Power 5 Schools Not Playing an FCS Opponent in '19

[guffus]

You guys do realize iowa plays three different FCS schools between now and 2024.

Lol, maybe the original post was just meant as an FYI and nothing more, but if it was meant to brag about how tough Iowa schedules are, then it was a big time FAIL.

Even in 2019 with no FCS teams, Iowa's OOC is still weak.

Miami-Ohio
@iowa State
Middle Tenn State

Nothing to brag about there. That's ok. Iowa still has 9 conference games including playing @Mich and PSU.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

You guys do realize iowa plays three different FCS schools between now and 2024.

I see two, Northern Iowa and South Dakota State. Who's the third one?

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I see two, Northern Iowa and South Dakota State. Who's the third one?

Illinois State is the third one. That's what I get for thinking I know something at 5 AM.

 

[RobHowe]

The OP was an FYI to spark some discussion during the offseason. The direction was predictable.

Here's a homework assignment for you:

Where do you think Iowa's game at Iowa State this season rank among toughest non-conference contests in the Big Ten this season? This question isn't directed at anyone in particular. You're all allowed to play.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Where do you think Iowa's game at Iowa State this season rank among toughest non-conference contests in the Big Ten this season? This question isn't directed at anyone in particular. You're all allowed to play.

Probably middle of the pack or possibly bottom quartile in terms of P5 non-con games. The conference has Standford, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Pitt, TCU, Vandy, Colorado and BC. The crappy programs and Wisconsin pretty much try to schedule 3 guaranteed wins. The crappy programs are praying for 6-6 and a bowl game and Wisconsin has an insane delusion that they can make the playoff every year. Iowa State is not as bad as they were in the Jim Walden days, but they are still Iowa State. They have one insanely lucky win every handful of years, but the Big 12 totally sucks once you get past the top 1 or 2 teams, so their little 8 win seasons are pretty meaningless. It's kind of like winning 8 in the Big Ten West.

 

[RobHowe]

Probably middle of the pack or possibly bottom quartile in terms of P5 non-con games. The conference has Standford, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Pitt, TCU, Vandy, Colorado and BC. The crappy programs and Wisconsin pretty much try to schedule 3 guaranteed wins. The crappy programs are praying for 6-6 and a bowl game and Wisconsin has an insane delusion that they can make the playoff every year. Iowa State is not as bad as they were in the Jim Walden days, but they are still Iowa State. They have one insanely lucky win every handful of years, but the Big 12 totally sucks once you get past the top 1 or 2 teams, so their little 8 win seasons are pretty meaningless. It's kind of like winning 8 in the Big Ten West.

Where do you rank Iowa State on the road compared to the other schools and locations you mentioned for non-conference games being played by Big Ten teams this season?

Middle of the pack, so you have seven or eight non-conference games being played by Big Ten teams being tougher than Iowa playing at Iowa State?

Please name them.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I'd rather play at Ames than at Standford, at Colorado, Notre Dame at home or TCU irregardless of where played. There's 9 games, I believe, and that is 4 of them, putting ISU squarely in the middle. Arizona State is one of those programs that can be wildly good or terrible and Pitt is a wild card as well. Honestly, out of the list of list of P5 games, the only program that ISU is definitely better than is Vanderbilt. Maybe BC, but Iowa played them in a near draw a few years ago, so my guess is they are about the same as ISU, maybe ISU is a touch better. ISU just lost two of the best skill position players they've ever had. Maybe they will turn a corner and Campbell is some sort of football god and Iowa State will suddenly become a perennial 10 game winner, but until they actually do it, their program is honestly one of the worst in the country. Ferentz's lack of preparation and their treatment of Iowa as their super bowl does not change that.

 

[kicker22]

Here's how I see it. There are probably 10-15 teams that put schedules together to honestly compete for national championships. There are a number of others who put schedules together to add wins and pad stats. Unfortunately there are very few that do it to play quality opponents.

 

[Xerxes]

The OP was an FYI to spark some discussion during the offseason. The direction was predictable.

Here's a homework assignment for you:

Where do you think Iowa's game at Iowa State this season rank among toughest non-conference contests in the Big Ten this season? This question isn't directed at anyone in particular. You're all allowed to play.

