Iowa State and the Insight Bowl

[Go Gophers Rah]

I know there's already another thread related to Iowa State, but it has turned into a historical reflection on racism at the two institutions.

Iowa State's marquee victory this season was a 9-7 win over Nebraska in which Nebraska had 7 (that's SEVEN) turnovers that ISU converted into nine points. Otherwise, the Cyclones did not beat a single bowl-eligible team. Jeff Sagarin has their strength of schedule at #70. Whereas we beat 3 bowl-eligible teams and have a SOS of 30. Having said that, though, none of ISU's losses were as ugly as some of ours and they seemed to compete in every game except Oklahoma State and Iowa. It is hard to compare their 35-3 loss to Iowa to our 12-0 loss to Iowa because of Stanzi's absence.

In the end, I think we should win the game. If we don't, expect the heat to get turned up on Brew.

Unfortunately, beating Iowa State will feel like beating your mom at checkers - on the other hand, losing to ISU would be like losing to your mom at checkers.

Go Gophers!

 

[magpie]

Without Decker we wouldn't have been bowl eligible. Don't be too sure of a win here. I'd almost rather get smoked by Texas Tech, than losing respectably to Iowa St. Nothing against them, but they have more to gain here than we do.

Hopefully we can fix the offense by then. Gray needs to have some scripted pass plays, Weber and the OL won't be fixed this quickly, so hopefully the offense is simplified some. The defense should keep it close regardless.

 

[cyphoria]

Iowa State's marquee victory this season was a 9-7 win over Nebraska in which Nebraska had 7 (that's SEVEN) turnovers that ISU converted into nine points. Otherwise, the Cyclones did not beat a single bowl-eligible team. Jeff Sagarin has their strength of schedule at #70. Whereas we beat 3 bowl-eligible teams and have a SOS of 30. Having said that, though, none of ISU's losses were as ugly as some of ours and they seemed to compete in every game except Oklahoma State and Iowa. It is hard to compare their 35-3 loss to Iowa to our 12-0 loss to Iowa because of Stanzi's absence.

as an isu fan let me say a few things. first of all, it took 8 nebraska turnovers to beat them, not 7, fact remains that the isu defense forced those turnovers in that game. our sos was as easy as making fun of u of i fans, but considering we only won 5 games the previous 2 seasons combined, winning six in the first year of the paul rhoads era actually does mean something. for instance, instead of losing to kent state, we actually won our first road game in several years. instead of losing to baylor, we actually won our first big 12 game in a few seasons. the intangibles of the isu team is what made them successful this year. the fight and passion that this team has,has almost no comparison to any other team in college football this season. our pass defense was pretty much atrocious this year, but i have read that the um qb isn't joe montana by any means. we beat the teams we played this year with average or less than average qbs. i think this game might go down to how the defenses play. um needs to be able to stop robinson out of the backfield, and isu needs to get off the field quicker and get some pressure on the qb. oh, and stanzi the panzi sucks.

 

[HopHead]

I like the matchup. I find it to be more entertaining going into a game thinking "I hope we can take care of business and come out with a win" rather than thinking "I hope we can at least keep it close".

Plus as an added bonus, if we are winning the game you can squint your eyes and pretend like we are playing USC.

 

[ISU_phoria]

This is a game where both sides are thinking they should be able to win the game. Should really be a close one!

One clarification on the Nebraska game is that ISU was without their starting QB (had to play a freshman for his first ever start) and without our starting RB, who was the Big XII's leading rusher at the point. (Also had to start a freshman in his place).

I would guess Minnesota would know exactly how it feels to lose the most valuable offensive player on your team (Decker), let alone the two most valuable players (ISU's case) and realize how it can really affect a team's ability to score points.

 

[cyphoria]

Plus as an added bonus, if we are winning the game you can squint your eyes and pretend like we are playing USC.

awesome. as a fan of isu, i sometimes do the same thing. those colors needs some altering. anyone know yet who wears the home and away jerseys? i heard isu is home, but i'm not certain.

 

[StPaulCyclone]

Thanks for starting a new thread. I am very excited about this game/match-up and will be travelling to Tempe for the Bowl. I wouldn't say either team has more to gain or loose, but a winning season versus a losing season is on the line. However, I think Brewster has more at stake than anyone else. As a first year coach, Rhoads has already exceeded first-year expectations.

