Lindy says Iowa wins the B1G and maybe gets in the playoffs

karras

Well-Known Member
Lindy’s rides with Iowa to reach the Big Ten Championship Game, and potentially compete for a College Football Playoff spot. The Hawkeyes lost two of the best tight ends in college football plus defensive impact players like Anthony Nelson and Amani Hooker. Veteran quarterback Nate Stanley is back, however, and probably does not get the respect he deserves nationally after back-to-back 26-touchdown seasons.

Lindy’s says, “The Hawkeyes could have a good offense, thanks to quarterback Nate Stanley. Will the defense bend or break? And there’s this, Iowa has just one top-25 finish this decade. Iowa is a good pick most years to win the West. It’s up to the Hawkeyes to follow through.”
 
One top-25 this decade? Their research department is outstanding.

If they are going by the current decade we are in (2010-2019), which would only include 9 years, instead of a period covering the last 10 years (2009-2018), that statement is right if they are using the coaches poll.

Iowa only has finished in the top 25 once. 2015. They finished 26th last year in that poll
 
Let's see we know we will lose to Wisconsin, and NW yet again. Then there's the matter of Kirk can't beat Brohm at Purdont. Then I would suspect Big Red Bugeaters (depending on their record) will be all in against the Hawkeyes and odds are that Iowa State beats us. Matt Campbell is too good of Coach to keep losing EVERY year to Kirk. We COULD end up with a losing record this year but I don't think that has happened often with a 3 year starter at QB for Kirk.
 
Let's see we know we will lose to Wisconsin, and NW yet again. Then there's the matter of Kirk can't beat Brohm at Purdont. Then I would suspect Big Red Bugeaters (depending on their record) will be all in against the Hawkeyes and odds are that Iowa State beats us. Matt Campbell is too good of Coach to keep losing EVERY year to Kirk. We COULD end up with a losing record this year but I don't think that has happened often with a 3 year starter at QB for Kirk.

It's also only happened once in 17 years so feel free to dig in with that projection.
 
It's also only happened once in 17 years so feel free to dig in with that projection.
Ok so you are able to back up my query about a 3 year starter at least now I can feel better. I do believe Nate does make a significant difference this year. Having said that if you look at our schedule any wins over 5 is problematic tough crossovers this year and Nebby, NW, Bucky and Michigan on the road?! We could absolutely lose all 4 of those. I DO think we thump M OH, MTSU, Illinois, Minnesota, Rutgers and I think we grab PSU by the balls this year...ISU is problematic in Ames. It's not a patsy schedule.
 
Ok so you are able to back up my query about a 3 year starter at least now I can feel better. I do believe Nate does make a significant difference this year. Having said that if you look at our schedule any wins over 5 is problematic tough crossovers this year and Nebby, NW, Bucky and Michigan on the road?! We could absolutely lose all 4 of those. I DO think we thump M OH, MTSU, Illinois, Minnesota, Rutgers and I think we grab PSU by the balls this year...ISU is problematic in Ames. It's not a patsy schedule.

no, like 2 seasons ago, it's one of the toughest in the nation. But this is as results driven business, so there were no tears shed for them when they only won 8 games, it was served up as an indictment that things were bad. I think you're absolutely right in your assessment, but I would be very shocked at a losing season. I think anything over 7 this year is going to be tough but the nice thing for me as an Iowa fan is that I am pretty confident that Iowa will be competent, competitive and ready to face that challenge. That's at least one benefit from having a known commodity running your program.
 
Let's see we know we will lose to Wisconsin, and NW yet again. Then there's the matter of Kirk can't beat Brohm at Purdont. Then I would suspect Big Red Bugeaters (depending on their record) will be all in against the Hawkeyes and odds are that Iowa State beats us. Matt Campbell is too good of Coach to keep losing EVERY year to Kirk. We COULD end up with a losing record this year but I don't think that has happened often with a 3 year starter at QB for Kirk.
The schedule is the elephant in the room. And you didn't even mention playing at Michigan. Another respected publication, Street and Smith, has us finishing sixth in our own conference.

The truth, as usual, will probably be somewhere in between. And, as usual, it will probably come down to the Wisconsin and Northwestern games once again. Kirk, time and time again, likes to muck those two games up, use the formula that allowed us to steal Mississippi State. It worked in 2015 because, like MSU, we won the turnover battle in both those games. It hasn't worked, more often than not, because mucking it up against those two plays right into their hands. Wisconsin usually has a running back who can keep the chains moving. Northwestern usually has a sneaky athletic QB who keeps drives alive against us. Both can make make big plays on defense, usually a QB sack, to get us off the field.

We are probably more athletic than either team this year, especially on defense. We need to use it to our advantage and stop playing in a phone booth against them. Maybe we can even slow down Purdue's deep passing game by getting to their quarterback for a change.
 
no, like 2 seasons ago, it's one of the toughest in the nation. But this is as results driven business, so there were no tears shed for them when they only won 8 games, it was served up as an indictment that things were bad. I think you're absolutely right in your assessment, but I would be very shocked at a losing season. I think anything over 7 this year is going to be tough but the nice thing for me as an Iowa fan is that I am pretty confident that Iowa will be competent, competitive and ready to face that challenge. That's at least one benefit from having a known commodity running your program.