I would say its the 4th toughest nonconference game in the B1G this year behind:

Notre Dame (Michigan)
@Stanford (NW)
TCU (Purdue)

 

[RobHowe]

I'd rather play at Ames than at Standford, at Colorado, Notre Dame at home or TCU irregardless of where played. There's 9 games, I believe, and that is 4 of them, putting ISU squarely in the middle. Arizona State is one of those programs that can be wildly good or terrible and Pitt is a wild card as well. Honestly, out of the list of list of P5 games, the only program that ISU is definitely better than is Vanderbilt. Maybe BC, but Iowa played them in a near draw a few years ago, so my guess is they are about the same as ISU, maybe ISU is a touch better. ISU just lost two of the best skill position players they've ever had. Maybe they will turn a corner and Campbell is some sort of football god and Iowa State will suddenly become a perennial 10 game winner, but until they actually do it, their program is honestly one of the worst in the country. Ferentz's lack of preparation and their treatment of Iowa as their super bowl does not change that.

You may not like Iowa State. I get that. You're an Iowa fan (I think).

You are not being objective, however. This isn't the '80s.

Iowa State likely will be ranked when the Hawkeyes go to Ames this year. And the Clones could very well be favored.

Colorado for sure? Maybe Pitt? Seriously?

Here are the odds to win the national championship according to Westgate Sports Book in Vegas:



Colorado and Pitt are both 1000-1.

Come on, man.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Here's how I see it. There are probably 10-15 teams that put schedules together to honestly compete for national championships. There are a number of others who put schedules together to add wins and pad stats. Unfortunately there are very few that do it to play quality opponents.

Bama and LSU had a good run, but Bama is finding it hard to schedule top teams. Clemson always plays South Carolina, who is not great, but it has an in-state rivalry element, and they always try to play another SEC team that is good. So they have A&M this year, and they have had Georgia and Auburn in the recent past and I think they rotate Georgia in next year again. USC also tries to play good non-con games. But it is becoming rarer and rarer for the blue bloods.

 

[pythagoras]

Probably middle of the pack or possibly bottom quartile in terms of P5 non-con games. The conference has Standford, Notre Dame, Arizona State, Pitt, TCU, Vandy, Colorado and BC.

Lol okay, no more internet for you today. You're not responsible enough for it.

 

[okeefe4prez]

You may not like Iowa State. I get that. You're an Iowa fan (I think).

You are not being objective, however. This isn't the '80s.

Iowa State likely will be ranked when the Hawkeyes go to Ames this year. And the Clones could very well be favored.

Colorado for sure? Maybe Pitt? Seriously?

Here are the odds to win the national championship according to Westgate Sports Book in Vegas:

View attachment 5289

Colorado and Pitt are both 1000-1.

Come on, man.

Look, I get that you're in media so you have a vested interest in their legitimacy, but pre-season rankings mean nothing other than setting a pecking order for a few blue bloods that legitimately have a shot at the title. The odds of a title also mean nothing other than for a few blue bloods. Those are specifically designed to trick rubes visiting Vegas to part with cash. "Hey Pa, let's go put $100 on the Huskers to win it all!" It's just a gift to the casinos.

Yeah, Colorado is 1000-1. I still wouldn't want to play there. The altitude would kill us. Have you ever tried running in 5,000 feet of altitude? It sucks. Pitt is a shell of what it once was, but they won their crappy division last year. It's still a decent program.

 

[RobHowe]

Look, I get that you're in media so you have a vested interest in their legitimacy, but pre-season rankings mean nothing other than setting a pecking order for a few blue bloods that legitimately have a shot at the title. The odds of a title also mean nothing other than for a few blue bloods. Those are specifically designed to trick rubes visiting Vegas to part with cash. "Hey Pa, let's go put $100 on the Huskers to win it all!" It's just a gift to the casinos.

Yeah, Colorado is 1000-1. I still wouldn't want to play there. The altitude would kill us. Have you ever tried running in 5,000 feet of altitude? It sucks. Pitt is a shell of what it once was, but they won their crappy division last year. It's still a decent program.

So you would rather play at Iowa State than at Colorado or Pitt at home?

No qualifiers in your answer. We've already discussed it.

yes or no?

 

[okeefe4prez]

So you would rather play at Iowa State than at Colorado or Pitt at home?

No qualifiers in your answer. We've already discussed it.

yes or no?

Definitely would rather play at Ames than at Boulder. Hence my inclusion of it on the list. I'm not sure if you follow Iowa football, but I think it has been decades bince Iowa has won a regular season game west of Lincoln. As of now, I'd rather play Pitt at home than at Iowa State, but I wouldn't be surprised if Pitt wound up being better than ISU, which is part of why the ISU game could be a bottom quartile P5 non-con game. I'm not saying it's a guarantee. Hell, there's a chance Iowa State is the best non-con game in the conference. It's small, but it's possible. ND misses the bounces that went their way last year, Nebraska throttles Colorado and Colorado disappears, Standford loses a couple guys, etc. It's college ball, there is a lot of variability.

