No reason to every play teams like this

[ssckelley]

Those of you saying "just win the game" are not reading the points of the OP and many others on here. There is nothing to gain scheduling a game like this and everything to lose. The only way a game like this doesn't hurt you is if you smack the crap out of them and that's tough to do against a 5x champion. There are good teams playing in the FCS, many of them have quality athletes that should be playing FBS, losing to a team like this is devastating to the rankings and any slim hopes of a national championship.

 

[HawkGold]

Those of you saying "just win the game" are not reading the points of the OP and many others on here. There is nothing to gain scheduling a game like this and everything to lose. The only way a game like this doesn't hurt you is if you smack the crap out of them and that's tough to do against a 5x champion. There are good teams playing in the FCS, many of them have quality athletes that should be playing FBS, losing to a team like this is devastating to the rankings and any slim hopes of a national championship.

I think there is a point being missed here. It is about money. Very few will not attend Hawk games due to losing one of these. Not attending will come from a general growing apathy towards football in general, but mostly from a general slide to mediocrity. These games represent an opportunity for more home games. That is a money decision to help pay bigger salaries of coaches and AD employees.

As Dino Babers put it: Good FCS teams can compete quite well with the first team Beyond that, no they can't do to scholarship limitations. Early season games would be more difficult.

 

[kicker22]

Those of you saying "just win the game" are not reading the points of the OP and many others on here. There is nothing to gain scheduling a game like this and everything to lose. The only way a game like this doesn't hurt you is if you smack the crap out of them and that's tough to do against a 5x champion. There are good teams playing in the FCS, many of them have quality athletes that should be playing FBS, losing to a team like this is devastating to the rankings and any slim hopes of a national championship.

True, but the other side of the coin is that unless you feel your legitimately playing for a national championship playoff birth I truly believe that you gain more experience playing a team of NDSU's caliber than you do playing ISU. Again, not necessarily feeling that you need to schedule the best FCS program in the nation, but in terms of experience, you gain more playing a quality FCS team than you do playing an ISU or Miami of Ohio. That said there is no disputing that scheduling an FCS program does nothing for you in the polls.

 

[ssckelley]

I think there is a point being missed here. It is about money. Very few will not attend Hawk games due to losing one of these. Not attending will come from a general growing apathy towards football in general, but mostly from a general slide to mediocrity. These games represent an opportunity for more home games. That is a money decision to help pay bigger salaries of coaches and AD employees.

As Dino Babers put it: Good FCS teams can compete quite well with the first team Beyond that, no they can't do to scholarship limitations. Early season games would be more difficult.

I agree money is a big part of it, they want the extra home game without having to commit to a home and away. The problem goes back to having to schedule Iowa State every year as a home and away, without that game Iowa could schedule a legit power 5 opponent in the non conference.

 

[ssckelley]

True, but the other side of the coin is that unless you feel your legitimately playing for a national championship playoff birth I truly believe that you gain more experience playing a team of NDSU's caliber than you do playing ISU. Again, not necessarily feeling that you need to schedule the best FCS program in the nation, but in terms of experience, you gain more playing a quality FCS team than you do playing an ISU or Miami of Ohio. That said there is no disputing that scheduling an FCS program does nothing for you in the polls.

The hit to your SOS and ranks is way to much to risk playing a FCS school if you're playing for a NC. If you want to play decent team then schedule the best MAC or Mountain West opponent you can find. Scheduling those games against Northern Illinois in years past really didn't hurt Iowa, except when they lost of course,

 

[kicker22]

The hit to your SOS and ranks is way to much to risk playing a FCS school if you're playing for a NC. If you want to play decent team then schedule the best MAC or Mountain West opponent you can find. Scheduling those games against Northern Illinois in years past really didn't hurt Iowa, except when they lost of course,

Right, but are we really scheduling for a run at a national championship. While I think were a good team are we really one of the top 4 in the county? And if so would our OOC even with a second MAC school on the schedule going to get our SOS into consideration for a playoff spot? IMHO the only shot we have regardless of whatever our OOC looks like is to win the Big Ten Championship and go undefeated in conference play (prior to the NDSU game).

While a good/very good season is still a possibility, I truly don't know if I ever saw us as a playoff team going into the season. Possibly a Big Ten Champ but not sure if I ever really believed a playoff birth was a possibility despite what my heart tells me and how bad I want to see it happen.

 

[Joshbrown]

having to schedule Iowa State every year as a home and away, without that game Iowa could schedule a legit power 5 opponent in the non conference.

You're assuming we can only play one P5 team in the OOC? Why?

 

[Seth53]

Those of you saying "just win the game" are not reading the points of the OP and many others on here. There is nothing to gain scheduling a game like this and everything to lose. The only way a game like this doesn't hurt you is if you smack the crap out of them and that's tough to do against a 5x champion. There are good teams playing in the FCS, many of them have quality athletes that should be playing FBS, losing to a team like this is devastating to the rankings and any slim hopes of a national championship.

