Why do people care

[forty5]

If Iowa doesnt get respect from the national media? Dont you think the Captain uses this everyday when hes talking to these guys. I think this more of a motivation for the Hawks then it should be a slap in the face.

I think the main reason for this is cause Iowa is not a normal national power. We make a run every few year's so of course the media is going to think we shouldnt be here. I say who care's what the media says we know what we have. A very good but not flashy football team and I wouldnt want it any other way.

Colin Cowheard probably watches the game of the week and that's about it so he really gives a crap what he think's

 

[CaptGinyu]

I agree. I would prefer to not get noticed until after the Minnesota game and we're 12-0... Not playing late might hurt us though. Wish the Big Ten had a championship game.

 

[beaverdaleguy]

Even if we don't have a Big Ten championship...have a BYE week like the SEC and other conferences so the season ends even one week later. Then it won't seem so bad and the Big Ten success stories can be fresher in the pollster's minds at the end. Every pollster and Bowl committee knows Iowa travels amazingly well. But every little bit to remind them of that will help, yes?

 

[hawkfan2679]

We have to care a little bit because 2/3 of the BCS system is based on human polling (Harris and Coaches). Anytime you interject a human element into a poll you are subjected to human biases and human conscience. If the national media beats it into listeners/viewers heads that Iowa doesn't have the speed to play with any of the top teams, has only won their games by being lucky, has a shaky offense, etc...that shows up in their voting. I think that's evidenced a bit by the fact that our poll average is about 7.5 or 8 while our computer ranking is in the top 5, IIRC. Yet we're only a 6 in the BCS...the human polls are dragging us down. I can't help but think that perception is some of that. Voters don't have time to watch all the games...they only hear that we had to block 2 FG's to beat an FCS team (who they've since paid zero attention to) and that a Sun Belt team came into our house and gave us a scare (despite the fact that it was between two night games, one against PSU on the road and one on homecoming vs. Michigan). It's stupid but I think it's a factor in the system.

 

[JHawkI]

Still, the Hawks have a way to erase all the bad perceptions with wins over MSU in EL...moves them up over Cinncy, then wins over IU and NW...moves them above Boise, and then of course a win at OSU,solid #4, and a final win over Minny...we will rise to #4 and that is where we stay unless Texas ,Bama or Florida lose..so it goes.

But, if Texas loses, and we run the table, the media does not matter. We will be in that golden #3 spot,behind the SEC teams, whether Cowherd or anyone else likes it..in fact part of the fun will be the outrage...screw'em.

 

[slewis2]

I have to agree a little bit with hawkfan2679. But I care more about just going out and doing our business regardless of what the sentiment is. Call me superstitious, but I get nervous every week until I hear somebody talk bad about Iowa. No we are not flashy, but never claimed to be. If that hurts our placing in the polls so what, let our record speak for itself...

 

[ThunderHawk]

If we win out and Texas loses, we are in the title game, because Tebow or Alabama will lose to the other, and there is no way in hell a one loss team gets in the title game if Iowa is undefeated after THAT road schedule. No way it happens. The media dorks can claim USC will jump us or other such BS, but don't believe it. Our vicious road schedule will be our salvation.

Let's just hope we have to worry about such things.

Also, if we are 11-0, how much do you think those Minnesota tickets are gonna go for?

 

[Jayden]

I have not seen Texas' remaining schedule. Do they have anyone left that may beat them? I think that OU was probably the best shot.

 

[hawkfan2679]

I have not seen Texas' remaining schedule. Do they have anyone left that may beat them? I think that OU was probably the best shot.

I think they have to go on the road to Okie State and at Missouri...plus they have a sacrificial lamb in the B12 championship game. They've also stumbled in the past vs. far inferior A&M teams, but I wouldn't count on that.

BTW, both the Okie State and Missouri games are night kickoffs, so maybe the atmosphere can spur those teams on.

 

[JBHawkfan]

Texas has looked beatable all year. McCoy is not the same QB this year, teams can double cover Shipley and nobody else can make them pay.

 

[VanMan1]

Plus, Texas has no discernable running game. If someone can shut down the WRs, Colt will have to run it himself.

 

[MenverHawk]

If we win out and Texas loses, we are in the title game, because Tebow or Alabama will lose to the other, and there is no way in hell a one loss team gets in the title game if Iowa is undefeated after THAT road schedule. No way it happens. The media dorks can claim USC will jump us or other such BS, but don't believe it. Our vicious road schedule will be our salvation.

