Iowa opens as 12.5 point favorite

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Putting $1,000 on Iowa. That should guarantee a Gopher win.
 

Iowa looks like a better Michigan. Will need to get some injured guys back.
 




Sagarin has them as a 20 point favorite.
 



These are basically the same guys we beat by 40 last year, with the same coach that more than half their fan base wanted fired.

What the heck happened?
 




WanderingGopher said:
These are basically the same guys we beat by 40 last year, with the same coach that more than half their fan base wanted fired.

What the heck happened?
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It does suck doesn't it?
Looks like a combination of a very good offensive line, decent qb, and some steady running backs, and receivers.
Ruddock transfers and benefits both Michigan and Iowa.
 


Plenty of new players for Iowa that have led to the improvement.

QB Beathard is the obvious one. Big time arm and can make any throw on the football field. Has a groin injury that limits his mobility and affects his accuracy on the deep balls, but will make a couple throws a game that few college QBs can make.

RB simply benefits from not having a fullback playing tailback. The O-Line has been really good and Iowa has a deep stable of running backs. They have had three different backs rush for 100 yards and two different running backs rush for 200 yards and 4 TDs in a game.

The LBs are also much better this year. Expect to hear MLB Josey Jewell's name a lot; he had 11 solo tackles against Indiana. Obviously Desmond King is a beast and leads all of college football with 8 INTs.

Iowa is improved and pretty much every position this year, some places with drastic improvements.
 



I'm going with the schedule as a major contributor as well.
 


IAHawk2011 said:
No doubt. But I have a feeling you will be able to tell a discernible difference when you watch this weekend.
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I have no doubt about that. They look vastly more athletic on both sides this year. They looked so slow last year...that's what struck me more than anything. Perhaps they were especially banged up or lackluster the week of the MN game, but that's what I remember. Doesn't look that way at all this year.
 

WanderingGopher said:
These are basically the same guys we beat by 40 last year, with the same coach that more than half their fan base wanted fired.

What the heck happened?
Click to expand...

Different QB, actual, competent RBs, much improved LB play due to experience, far better special teams, coaching to win games instead of like a giant pussy.

Just a few of the reasons.
 

howeda7 said:
No. Ask any coach if they'd rather have Boykin, C. Jones or Beathard and zero would pick Bethard first or second.
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If you think Cardale Jones is a better QB than Beathard, you don't know jack-s^$# about football.
 

GoUgophers said:
Different QB, actual, competent RBs, much improved LB play due to experience, far better special teams, coaching to win games instead of like a giant pussy.

Just a few of the reasons.
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Wow. Summed it up perfectly. I'd also add that Brian Ferentz was put in charge of the running game for the offense and he is dedicated to running the ball. Played half of the Indiana game with 2 TEs and a FB against 9 and 10 men in the box. Still rushed for 234 yards. I've never seen anything like that.
 

Spoofin said:
I'm going with the schedule as a major contributor as well.
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hit the nail on the head there---plus sconny ****ed up at the goal line, to blow it against them--sconny is beatable, so is iowa
 


IAHawk2011 said:
No doubt. But I have a feeling you will be able to tell a discernible difference when you watch this weekend.
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There's no doubt about that. What has struck me about Iowa is how clean they've played this year. Very few penalties and turnovers. I'm going to pray that this is the week they decide to make some mistakes.

Minnesota's defense is going to need to do everything they can to try and stop the run on first and second down. They can't let Iowa get to 2nd and 4 type downs if they are to have a chance of success. If they get beat through the air by Beathard then they get beat but they can't afford to get killed on the ground.
 

the_chucker said:
hit the nail on the head there---plus sconny ****ed up at the goal line, to blow it against them--sconny is beatable, so is iowa
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Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance
August 30 11:00 AM #9 (FCS) Northern Iowa* Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA BTN W 31–23 66,805
September 6 2:30 PM Ball State* Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA ESPN2 W 17–13 64,210
September 13 2:30 PM Iowa State* Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA (Cy-Hawk Trophy) ESPN L 17–20 70,585
September 20 11:00 AM at Pittsburgh* Heinz Field • Pittsburgh, PA ESPNU W 24–20 48,895
September 27 11:00 AM at Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN BTN W 24–10 36,603
October 11 11:00 AM Indianadagger Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA ESPNU W 45–29 68,590
October 18 11:00 AM at Maryland Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD ESPN2 L 31–38 48,373
November 1 11:00 AM Northwestern Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA BTN W 48–7 66,887
November 8 11:00 AM at Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, MN (Floyd of Rosedale) ESPN2 L 14–51 49,680
November 15 11:00 AM at Illinois Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL BTN W 30–14 50,373
November 22 2:30 PM #14 Wisconsin Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA (Heartland Trophy) ABC/ESPN2 L 24–26 68,610
November 28 11:00 AM Nebraska Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA (Heroes Game) ABC L 34–37 OT 66,897
January 2 2:20 PM vs. Tennessee* EverBank Field • Jacksonville, FL (TaxSlayer Bowl) ESPN L 28–45 56,310
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.

