My question of the week.....Would you sign up for a 12-1 season......

[Rawkhawk73]

that would include a Rose Bowl victory over USC OR

Would you take your chances in the National Championship game?

I go back and forth - 12-1 with a Rose Bowl championship over hated USC and a final #2 ranking would be a season for the ages, however.....

I'm of the thought that it's better to have had the opportunity and possibly fail (maybe even miserably) than to have never had the opportunity.

What say you, Hawkeyenation?

 

[reamkore]

Can i pick beat USC in the rose bowl and go 13-0?

stay in town watch alabama vs texas.

 

[Robbymac]

I thought about this at length a few weeks back. Would I rather see Iowa win the Rose Bowl guaranteed, or go to the National Championship game with no guarantees.

Even though I think we'd probably lose I still think you have to take your shot. In one game anything can happen.

 

[JonDMiller]

wow...another great question....you guys are taking care of my morning show prep right now!

I think I would sign up for 12-1 and a Rose Bowl win over USC in hand, vs rolling the dice

 

[hawkfan2679]

So basically, lose to OSU (or MSU, I guess) and beat USC or win all our reg season games and lose the NCG.

Crap...when I started answering I thought this would be easier to respond to. Now, I'm not really sure.

I'm 50.01%/49.99% on this one, but I'm going to say 12-1 and beating USC in the Rose Bowl, but only if our loss was to OSU and someone else beat OSU the rest of the way, assuring us an outright B10 title. Sure the NCG would be nice, but we could strike a blow for not only Iowa football, but Big 10 football by thumping USC in their house in their game.

If we have to take one for the conference in the Shoe to do it, that's the sacrifice I'd make...

/immediately ponders changing mind

 

[Robbymac]

wow...another great question....you guys are taking care of my morning show prep right now!

I think I would sign up for 12-1 and a Rose Bowl win over USC in hand, vs rolling the dice

You wouldn't take a undefeated regular season (which correct me if I'm wrong hasn't happened since we wore leather helmets) and a one game shot at winning the crystal ball?

You'd rather have 2002 with a happy ending?

I can see it, but I think you've got to take your chance at the big one, because it may never come again.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

wow...another great question....you guys are taking care of my morning show prep right now!

I think I would sign up for 12-1 and a Rose Bowl win over USC in hand, vs rolling the dice

C'mon Jon, where's your guts?!?!

In all honesty, I can see either side. I have no desire to lose the NC game and have all of America call us "OSU lite", typical Big 10 pretender, etc. But I think, secretly, there's something in all of us that wants that one chance in life to do something truly great. I'm not saying that 12-1 Rose Bowl champs isn't great because it is.....but to win the NC championship, man, I've never even allowed myself to dream that big as a Hawk fan (and I'm 35 yrs old).....I'm getting emotional right now just thinking of being able to watch a NC game with my 9 year old boy who may be a bigger Hawk fan than me.....wouldn't get any better than that!!!

 

[BlitzBuster]

Isn't it very possible that we go undefeated during the regular season and still not make the championship game? Which also means we could also go to the Rose Bowl and beat USC to end up 13-0 and not be # 1 or maybe split the NC.

 

[SixAMtailgate]

wow...another great question....you guys are taking care of my morning show prep right now!

I think I would sign up for 12-1 and a Rose Bowl win over USC in hand, vs rolling the dice

This has been brought up before, and for the life of me I can't understand how you would want anything other than a chance at the National Championship Game. I understand that there is a sentimental connection to the idea of the big ten team winning the "Rose Bowl" but we are talking about playing in what would be the biggest game in Iowa SPORTS history, not just Iowa football history. I honestly think that I would sign up for a trip to the national championship game, knowing that Iowa would lose, rather than simply going to the Rose Bowl, knowing that they would win.

Call me crazy.

 

[JonDMiller]

My rationale is Iowa has been to what, five rose bowl games ever? They haven't won since the 50's? I would take that in the hand because Iowa is going to win the national title next year

 

[PEN15]

I would take the 12-1 season with the rose bowl.

 

[Robbymac]

I would take that in the hand because Iowa is going to win the national title next year

"This is just the start. We'll definitely win it again next year" -Chicago Cubs pitcher Mordecai Brown 10/15/1908

 

[PTHawk]

Start of the year, absolutely. Now, no chance.

 

[SixAMtailgate]

My rationale is Iowa has been to what, five rose bowl games ever? They haven't won since the 50's? I would take that in the hand because Iowa is going to win the national title next year

Ok Jon, you can wear your "Iowa 2010 Rose Bowl Champion" T-shirt around Des Moines. But I would rather wear a "BCS National Championship Game" T-shirt with the Iowa and Alabama helmets facing off, even if Iowa does lose.

 

[CRhawkeye4life]

I'll take the NC game. You win the NC with out playing in it.

 

[okobojihawk]

I'm with Jon! Rosebowl Champs!!! YES!!

 

[HaydensHawk]

I'll let you know on Sunday.

 

[VanMan1]

I'll take whatever positive Hawkeye result my alma mater gives me.

 

[droidhawk]

If i NEW we would lose the NC game, then i take a rose bowl win, but if it's a roll of the dice, then I don't think I have a choice. I take my shot at a nat'l title. As hayden fry once said about the naked bootleg for the win against Mich st, "i was born poor, i'd go for it."

 

[UP6936]

Maybe this is a result of the natural inferiority complex Iowans tend to have, but growing up a Hawk fan, the National Championship was never anything that seemed remotely attainable. That was something for the big time glamour schools to fight over. I guess that is a negative part of our culture here in Iowa, but I think it is a fairly common belief.

The Rose Bowl, though, while still a very rare prize, still always seemed attainable. It was always a Big Ten championship and a trip to Pasadena that inspired me. If you could have a trip to a Hawkeye fan's version of the Promised Land and revenge against USC in the bag, how could you not sign up for that?

A shot at a National Championship still feels so "pie-in-the-sky" to me. The Hawks in the NC game isn't a natural fit. Its not that it wouldn't be absolutely incredible for it to happen. I think I would be able to die a happy man at the age of 38 if the Hawks were national champions, but something deep in my Hawkeye psyche has trouble believing that that possibility is real. A NC would be a truly great thing, but if it never happens, I will still live a great life. I think I would be very disappointed, though, if the Hawks don't win a Rose Bowl in my lifetime.