Let's just hope we have to worry about such things.

Also, if we are 11-0, how much do you think those Minnesota tickets are gonna go for?

I hope you are right, however all the ESPN cork soakers seem to think it is going to be a coin flip if both Iowa and USC go undefeated the rest of the way. Lets just hope USC loses one more (or the rest).

 

[tubahawk]

I, for one, like the underdog role.

I think the team plays better in that role.

 

[megahawk]

I agree, Tubahawk. I love the underdog role. Part of me wonders though if you can ever be considered an "elite" team with always having the underdog moniker attached to you. Or does it matter? This year though, at the end, it may matter if the human perception (polls) deem us unworthy to enter the BCS top 2.

 

[hawkeye12345]

I care.

We have a shot at playing the National Championship game IF we go undefeated the remainder of the season AND we are shown the respect that we deserve in polls. We have a very difficult SOS and almost all of our tough games are on the road this year.

We have beaten 3 current top 25 teams (PSU, Arizona & Wisky) - 2 of which have been on the road.

What has TX done to deserve the ranking that they have? They have played one ranked opponent (OU) and barely won. OU lost their QB in the 1st quarter.

FL has played one ranked opponent and they squeaked by with a 10 pt win.

USC has played 3 ranked opponents (same as Iowa) and have a combined winning margin of 37 pts against those 3 teams - Iowa has a winning margin of 31 pts against 3 ranked opponents. USC also had a bye week between playing 2 ranked opponents (24 Cal and 25 ND).

We are ranked 2 spots below what we deserve right now in my opinion and if we win out we should finish no lower than #3 in the rankings with only TX and the winner of Bama / FL ranked ahead of us (assuming TX wins out and Bama / FL are each undefeated heading in to their game).

Bottom line - I care.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

I hope you are right, however all the ESPN cork soakers seem to think it is going to be a coin flip if both Iowa and USC go undefeated the rest of the way. Lets just hope USC loses one more (or the rest).

Personally, USC winning out and playing Alabama in the NC game would be just fine with me. While I would love for Iowa to play for the national championship, right now it's just something that I can't wrap my head around. It's kind of the federal defecit; everyone knows it exists, but the number is too big to actually comprehend.

If Iowa ends up having to "settle" for the Rose Bowl against Oregon, I think I could live with that.

 

[Hawks2405]

I am just nervous about being ranked so high this early on in the season. If we lose one game to MSU, Indiana or NW they are going to drop us like a rock instead of being ranked around 10-11 or something like that. The national media is just salivating and waiting for us to lose a game and when we do they are going to hit us hard and they will forget real quickly that we have beaten Arizona, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin. I just hope getting out to a 7-0 start doesn't hurt us in the long run if we end up losing one of our last few games.

 

[HwkFn4Life]

Maybe so, but at that point (heaven forbid), who cares where were ranked. The rankings only matter for the NC, and possibly the one at-large bid (After Boise or TCU takes one). Lets face it, way too many big ten haters out there after the last couple of years to put 2 big ten teams in again, so like i said, it wouldn't matter if we drop to 25th, win the big ten and were BCS bound.

 

[edbob21]

The difference between how Kirk views the polls and how the fans view the polls is that the coach is only looking at winning the next game and motivating his team. That is his job and that is all he can control. We, as fans, can claim neither, so we can think whatever we want, and while the team is busy preparing for next weeks game, we are looking at stats and rankings and reading blogs and watching ESPN.

 

[ChiHawk]

I am just nervous about being ranked so high this early on in the season. If we lose one game to MSU, Indiana or NW they are going to drop us like a rock instead of being ranked around 10-11 or something like that. The national media is just salivating and waiting for us to lose a game and when we do they are going to hit us hard and they will forget real quickly that we have beaten Arizona, Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin. I just hope getting out to a 7-0 start doesn't hurt us in the long run if we end up losing one of our last few games.

Agreed. Iowa seems to be at a very pivotal point in the season. If we drop one now, the media will breathe a sigh of relief and take comfort in knowing "They are who we thought they were"... On the flip side if we go into East Lansing and get a "convincing" victory, Iowa could become the cinderella team of the season.

I suppose the third option is for us to get a close win this week... In which case the vultures just keep circling.