 

[RobHowe]

You're not sure if I follow Iowa football? OK.

Excellent approach to having a mature conversation.

 

[Adam]

Yes, in other words, Big Ten West can play FCS teams in even number years, and can't play FCS teams in odd years.

Iowa can't really brag much. They are still playing FCS teams in even number years.

The teams I envy with their scheduling are USC, Stanford, Texas, who often play 11 different P5 teams each year.

Props also go to both Purdue and NW, who both scheduled 11 P5 teams last year. Purdue also did not play an FCS team in 2018, even though they could have. Purdue also scheduled 11 P5 teams again in 2019. Purdue is putting everybody to shame with their scheduling.

You can admire those teams scheduling all you want, but maybe we can attribute their losing percentage to this type of scheduling. Maybe the toughest possible schedule isn't the smartest one. You really only need to play a couple top 20 teams and win at least 1. The B1G provides that opportunity almost every year. I don't think Iowa really needs to change much and most of the fans that think this way are still over reacting to Cowherds "fake ID" bullshit from 2015.

 

[okeefe4prez]

You're not sure if I follow Iowa football? OK.

Excellent approach to having a mature conversation.

I am unfamiliar with your personal history. I heard a story about some carpetbagger who went to Iowa and got into sports talk radio and he recently got indicted or convicted for fraud. It was some guy over in Des Moines named Marty something or other. Came from somewhere out east or something. Anyway, I do not know your history with the program and if you have seen how poorly Iowa has historically played out west. I guess I can see how you would read that as a personal attack - I know that you currently follow Iowa football, I just wasn't sure how deep your historical roots with the program are, so sorry for the poor choice of wording.

Anyway, point is, I spend one or two weekends a month along the Tennessee-Carolina border at a place with 5,000+ feet of altitude during the summer and as a country boy from Iowa, I find that even a brisk walk will leave me with major shortness of breath. The stadium in Boulder is 5,360 feet above sea level and there is simply no way to prepare yourself for that unless you have some mountains nearby, which is why I would rather play in Ames than there, even if the Clones are marginally better than Colorado.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Lol, maybe the original post was just meant as an FYI and nothing more, but if it was meant to brag about how tough Iowa schedules are, then it was a big time FAIL.

Even in 2019 with no FCS teams, Iowa's OOC is still weak.

Miami-Ohio
@iowa State
Middle Tenn State

Nothing to brag about there. That's ok. Iowa still has 9 conference games including playing @Mich and PSU.

at least isu is a respectable P5 opponent (strength of schedule-wise...not worthy of respect in any other way...let's be clear on that).

 

[RobHowe]

I am unfamiliar with your personal history. I heard a story about some carpetbagger who went to Iowa and got into sports talk radio and he recently got indicted or convicted for fraud. It was some guy over in Des Moines named Marty something or other. Came from somewhere out east or something. Anyway, I do not know your history with the program and if you have seen how poorly Iowa has historically played out west. I guess I can see how you would read that as a personal attack - I know that you currently follow Iowa football, I just wasn't sure how deep your historical roots with the program are, so sorry for the poor choice of wording.

Anyway, point is, I spend one or two weekends a month along the Tennessee-Carolina border at a place with 5,000+ feet of altitude during the summer and as a country boy from Iowa, I find that even a brisk walk will leave me with major shortness of breath. The stadium in Boulder is 5,360 feet above sea level and there is simply no way to prepare yourself for that unless you have some mountains nearby, which is why I would rather play in Ames than there, even if the Clones are marginally better than Colorado.

You're trailing off all over the place. What does Marty have to do with any of this discussion?

I've tried to have a discussion with you. First you claimed my being in the media means I'm trying to make Iowa's schedule credible for some purpose. What purpose? I don't know.

Then you say you don't know if I follow Iowa football after previously saying I'm in the media so I have to make Iowa sound credible.

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.

IMO, Iowa's game at Iowa State is one of the Top 5 toughest non-conference games for a Big Ten team this season. It's not as tough as playing Notre Dame or Stanford. I'd rather play TCU at home than at Iowa State, but that's debatable. I'd rather play at Colorado than at Iowa State. I'd rather play Arizona State or Pitt at home than at Ames.

The point is, Iowa's non-conference schedule is in line with other members of the Big Ten.