ND - Wisconsin

[HawkGold]

I would say, in the early years, Hayden's thought process made a ton of sense. But getting away from the concrete-like astro"turf" probably made a lot more sense, injury-wise. These days, injuries are less a product of "schedule" and more a product of increased size/strength/speed/intensity.

For today, people talk about "visibility" and "high-profile" and "big money". With BTN and the TV deals, that's become a non-argument, except as it relates to "prestige". And even that is pretty specious from a national perspective, given the propensity of media hacks to play up the fact we're playing a "bad" team from our conference schedule in November, while $EC teams are playing FCS or severely deficient FBS teams that same weekend.

Didn't Fry say something about quitting football because the injuries were bothering him?

 

[HawkGold]

Don't know about the "shoe" reference. What I do know is that Iowa took the game way too lightly. They flew in the morning of instead of going through the normal road game ritual. It showed. Worst loss of Hayden's career at Iowa.

Iowa finished something like 9-3 and Tulsa 4-7 I think. The shoe game I'm referring too was when Iowa lost an away game to a lesser opponent in part due to wearing the wrong shoes, which was due in part to Fry's position about career ending injuries.....I think. Not sure if that game.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

It's called an example. I hope you do get the concept, though, of playing tougher competition on a marque basis. WUs is just taking one more step past Iowa in the prestige category, as a program. They're becoming a national brand. I, for one, am not afraid if Iowa risking 1 loss per season to achieve the same.

I get that. But there is a difference between getting a Pitt vs. a Clemson, or a Syracuse vs. an Alabama.

In addition to finding the right neutral field, there has to be someone willing to bankroll it. If Soldier Field has an ND game, that ain't free. Unless we are playing the very top, they're not going to bankroll Iowa vs. "Very Respectable But Not Elite" P5 team.

Same with Arrowhead. They went in on Iowa because they also had what was, at the time, a top-flight Kansas State team, which had flirted with top rankings and potential BCS implications.

I'm not saying it can't or shouldn't happen, I'm saying it may well be a matter of, "We're the ones that do the asking, U of I, no need for YOU to be making the phone call..."

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Actually I think Hayden's strategy was the right thing to do - at that time.
Iowa had not had a winning season in 20 years. In a few of those seasons they lost to all their non-conference games to teams like USC, Penn State, UCLA and other 'top tier' schools. Had they played three cupcakes they might have had a winning record in some of those years.
Fry's first task was to build confidence on his team and achieve a winning record. Scheduling lighter non-con opponents allowed him to do that. Often they won by large margins - allowing the starters to rest and backups to get valuable playing time. Both made the program better overall.
That said, once the program has moved forward, scheduling better opponents is the next step to move on to the next level. Unfortunately, we continue to schedule cupcakes in an attempt to ensure at least three or four non-con victories and pad a mediocre, approximately .500 B10 record. Perhaps most importantly, we no longer get the 'benefit' of the cupcake schedule in the form of resting starters and gaining experience for backups. Our cupcake games are often close (or losses) with starters playing the whole games. The result is more injuries to valuable starters AND a lack of any real playing experience for the backups and future starters. All has a detrimental effect on the overall program over time.

Definitely some good points.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Didn't Fry say something about quitting football because the injuries were bothering him?

He was quoted along those lines during a couple of the more injury-riddled seasons, possibly 1984 and 1988.

 

[rschneider]

Don't forget to mention that if you do beat a team like that on a national prime time broadcast, more of those national broadcasts are sure to follow, putting even more money into Iowa's pockets.

 

[homes]

My guess is Wisconsin will play Notre Dame and two cupcakes in those seasons. Iowa does not have that option because it's locked into the series with Iowa State. If you want to see the Hawkeyes play another Power 5 in the non-conference, the Cyclones must go.

Nailed it. Iowa took ND off their schedule because ND had to resort to cheating when they played the Hawks - a loose interpretation of history.

 

[Joshbrown]

It is not mandated by law that the two schools play each other. If Iowa replaced Wyoming with Texas (Maryland plays Texas this year) they would still have two cupcakes on the schedule. The fiction that Iowa State is our "non-cupcake" is an IQ test among our fans.

My legend derives from my myth-busting abilities.

 

[guffus]

It is not mandated by law that the two schools play each other. If Iowa replaced Wyoming with Texas (Maryland plays Texas this year) they would still have two cupcakes on the schedule. The fiction that Iowa State is our "non-cupcake" is an IQ test among our fans.

My legend derives from my myth-busting abilities.

Its also not mandated by law that Iowa has to have 7 home games every year.

If Iowa alternated having 6 home games one year, and 7 home games the other year, they could play both Iowa St and another P5 ooc every year. All it would take is giving up 1 home game every 2 years.

 

[SmokeTownHawk]

1989. Oregon won 44-6 in the opener. Boy was that ugly. Iowa also returned the trip to Eugene in 1994 and got pasted again 40-18.

Yes it was but Oregon would be a perfect example of a higher-level opponent so many are looking for. I remember the Ducks winning but didn't realize the scores were so lop-sided.

 

[Joshbrown]

I would rather be schooled by Oregon than NDSU. One can be explained, and one can't.