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

[hawkdrummer1]

Good point that Iowa's success did NOT correspond to Wisc's and NW's demise. In fact, thinking that Iowa's program has a large impact on the fortunes of any other program is probably a bit far-fetched. Yes, if Iowa beats a rival, that is one more win for us and one more loss for them. But that is just one game out of 12 or 13. And yes, Iowa competes against these teams for recruits, but if Iowa loses out on OL121 and ends up with OL123 instead, there is no guarantee the we got the worse end of the deal.
t.

snipped

BTW, Wisconsin actually had a better record in the 10 years after Hayden's hiring, than in the 10 years before.

The thing that makes Hayden's rebuilding special, is he did it before big TV money became a factor. That helped level the playing field a bit as every school had greater resources. Hayden rebuilt IOWA in the old "analog" landscape.

 

[CP87]

BTW, Wisconsin actually had a better record in the 10 years after Hayden's hiring, than in the 10 years before.

The thing that makes Hayden's rebuilding special, is he did it before big TV money became a factor. That helped level the playing field a bit as every school had greater resources. Hayden rebuilt IOWA in the old "analog" landscape.

He seemed to help break an OSU/Mich stranglehold on the Big 10, although perhaps MSU started to break that down even sooner. Either OSU or Mich won the conference every single year from 1968-1977. But then...

• 1978 MSU was co-champs with Mich
• 1980 Iowa co-champs with OSU
• 1983 Illinois champs.
• 1985 Iowa champs.
• 1987 MSU champs.
• 1990 Illinois, Iowa, MSU, and Mich co-champs.
• 1993 Wisc co-champs with OSU.
• 1995 NW champs.
• 1996 NW co-champs with OSU.
• 1998 Wisc co-champs with OSU and Mich.
• 1999 Wisc champs.
• 2000 NW and Purdue co-champs with Mich.
• 2001 Illinois champs.
• 2002 and 2004 Iowa co-champs with OSU and Mich, respectively.
• Only MSU, OSU, PSU, or Wisconsin since (no Mich conference championships since 2004!)

Or to break it up differently, here are the champs per time-span:

• 1968-1977: Only 2 different teams, Mich and OSU.
• 1978-1987: 5 teams, Mich, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Illinois.
• 1988-1997: 8 different teams, Mich, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Illinois, PSU (joined in 1993, won in 1994), Wisc, NW.
• 1998-2007: 7 different teams, Mich, OSU, Iowa, Illinois, PSU, Wisc, Purdue
• 2008-current: Only 4 different teams, OSU, PSU, MSU, Wisconsin

 

[CP87]

Big 10 teams that have not won at least a share of a conference title in the last 50 years:

• Minnesota (co-champs in 1967)
• Indiana (co-champs in 1967)
• Nebraska (joined in 2011)
• Maryland and Rutgers (joined in 2014

The University of Chicago (7) has more Big 10 titles than Indiana (2), and one fewer than Purdue (8). Iowa has 11 titles, 6th most among Big 10 schools (1900, 1921, 1922, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1981,1985, 1990, 2002, 2004).

In the Fry/Ferentz era:

• OSU 16 titles
• Mich 13 titles
• Wisc 6 titles
• MSU 5 titles
• Iowa 5 titles
• PSU 4 titles
• Illinois 3 titles
• NW 3 titles
• Purdue 1 title

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Big_Ten_Conference_football_champions

 

[Xerxes]

I like Lindy's pick...........

Isn't Lindy's the mag that writes a different version for each B1G location?

Just a few weeks ago there was that article in hawkcentral I think it was. Over the last several years the winner of the B1G West is 29-1 against B1G West opponents. So if we take care of business against Wisky, NW and Nebraska we should be right there. And, let's not forget Minny and Purdue. Maybe we can breath easy against Illinois but I never take any game for granted.

They have a several different covers for each B1G region but the content is the same. Iowa/Minnesota shares a region for example as does Michigan/MSU, and Illinois/NW does too but some teams have their own cover that is shipped to their region.

Local beat writers do a write up of each team for the magazine. Kakert did Iowa's this year and Morehouse wrote Iowa's preview last year.

 

[Ian Pike Hammer]

These are such great stats and info gathered facts, that I don't feel badly losing to NW 3 times in a row!

 

[skinnykilmer17]

These are such great stats and info gathered facts, that I don't feel badly losing to NW 3 times in a row!

 

[kuhntz]

He seemed to help break an OSU/Mich stranglehold on the Big 10, although perhaps MSU started to break that down even sooner. Either OSU or Mich won the conference every single year from 1968-1977. But then...

• 1978 MSU was co-champs with Mich
• 1980 Iowa co-champs with OSU
• 1983 Illinois champs.
• 1985 Iowa champs.
• 1987 MSU champs.
• 1990 Illinois, Iowa, MSU, and Mich co-champs.
• 1993 Wisc co-champs with OSU.
• 1995 NW champs.
• 1996 NW co-champs with OSU.
• 1998 Wisc co-champs with OSU and Mich.
• 1999 Wisc champs.
• 2000 NW and Purdue co-champs with Mich.
• 2001 Illinois champs.
• 2002 and 2004 Iowa co-champs with OSU and Mich, respectively.
• Only MSU, OSU, PSU, or Wisconsin since (no Mich conference championships since 2004!)

