(04-03-2012 05:38 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(04-03-2012 05:31 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(04-03-2012 01:26 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-03-2012 01:06 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Loved this article until I saw Iowa was one of the teams. Yeah Iowa has a good QB, but there are so many questions and voids, how can they be a lock for a bowl game playing in the Big 10?

All they need is a 6-6 record and they're in.

I think 6 wins would be the ultimate ceiling for Iowa, which confuses me how they would be considered a lock for a bowl

With their fanbase they'd be in with 6 wins.

BTW, it said we'd be likely favorites to win again....really?

Agree with 6, but I think thats the most they could win this year, which is why I was confused they would be considered a lock. NIU should be the favorites, I think NIU is the most talented team returning, as long as injuries stay away.

They're a "lock" (silly term to use, Vandenberg could blow his knee out and then they're screwed) because they will probably be, at worst, 4-1 after their first 5 games. At that point they'd have home games remaining against Penn State and Purdue along with road games against Indiana (who will be awful) and Northwestern (who probably won't be very good) still on the schedule. It's not very difficult to find 6 wins on their schedule if you assume they're healthy.

(04-03-2012 06:38 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  They're a "lock" (silly term to use, Vandenberg could blow his knee out and then they're screwed) because they will probably be, at worst, 4-1 after their first 5 games. At that point they'd have home games remaining against Penn State and Purdue along with road games against Indiana (who will be awful) and Northwestern (who probably won't be very good) still on the schedule. It's not very difficult to find 6 wins on their schedule if you assume they're healthy.

I just dont see more than 6 wins max for the Hawkeyes. Outside of Northern Iowa, I can see them having a tough time in all of their non-conference games. I think 2-2 would be a realistic expectation after their first 4. In the Big 10, I think they beat IU but after that, geesh, I have trouble giving them any automatics. I know NU wont be very good but I see them ahead of Iowa.

(04-03-2012 06:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I just dont see more than 6 wins max for the Hawkeyes. Outside of Northern Iowa, I can see them having a tough time in all of their non-conference games. I think 2-2 would be a realistic expectation after their first 4. In the Big 10, I think they beat IU but after that, geesh, I have trouble giving them any automatics. I know NU wont be very good but I see them ahead of Iowa.

They're going to beat Northern Iowa and CMU and then probably at least split with NIU/Iowa State. And then they play Minnesota at home. Four of their first five games are in Iowa City and they're probably as good if not better than each of those four teams.

I also don't agree with you on Northwestern, I think they're going to be bad. They still can't play any defense and don't have Persa and the offense to fall back on anymore. I don't think Iowa will be bad or all that good, just sort of mediocre, but with their schedule they should win at least 6 games.

At least we're heading towards summer and there's actually some football to talk about. Can't wait.

(04-03-2012 06:46 PM)UIHuskie Wrote:  

(04-03-2012 06:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I just dont see more than 6 wins max for the Hawkeyes. Outside of Northern Iowa, I can see them having a tough time in all of their non-conference games. I think 2-2 would be a realistic expectation after their first 4. In the Big 10, I think they beat IU but after that, geesh, I have trouble giving them any automatics. I know NU wont be very good but I see them ahead of Iowa.

They're going to beat Northern Iowa and CMU and then probably at least split with NIU/Iowa State. And then they play Minnesota at home. Four of their first five games are in Iowa City and they're probably as good if not better than each of those four teams.

I also don't agree with you on Northwestern, I think they're going to be bad. They still can't play any defense and don't have Persa and the offense to fall back on anymore. I don't think Iowa will be bad or all that good, just sort of mediocre, but with their schedule they should win at least 6 games.

At least we're heading towards summer and there's actually some football to talk about. Can't wait.

Iowa just has too many glaring holes for me to put NU by them. I think an NIU/Iowa St. split is reasonable, but I also think a northern iowa/CMU split is also reasonable. Iowa does not have a running back, at all. A completely retooled defensive line, just a mess in Iowa City. If things go right, I could see 6 wins, but an awfully lot would have to go right.

(04-03-2012 06:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  I just dont see more than 6 wins max for the Hawkeyes. Outside of Northern Iowa, I can see them having a tough time in all of their non-conference games. I think 2-2 would be a realistic expectation after their first 4. In the Big 10, I think they beat IU but after that, geesh, I have trouble giving them any automatics. I know NU wont be very good but I see them ahead of Iowa.

Iowa opens with 0 of its first 5 games at an opponent's home stadium. 4/5 are at Kinnick Stadium and 1 at a neutral site where it should have plenty of Iowa fans.

WOW!

That's almost unheard of. What kind of PANSY-ARSE "Big Ten" team would OPEN THE SEASON with that kind of schedule? The only thing worse would be a team so, um, effeminate, that it would open the season with FIVE STRAIGHT HOME GAMES and I don't know...6 out of the first 7 at home with the only road game at a conference bottom-dweller like Indiana.

WOW!

There is nothing "Big" about that.

Iowa would be fortunate to start the season 2-2 with 0-2 being a real good possibility.

It's not really unheard of. Illinois played it's first 5 and 6/7 in Champaign last year.

What should NOT be allowed is having 8 home games and only 4 road games, like Illinois did last year. All four of their non-conference games were home games.

7 home games should be the maximum allowed.

(04-03-2012 07:45 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  What should NOT be allowed is having 8 home games and only 4 road games, like Illinois did last year. All four of their non-conference games were home games.

7 home games should be the maximum allowed.

Agreed. Seven is fine, eight isn't. As a ticketholder, I'm glad they don't have any intention of ever doing that again.

One year in the 80s or 90s, Iowa had ZERO nonconference road games. Never forgot that.