2015 IOWA HAWKEYES SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME RECORD/TICKETS
Sat, Sept 5 vs Illinois State W31-14 1-0 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 12 @ Iowa State W31-17 2-0 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 19 vs Pitt W27-24 3-0 (0-0)
Sat, Sept 26 vs North Texas W62-16 4-0 (0-0)
Sat, Oct 3 @ #19 Wisconsin W10-6 5-0 (1-0)
Sat, Oct 10 vs Illinois W29-20 6-0 (2-0)
Sat, Oct 17 @ #20 Northwestern W40-10 7-0 (3-0)
Sat, Oct 31 vs Maryland W31-15 8-0 (4-0)
Sat, Nov 7 @ Indiana W35-27 9-0 (5-0)
Sat, Nov 14 vs Minnesota
Sat, Nov 21 vs Purdue
Fri, Nov 27 @ Nebraska



the schedule is not much different than last yr, just better play with some better players, and better coaching to wins the games they should with a little bit of luck rolled in (wisconsin game)
 

Spoofin said:
I'm going with the schedule as a major contributor as well.
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Here's the SOS (Sagarin) of the remaining unbeaten P5 teams:

Clemson A = 93.69 9 0 0 74.43( 27)
Iowa A = 85.19 9 0 0 69.85( 56)
Oklahoma State A = 88.40 9 0 0 69.05( 61)
Ohio State A = 90.21 9 0 0 66.88( 68)
Baylor A = 91.62 8 0 0 62.60( 89)
 


Beathard will get beat hard by a MN D-lineman, resulting in a targeting penalty/expulsion/firing squad. On the very next drive, Leidner will get somehow hit in the head helmet-to-helmet simultaneously by two Iowa D-lineman, resulting in a picked up targeting flag because they couldn't decide which lineman to call it on...
 


Jeshurun said:
Beathard will get beat hard by a MN D-lineman, resulting in a targeting penalty/expulsion/firing squad. On the very next drive, Leidner will get somehow hit in the head helmet-to-helmet simultaneously by two Iowa D-lineman, resulting in a picked up targeting flag because they couldn't decide which lineman to call it on...
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seems entirely plausible..........unfortunately. :pig:
 

SoMplsHawkI said:
Here's the SOS (Sagarin) of the remaining unbeaten P5 teams:

Clemson A = 93.69 9 0 0 74.43( 27)
Iowa A = 85.19 9 0 0 69.85( 56)
Oklahoma State A = 88.40 9 0 0 69.05( 61)
Ohio State A = 90.21 9 0 0 66.88( 68)
Baylor A = 91.62 8 0 0 62.60( 89)
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In a way you're helping his argument. The criticism of Ohio St and Baylor is they haven't played anyone to this point. Although Oklahoma St is rated lower, they've played one top 10 team and another top 30 team. Iowa will probably end the regular season having played just one current top 30 team. Minnesota will have played five.

Undefeated is still very impressive. Iowa has a great team and we will have a hard time beating you guys this weekend. But you can't deny the schedule has been favorable. Hopefully the Gophers can take advantage of the favorable schedule they have next year.
 

GophersInIowa said:
In a way you're helping his argument. The criticism of Ohio St and Baylor is they haven't played anyone to this point. Although Oklahoma St is rated lower, they've played one top 10 team and another top 30 team. Iowa will probably end the regular season having played just one current top 30 team. Minnesota will have played five.

Undefeated is still very impressive. Iowa has a great team and we will have a hard time beating you guys this weekend. But you can't deny the schedule has been favorable. Hopefully the Gophers can take advantage of the favorable schedule they have next year.
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For the record we've beaten 2 current top 30 teams on the road this year (Wisc and NU). No other top 25 team has done that to date.
Yes, the schedule is favorable. But the BT set it up. All we can do is play the games.
 

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