We won't really know how hard the schedule is until December. But I concur on paper it is brutal. I differ with those who say a tough schedule is an excuse to win 7 games. I say that because imo it is a loser mentality to say, "We should only expect good seasons when the schedule is easy." That's not why the U has invested so much in the Ferentz family. They expect results regardless of schedule.
 
Lindy’s rides with Iowa to reach the Big Ten Championship Game, and potentially compete for a College Football Playoff spot. The Hawkeyes lost two of the best tight ends in college football plus defensive impact players like Anthony Nelson and Amani Hooker. Veteran quarterback Nate Stanley is back, however, and probably does not get the respect he deserves nationally after back-to-back 26-touchdown seasons.

Lindy’s says, “The Hawkeyes could have a good offense, thanks to quarterback Nate Stanley. Will the defense bend or break? And there’s this, Iowa has just one top-25 finish this decade. Iowa is a good pick most years to win the West. It’s up to the Hawkeyes to follow through.”

Bhahahahaha! Made my day!
 
The schedule is the elephant in the room. And you didn't even mention playing at Michigan. Another respected publication, Street and Smith, has us finishing sixth in our own conference.

The truth, as usual, will probably be somewhere in between. And, as usual, it will probably come down to the Wisconsin and Northwestern games once again. Kirk, time and time again, likes to muck those two games up, use the formula that allowed us to steal Mississippi State. It worked in 2015 because, like MSU, we won the turnover battle in both those games. It hasn't worked, more often than not, because mucking it up against those two plays right into their hands. Wisconsin usually has a running back who can keep the chains moving. Northwestern usually has a sneaky athletic QB who keeps drives alive against us. Both can make make big plays on defense, usually a QB sack, to get us off the field.

We are probably more athletic than either team this year, especially on defense. We need to use it to our advantage and stop playing in a phone booth against them. Maybe we can even slow down Purdue's deep passing game by getting to their quarterback for a change.

I wish I could proudly and confidently state that we will beat NW. On paper, we SHOULD beat them, but, what the hell, we should prolly beat them on paper most years!
 
We won't really know how hard the schedule is until December. But I concur on paper it is brutal. I differ with those who say a tough schedule is an excuse to win 7 games. I say that because imo it is a loser mentality to say, "We should only expect good seasons when the schedule is easy." That's not why the U has invested so much in the Ferentz family. They expect results regardless of schedule.

exactly... as I said in my post, no tears were shed in 17 when they faced a top 15 or so schedule and won 8 games. It didn't matter, it wasn't good enough. In 15, when Iowa went 12-0 - all of their hard games were on the road. A tough schedule isn't an excuse for only winning 7 games, but it certainly can be the cause. I am not ok with it and either are the players and coaches - so I doubt many have any kind of loser mentality.
 
I wish I could proudly and confidently state that we will beat NW. On paper, we SHOULD beat them, but, what the hell, we should prolly beat them on paper most years!

Most B1G wins over the past 4 seasons:

OSU: 31
Wisc: 27
NW and Mich: 26
PSU: 25
Iowa: 23
MSU: 19
Neb: 15

In that span, NW has won 3 in a row vs. Iowa, 3 in a row vs. MSU, they are 2-2 vs. Wisc, and they are 3-1 vs. Nebraska. They have played PSU, Mich, and OSU once each, and lost each of those.

This is not Hayden Fry's NW team.

But to your point, NW has put 15 players into the NFL under Pat Fitzgerald, and I think Iowa has put 45 in during that same span. So in terms of NFL talent, Iowa probably should beat them most years. But in terms of quality as a college FB team, there are a whole bunch of fanbases out there that think their team should beat NW but end up disappointed.
 
We won't really know how hard the schedule is until December. But I concur on paper it is brutal. I differ with those who say a tough schedule is an excuse to win 7 games. I say that because imo it is a loser mentality to say, "We should only expect good seasons when the schedule is easy." That's not why the U has invested so much in the Ferentz family. They expect results regardless of schedule.

Expect results? Seven or eight wins gets you a job for life in Iowa City. As buzz light year likes to say “To eternity and beyond.”
 
Most B1G wins over the past 4 seasons:

OSU: 31
Wisc: 27
NW and Mich: 26
PSU: 25
Iowa: 23
MSU: 19
Neb: 15

In that span, NW has won 3 in a row vs. Iowa, 3 in a row vs. MSU, they are 2-2 vs. Wisc, and they are 3-1 vs. Nebraska. They have played PSU, Mich, and OSU once each, and lost each of those.

This is not Hayden Fry's NW team.

But to your point, NW has put 15 players into the NFL under Pat Fitzgerald, and I think Iowa has put 45 in during that same span. So in terms of NFL talent, Iowa probably should beat them most years. But in terms of quality as a college FB team, there are a whole bunch of fanbases out there that think their team should beat NW but end up disappointed.

So, please expound: why do we lose year in and year out, when we clearly possess better talent? Coaching? Players not doing their job? Conservative play calling [playing not to lose]? Turn over margin?
 

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