play out. And re the NCG, as BSU has proven, anything is possible in a 1-game situation, defense or not.

I'm not making any kind of case for the Hawks to get in. I've already accepted that we aren't going to, because we simply need too much help from places that can't give it to us. So Oregon is likely to go, I agree. But if they meet Ohio State, or even Boise State, I can easily see them getting stopped. I just get sick of the hype they get, when they just don't fit the tried and true mold of a national champion.

 

[SeattleHawkeye]

I'm not making any kind of case for the Hawks to get in. I've already accepted that we aren't going to, because we simply need too much help from places that can't give it to us. So Oregon is likely to go, I agree. But if they meet Ohio State, or even Boise State, I can easily see them getting stopped. I just get sick of the hype they get, when they just don't fit the tried and true mold of a national champion.

I hear what you're saying re the tried and true mold re defense, but you know they say there's always a first time for everything. I also like Chip Kelly, as he's a hard *** on his players and they generally don't step out of line w/ him, and he has some different philosophies on how to do things. (And re Kelly being a hard ***, if you like I'll gladly explain what I've heard re the LaGarrett Blount suspension and reinstatement, but that's another story.) Anyhow, I just want IA to make a BCS game, and w/ AL losing this early it definitely changes some things, as maybe the SEC doesn't automatically get 2 BCS schools this year...but it's debatable if the Big 10 or Big 12 does, either. Right now I think the Big 12 is looking better situated (OK and NE won't meet until the Big 12 CG) than the Big 10, but it'll be interesting to see how things play out.