The pressure is on AZ

[BSpringsteen]

They are the ones trying to prove that they belong on a big national stage. We are not. We won a BCS game last year, they did not. We are in the top 10, they are not.

We can lose this game, drop a little bit in the polls and work our way back into being an elite team, and no one will talk about a bad loss in Arizona.

If Arizona loses, the talk will be how they just aren't there as a program yet. They can win the Pac 10, but they will talk about how when they had the opportunity to take that step, they didn't.

My point is that the pressure is on Arizona. The Hawks should be nice and relaxed and just come out and play their game. They've been on this stage, and they've been on the road and beaten better teams.

This is unchartered territory for Arizona, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see them make some mistakes from pressing to hard.

 

[NewMexHawk]

I agree...AZ is at home, they are playing the #9 team in the country, they are a Pac 10 favorite (or consider themselves to be), the national stage is watching, it is early in the season and they haven't played anyone, they have new players. These guys might be really jacked for this...too jacked or they might play like ISU does against Iowa?

Iowa is experienced, Iowa's players have played in games like this, especially at key positions, they know what to expect and will be ready...

 

[clicheusername3]

I would have to say exactly the opposite. This game doesn't mean anything for their conference title hopes. They are playing against a top 10 team that hopefully has NC aspirations that should know that one slip and they are out of that conversation completely or until other contenders lose. The pressure is on the Hawks to go out and dominate or risk losing places in the polls again. AZ should be the team that feels they can just go out and play their game and if they win, great, if not, they shouldn't have won anyway and probably had this one marked as a toss up or loss coming in to the season.

 

[hawkfan2679]

I would have to say exactly the opposite. This game doesn't mean anything for their conference title hopes. They are playing against a top 10 team that hopefully has NC aspirations that should know that one slip and they are out of that conversation completely or until other contenders lose. The pressure is on the Hawks to go out and dominate or risk losing places in the polls again. AZ should be the team that feels they can just go out and play their game and if they win, great, if not, they shouldn't have won anyway and probably had this one marked as a toss up or loss coming in to the season.

Cliche completely beat me to what I was going to say. Arizona has almost no pressure in my opinion...I think a vast majority of it is sitting on us, which is why this game makes me so nervous.

 

[OneToughHawk]

This is a VERY veteran team for Iowa. Most of these players have played in MANY big games and they have answered the challange each and every time. Why are there so many people on here that think all of a sudden we are going to forget how to play football?
We have arguable the best coaching staff in college football, we have the best training staff in college football, we have a veteran football team that feels they can win a NC and everyone on this board thinks they will go to AZ and lay down?
GO HAWKS will fill the air in AZ Saturday night, and the Hawks will show the entire college football world just how dominate they can be.

 

[BALDIES7980]

Cliche completely beat me to what I was going to say. Arizona has almost no pressure in my opinion...I think a vast majority of it is sitting on us, which is why this game makes me so nervous.

Well if AZ feels no pressure then they'll get their*** handed to them.
IMO simply from the perspective of experienced players Iowa should be more comfortable coming into this game. I think its silly to think Iowa will blow them out but its still CFB and anything can happen.
My guess is that if Iowa can play their ball control game and play TO free ball they will be extremely hard to beat. Speed or no speed. And that is a statement I'd attach to any game they play.
The questions lie in who makes the mistakes and how they respond to them which is why experience is so valuable. So intelligent thought would be Iowa has the edge there. Other things such as weather, home field etc.can play a factor but again experience in those situations tends to eliminate the negatives there as well.
If Iowa crushes them I'll be ecstatic. If they win I'll be happy. If they lose the sun will still come up and I'll try to find the positives and hopefully the loss won't be the result of a bad injury to anyone and they can learn from their mistakes.

 

[DexterMorgan]

I would have to say exactly the opposite. This game doesn't mean anything for their conference title hopes. They are playing against a top 10 team that hopefully has NC aspirations that should know that one slip and they are out of that conversation completely or until other contenders lose. The pressure is on the Hawks to go out and dominate or risk losing places in the polls again. AZ should be the team that feels they can just go out and play their game and if they win, great, if not, they shouldn't have won anyway and probably had this one marked as a toss up or loss coming in to the season.

Cliche completely beat me to what I was going to say. Arizona has almost no pressure in my opinion...I think a vast majority of it is sitting on us, which is why this game makes me so nervous.

+1 although im not really nervous, If both teams play to their capabilities Iowa will win by 2 Tds. Only way Iowa loses is if AZ plays their best game and Iowa folds. Not that it would be impossible but i just don't see it.

 

[clicheusername3]

Well if AZ feels no pressure then they'll get their*** handed to them.
IMO simply from the perspective of experienced players Iowa should be more comfortable coming into this game. I think its silly to think Iowa will blow them out but its still CFB and anything can happen.
My guess is that if Iowa can play their ball control game and play TO free ball they will be extremely hard to beat. Speed or no speed. And that is a statement I'd attach to any game they play.
The questions lie in who makes the mistakes and how they respond to them which is why experience is so valuable. So intelligent thought would be Iowa has the edge there. Other things such as weather, home field etc.can play a factor but again experience in those situations tends to eliminate the negatives there as well.
If Iowa crushes them I'll be ecstatic. If they win I'll be happy. If they lose the sun will still come up and I'll try to find the positives and hopefully the loss won't be the result of a bad injury to anyone and they can learn from their mistakes.

This is a VERY veteran team for Iowa. Most of these players have played in MANY big games and they have answered the challange each and every time. Why are there so many people on here that think all of a sudden we are going to forget how to play football?
We have arguable the best coaching staff in college football, we have the best training staff in college football, we have a veteran football team that feels they can win a NC and everyone on this board thinks they will go to AZ and lay down?
GO HAWKS will fill the air in AZ Saturday night, and the Hawks will show the entire college football world just how dominate they can be.

These posts have nothing to do with the pressure to win that each team will be feeling. Sure Iowa will be more comfortable they look dominate and have a talent advantage but that is exactly why AZ won't be feeling the pressure from the fans, students, media, etc...if they win they will be stealing one. As I noted previously every single game for Iowa should have playoff type pressure if they think they are NC contenders.

 

[MidnightBlueSix]

All the pressure is on us in this game. If Zona doesn't win, they'll probably still contend for the PAC-10 title and next year they'll have tons of buzz with Foles returning and a more experienced DL. If we don't win, it's another "told you so" from the national punditry about how Iowa just can't win in the big games, blah blah blah.

 

[NIUHawkeye]

This is big time college football. There's going to be a lot of pressure on both teams. Iowa has more experience, a better defense, a proven senior QB, and one of the top five coaches in all of college football. I'll take that any day of the week.

As long as Iowa holds on to the ball and plays as diciplined as they always do on defense, I see a double digit victory on the horizon. Tomorrow's going to be a great day...and night.