NEXT GAME WILL TELL

L

longtimer

Well-Known Member
We have played well. Ruddock has been very good. Its hard not to be optimistic and upbeat but the last 4 games have not been against upper level teams. I think Minnesota may not win again and Iowa State is not going to be playing for a bowl game this year. The other 2 were really bad. Northern Illinois is a good team and we very easily could be 5-0.

The next game is against a proven quality defense, maybe one of the top 10 in the country. We should know a lot more after Saturday win or lose. It will be interesting to see if Ruddock can make plays against top level talent. It will be interesting to see if we can get the balance we will need to compete with the teams we have left on the schedule. I dont see an easy one with the possible exception of Purdue

Remember Minnesota plowed through 4 lousy teams to start the year and then found out against Iowa that it will be hard to win another
 
Sparty hasn't played anyone yet either. I've already leanred what I hoped to find out. Iowa is vastly improved and has improved over the last 5 weeks was well.

I can see wins against MSU, UM, Purdue and maybe Nebraska.

This team looks like a 7 to 8 win team.
 
The OP is exactly right...this is really the week we find out or get a very good measuring stick of where we are. The good news is that pretty much this same team went to MSU and beat them last year. We are much better on offense and defense this year too...and it appears they are worse on offense. Rudock has to play clean...and not force anything...as their defense will score points. We we force their offense to score all their points and we don't turn it over...I just don't see it happening for MSU.
 
I agree that Sparty will finally be a good tell of how good the Hawks can be on offense, this season. Until now they have played well and very well, at times, but you just couldn't make a definitive conclusion based on the competition. I think Bucky will be the same for the defense.

This was Sparty's bye week so they will probably try to come up with ways to fool Rudock, schematically, or by breaking tendencies, because he is still inexperienced. If Rudock can sift through that, we should win. I am really starting to like our defense...they are salty, intense and passionate.
 
Last edited:
MSU will be tough, but Rudock and company will make enough plays to win. MSU won't be able to get many points. Hawks will win.
 
There is definite room for optimism now. The team seems to be coming together with two solid performances. Hopefully this weeks game is going to be as successful. For the first time this year Iowa will be against a national level defense. Not to mention that MSU will be coming off a bye week. Get past this one and then all the remaining games except OSU and maybe Wisconsin are in the mix.
 
Good grief, what does this team have to prove to you people? They just crushed an undefeated BoneG team on the road, and the outcome of the game was never in doubt for one second.
 
But lets be honest here, Iowa has played against worse Gopher teams than the one they played yesterday and have lost. A little better play from their quarterback and yesterdays game would have been a lot closer. I am going to give the team and coaches credit here, they went into a packed house on their homecoming and kicked a Big Ten teams butt.
 
OLWPAORWWM said:
Good grief, what does this team have to prove to you people? They just crushed an undefeated BoneG team on the road, and the outcome of the game was never in doubt for one second.
Click to expand...

They don't need to prove anything to me. As long as they go out every week and prove it to themselves.
 
Michigan State is not that good this year, guys. Minnesota is a quality team, and we definitely sent a message by beating them on their home turf. I fully expect to beat MSU.
 
JeremyUsborne said:
Michigan State is not that good this year, guys. Minnesota is a quality team, and we definitely sent a message by beating them on their home turf. I fully expect to beat MSU.
Click to expand...

Offense isn't good but MSU Defense is very good and will be a very good measuring stick for this offense.

Jeremy, Minnesota is not a quality team, actually far from it IMO. I would be shocked if they get bowl eligible. I don't know if they will even win a Big Ten game..
 
I have to agree that Michigan State is far better than Minnesota. Their defense is very impressive and will be hard to move the ball against next weekend. I don't see Sparty moving the ball all that well on us because of their poor play calling and qb play. If we don't beat ourselves with turnovers we have a great shot at pulling out a low scoring game.
 
ssckelley said:
But lets be honest here, Iowa has played against worse Gopher teams than the one they played yesterday and have lost. A little better play from their quarterback and yesterdays game would have been a lot closer. I am going to give the team and coaches credit here, they went into a packed house on their homecoming and kicked a Big Ten teams butt.
Click to expand...

They had receivers running behind Iowas secondary all day but their QB sucks.
 
Once more, lots of positives from the game on Saturday. The defensive front 7 looks like the real deal. This wasn't an undersized Minny O line, it was a big, strong O-line that couldn't make a dent in our front 7. We still have questions in the secondary, and I think that will be the case all year long. We also have to start scoring more in the Red Zone. If we do that alone, I think we are in most every game remaining on the schedule.
 
Lowery didn't play particularly well yesterday. He dropped two interceptions and was burned deep at least twice...one Nelson just completely overthrew and the other was the touchdown. He has to be a leader and make plays in the B10 schedule...we need him to play much better and with an edge.
 
OLWPAORWWM said:
MSU's QB sucks even worse. He'll be moar terrible when Iowa shuts down the run. Next week isn't going to be a difficult test for Iowa at all.
Click to expand...

MSU's QB is better as a passer, but that isn't saying much. if the Hawks can score against the MSU D, they win, and probably easily.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top