I think what is missing here is Iowa IMO typically titrates its pre-season schedule....start off easy, building up to the B1G....development and all that. From what I see, this season is no different. Just happens that the 3rd team, an FCS team, happened to be the best of the three nonconf teams we faced.

 

[McNutt7gets6]

Those of you saying "just win the game" are not reading the points of the OP and many others on here. There is nothing to gain scheduling a game like this and everything to lose. The only way a game like this doesn't hurt you is if you smack the crap out of them and that's tough to do against a 5x champion. There are good teams playing in the FCS, many of them have quality athletes that should be playing FBS, losing to a team like this is devastating to the rankings and any slim hopes of a national championship.

They're an FCS team! Smack the crap out of them!

 

[ssckelley]

You're assuming we can only play one P5 team in the OOC? Why?

You give up home games which is an important part to the revenue of the AD.

 

[ssckelley]

Right, but are we really scheduling for a run at a national championship. While I think were a good team are we really one of the top 4 in the county? And if so would our OOC even with a second MAC school on the schedule going to get our SOS into consideration for a playoff spot? IMHO the only shot we have regardless of whatever our OOC looks like is to win the Big Ten Championship and go undefeated in conference play (prior to the NDSU game).

While a good/very good season is still a possibility, I truly don't know if I ever saw us as a playoff team going into the season. Possibly a Big Ten Champ but not sure if I ever really believed a playoff birth was a possibility despite what my heart tells me and how bad I want to see it happen.

IMO, if Iowa wins out they are still in the top 4 and in the playoffs.

 

[kicker22]

IMO, if Iowa wins out they are still in the top 4 and in the playoffs.

Possibly, but I think our only legitimate chance at a playoff spot has hinged on winning the BIG championship and getting through it untouched along the way.

 

[Bluesman]

IMO, if Iowa wins out they are still in the top 4 and in the playoffs.

Lol, you're out of your mind dude. Iowa's very slim shot to begin with of making the top 4 went out the window permanently with that loss to an FCS school. I don't care if they're a good FCS program, that's still a really bad and embarrassing loss for a team that was ranked #13 in FBS. Iowa could win out and still wouldn't be in the top 10 nor should they be. Too many fans are trying to rationalize this loss making NDSU out to be some sort of mythological FCS juggernaut who should be playing at the FBS level. Don't forget they had to go to overtime to win 2 of their earlier games this year vs FCS opponents and one of those teams got shellacked by FSU last weekend. A good FBS team beats NDSU every single time.

No matter what happens going forward this year, the number one thing fans and the media will remember about this Iowa team is that they lost to an FCS team. Not to mention this team isn't going to run the table; I see losses to Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska and Minny at a minimum.

 

[ssckelley]

Lol, you're out of your mind dude. Iowa's very slim shot to begin with of making the top 4 went out the window permanently with that loss to an FCS school. I don't care if they're a good FCS program, that's still a really bad and embarrassing loss for a team that was ranked #13 in FBS. Iowa could win out and still wouldn't be in the top 10 nor should they be. Too many fans are trying to rationalize this loss making NDSU out to be some sort of mythological FCS juggernaut who should be playing at the FBS level. Don't forget they had to go to overtime to win 2 of their earlier games this year vs FCS opponents and one of those teams got shellacked by FSU last weekend. A good FBS team beats NDSU every single time.

No matter what happens going forward this year, the number one thing fans and the media will remember about this Iowa team is that they lost to an FCS team. Not to mention this team isn't going to run the table; I see losses to Wisconsin, Michigan, Nebraska and Minny at a minimum.

I've done nothing of the sort, I've said all along that playing an FCS school is dumb and I don't rationalize the loss one bit. Losing to an FCS school does not give me much confidence Iowa could win out but if they did I would think a playoff berth is possible. To do that they have to beat 3 teams that are currently ranked (Michigan is 4th) and then beat the East champion in the Big Ten Championship game.

 

[homes]

This was a vanity game for Barta. I've said it before, he blew a $500,000 kiss to his alma mater, and they bit off his nose.

 

[kicker22]

If Iowa wins out (including Big Ten Championship) I think they'd definitely find themselves ranked in the top 10. And in the playoff picture. Probably looking in from the outside, but definitely in consideration despite the NDSU loss. As weak as our schedule is we'd possibly be seeing 3 ranked teams (Michigan, Nebby, and Wiscy) prior to a showdown with a top 5 OSU team. Regardless of the claim to a weak schedule you win those games if those teams all stay ranked and the soft SOS gets thrown out the window.

That said its a big stretch as I'm not sure how long Nebby and Wiscy remain ranked as conference upsets always seem to surface.