Or to break it up differently, here are the champs per time-span:

• 1968-1977: Only 2 different teams, Mich and OSU.
• 1978-1987: 5 teams, Mich, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Illinois.
• 1988-1997: 8 different teams, Mich, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Illinois, PSU (joined in 1993, won in 1994), Wisc, NW.
• 1998-2007: 7 different teams, Mich, OSU, Iowa, Illinois, PSU, Wisc, Purdue
• 2008-current: Only 4 different teams, OSU, PSU, MSU, Wisconsin

So this is the first decade in 40 years that Iowa has not at least shared a B1G title in football...

Let that sink in. No conference titles since sharing in 2004...

 

[CP87]

So this is the first decade in 40 years that Iowa has not at least shared a B1G title in football...

Let that sink in. No conference titles since sharing in 2004...

Yeah, I definitely noticed that as well. Although, the same could be said for NW, Minn, Purdue, Illinois, Mich, and Indiana (and of course Nebraska, Maryland, and Rutgers, who have not been in the conference for that entire duration).

What it really comes down to are these 2 questions:
Is Iowa trending in the right direction?
Is there a good chance that a different coach would increase their odds of attaining a B1G conference championship?

To the first question, I would say yes. Iowa's recruiting has been on a slow but steady upswing, and I think the roster undeniably has a lot of talent right now. Offensive and defensive metrics have been improving. Last year's point differential was that of a much better team. They crapped the bed in their close games against good teams, and so their overall record was a dissappointment (vs. what could have been), but they seem close.

To the second question, I think it depends entirely upon who you think can be brought in. If you have identified an elite coach that you are 95% certain you can obtain, you might feel confident that the program would benefit. But overall, the track-record of programs that have removed a coach performing at his program's historical high-water mark is not encouraging.

 

[Northside Hawk]

So this is the first decade in 40 years that Iowa has not at least shared a B1G title in football...

Let that sink in. No conference titles since sharing in 2004...

We would have in 2015 under the old set up.

We may not have in 2002 had we played Ohio State in a conference championship game.

The 1990 Rose Bowl team shared a title with two conference losses.

With the current format it is harder than ever to win one but perhaps the departure of the Urb will help.

 

[Ree4]

So this is the first decade in 40 years that Iowa has not at least shared a B1G title in football...

Let that sink in. No conference titles since sharing in 2004...

This is also the first decade that they introduced a Championship game - let that sink in. Any other decade we would have a least shared a title with our 2015 record.

 

[taffaej]

Evidently Lindsy has not seen conundrum that is Hawkeye offensive play calling

 

[Xerxes]

We would have in 2015 under the old set up.

We may not have in 2002 had we played Ohio State in a conference championship game.

The 1990 Rose Bowl team shared a title with two conference losses.

With the current format it is harder than ever to win one but perhaps the departure of the Urb will help.

I think its actually easier than its ever been for Iowa to win a B1G title. The West is getting better but still does not have a powerhouse program that recruits at an elite level. And unless Nebraska revives the Tom Osborn era that isn't going to change unless they realign the divisions. Its not hard to win the West.

For example, last year it took a miracle 10 point comeback with 3 minutes left by NW over Nebraska and Iowa completely sleepwalking against NW for NW to get to Indy. If those games go different, Iowa is there.

Basically, find a way to win one of the weaker divisions in the P5 and then you have a one game championship on a neutral field to win the B1G in which Iowa at least will have half the crowd behind them.

 

[rdawsoniii]

If the Hawks win their division, they will definitely have earned it. The schedule is brutal. I’m thinking 7-5 (hoping for more).

 

[okeefe4prez]

This is also the first decade that they introduced a Championship game - let that sink in. Any other decade we would have a least shared a title with our 2015 record.

False, because any other decade we would not have been able to draw such a dismal schedule.

 

[Ree4]

False, because any other decade we would not have been able to draw such a dismal schedule.

In 2017 we had the 5th hardest schedule in the country. Preseason top 10 this year as well. If you think that's dismal I don't know who you're comparing our schedule to...

 

[PCHawk]

In 2017 we had the 5th hardest schedule in the country. Preseason top 10 this year as well. If you think that's dismal I don't know who you're comparing our schedule to...

He was talking about the 2015 schedule.

 

[DDThompson]

Lindy’s says, “
The Hawkeyes could have a good offense, thanks to quarterback Nate Stanley.

They could have, nay, they will have a good offense if Stanley gets his completion percentage around 65% and hits chests and windows instead of feet and space launches.

 

[karras]

Lindy’s says, “
The Hawkeyes could have a good offense, thanks to quarterback Nate Stanley.

They could have, nay, they will have a good offense if Stanley gets his completion percentage around 65% and hits chests and windows instead of feet and space launches.

Let's hope recent reports are as inaccurate as Fryowa's posts

 

[oldhawk12]

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 not get too carried away about the schedule. Objectively (Phil Steele), has Iowa’ sos as 37th so hardly a gauntlet of doom n gloom with many of their competitors much higher. As long as the dynamic duo is in IC, you won’t see a daunting schedule (at least from an objective point of view and against their peers).

 

[DDThompson]

Let's hope recent reports are as inaccurate as Fryowa's posts

It’s the new world order:

Clicks. > accuracy