That's fair....
You can make all the excuses you want, but the point remains.....we WERE there in crunch time, tied or ahead in both ball games with less than 5 minutes to go and our, historically, best unit on the field to decide the game. Both times they came up short and if not for a dropped pass in the end zone, would have been 0-3 in crunch-time defensive stops.
For as much as you don't want to admit, greatness is determined not by what you do when it doesn't matter, but what you do when it DOES matter.
but I guess I look at it as greatness is defined when looking at the overall picture, not by some slice of plays. Iowa isn't even in a position to lose the Arizona game without the play of the defense, forcing a turnover deep in our own territory and scoring 6 points themselves with Binns' pick six. Was the game not on the line when Binns made that play? Had Iowa just given up a FG drive when down by 6 to go down by 9, then the offense would have sputtered I guess by your definition the defense would have played better.
The Iowa defense played great against MSU, absolutely fantastic. But since greatness is ONLY determined by how you play when "it matters" (whatever that means) that doesn't count.
For every failure of the Iowa defense over the years, I can probably point out a time where they came through. When games are close at the end. sometimes the offense scores to tie/win it, and sometimes they don't.
2003 - Iowa 30, Michigan 27. Michigan scores with 3:43 to go. Iowa goes 3 and out, Michigan gets the ball back with more than 2 minutes left. Iowa holds them on downs just across midfield.
2004 - Iowa 27, Wisconsin 21. Considine bats down Stocco pass from the 4-yard line as time expires.
2004 - Iowa 17, ISU 10. ISU gets ball with 1:35 left and down by 7. ISU turns ball over on downs at the Iowa 34.
2004 - Iowa 6, Penn State 4. PSU gets ball at own 20 with 2:41 left. Iowa sacks Robinson and recovers fumble. Game over.
2004 - Iowa 29 Minnesota 27. Minnesota drives the ball down 2, only to have Rhys Lloyd miss from 51 yards at the end.
2005 - Iowa 20, Michigan 23. Michigan gives up drive to Iowa as Schlicher kicks FG to force OT.
2005 - Northwestern 28, Iowa 27. Cats score 14 points in final 3:30 to win the game.
2006 - Iowa 20, Syracuse 13. The stand.
2006 - Indiana 31, Iowa 28. Tate is intercepted at the IU 30-yard line with 3 minutes to go. Iowa defense can't stop IU and they run out the clock.
2006 - Wisconsin 24, Iowa 21. Iowa gets ball at own 33 with 3:29 to go. Iowa gets no first downs and turns it over on downs.
2007 - ISU 15, Iowa 13. Blythe to Bates sets up ISU's field goal at the end to win.
2007 - Wisconsin 17, Iowa 13. Iowa has ball with 2 minutes to go at own 25 but can't get a first down.
2007 - Iowa 10, Illinois 6. Greenwood seals win with pick in end zone.
2007 - Iowa 34, MSU 27. IOwa gives up FG at end of regulation to go into OT.
2008 - Pitt 21, Iowa 20. Iowa holds Pitt to 3 and out under 3 minutes to go, but Iowa gets 1 first down after Pitt punt puts Hawks at 1-yard line.
2008 - Northwestern 22, Iowa 17. Iowa D forces punt with 4 minutes to go. Iowa drives down field only to fail on 4 tries inside NW 10 yard line.
2008 - MSU 16, Iowa 13. The failed-fourth down try by Greene.
2008 - Illinois 27, Iowa 24. Hawks rally furiously, only to see Illinois kick FG at end.
2008 - Iowa 24, PSU 23. Sash pick gives Iowa a chance to drive field and send Daniel Murray into Iowa history.
2008 - Iowa 22, Purdue 17. Purdue chucking ball into end zone as game ends.
2009 - Michigan game, Iowa's defense picks of Robinson to seal win. MSU, Iowa defense gives up TD only to see offense return the favor. Northwestern, Iowa can't mount anything with Vandenberg at the helm. Ohio State, Iowa D forces punt at end of regulation. Iowa runs the ball, goes to OT, and loses.
If you play in close games, you will have some that you win and some that you will lose. We've won games by taking it down the field. We've lost games by not being able to score. We've won games by stopping the opponent at the end, we've lost games by having the other team score at the end. There's no way to magically make Iowa succeed every time a game comes down to the final possession.