It should be a good competitive football game. Some stats were shared on another forum and they were very, very similar. I have lived in MN for over 14 years and have followed the Gophers. The programs have had some similarities. We had Walden to your Wacker and McCarney to your Mason. The fan bases share a screwed/doomed again mentality at times. However, MN has some distinct advantages: metro, no in-state competition for donors; recruits; etc., no 1-AA to take away from walk-on program, etc. However, there is one big disadvantage...this is and will always be a Vikings town first.

Looking forward to the trip/game and some good discussion leading up to it.

Go State!

SPC

 

[StPaulCyclone]

awesome. as a fan of isu, i sometimes do the same thing. those colors needs some altering. anyone know yet who wears the home and away jerseys? i heard isu is home, but i'm not certain.

ISU is wearing Home unis, since KU was the "away" team last year. I actually have grown to prefer our road unis now that we are stay with the Cardinal pants (versus Gold).

 

[StPaulCyclone]

This is a game where both sides are thinking they should be able to win the game. Should really be a close one!

One clarification on the Nebraska game is that ISU was without their starting QB (had to play a freshman for his first ever start) and without our starting RB, who was the Big XII's leading rusher at the point. (Also had to start a freshman in his place).

I would guess Minnesota would know exactly how it feels to lose the most valuable offensive player on your team (Decker), let alone the two most valuable players (ISU's case) and realize how it can really affect a team's ability to score points.

Another big similarity, Decker out for the Gophers this season and Cyclones Arnaud (QB) and Robinson (RB) were both out for games and played hurt in others. Of course both teams suffered other injuries, but these were key to both teams. They were both out for the Nebraska game. The Cyclones actually forced 9 TOs, but only recovered 8 of them.

The team is healthy, as much as you can be at the end of the season, for the first time in a while. The only two players that will not see action are a starting DE and starting WR, who both broke legs early in the season.

My local connection has me very excited about this one!

SPC

 

[MNCH]

These Iowa State fans have to get off our board!!! They are far too rational and full of good insight and it's now beginning to portray the state of Iowa into a favorable light. How to you grow up and reside in the same place that Hawkeye fans live, and yet, somehow end up normal?

 

[highwayman]

These Iowa State fans have to get off our board!!! They are far too rational and full of good insight and it's now beginning to portray the state of Iowa into a favorable light. How to you grow up and reside in the same place that Hawkeye fans live, and yet, somehow end up normal?

Would most ISU fans say that they are out of state alumni or residents of Ames? I have family in Ames and you are hard pressed to find a 'clones fan outside that city.

I think that the direct connection is that they DON'T live in the same place that Pigeye fans do, they live places with clean water and culture, not the obvious opposite.

 

[Al_4_State]

There are plenty of Cyclone fans out there in Iowa. In fact, even a lot of the Hawk fans are rational people if you weren't talking sports with them. Of course, at that point they become brainless morons that think their team has achieved the status of, oh say, Alabama in the national scene. Having gone to high school in Rochester, while living in Iowa, I was fully made aware of how awesome Minnesota was and what a gaping sh*t hole Iowa is. As I got older I realized that you guys think that way because you have Hawk fans invade every other year.

A few things about the game:
-We don't have any wins as "bad" as OT v. Syracuse or a 3 point win over an FCS team.
-We also beat the same team that should have beat Texas AT THEIR PLACE with backups playing QB and RB.

That said, your D has been solid this year. Much more consistent than ours.
-You beat a solid Air Force team
-You beat a solid Michigan State team.
-You hung closer to the Hawks than we did.

I see it as a very even match up, but without Decker, I'd give the edge to the Clones. Our Offensive weapons SHOULD be 100% healthy, and hopefully in rhythm, but you never know. If Decker is healthy, I'd give the edge to the Gophs, as we have trouble with good receivers. Should be a fun match up, and I wish I was going to make it to the game.

 

[Schnoodler]

this is a competitive matchup. no excuses if either team can't compete in this one.

 

[Lone Clone]

First, we have the same colors as USC (cardinal and gold) and USC adopted them a year before we did. But that was in 1894.

Second, we seem to match up better against Minnesota than we would have if we'd ended up in the Independence Bowl against an SEC team. With one exception -- Iowa, when we turned the ball over 6 times, most of them unforced -- our losses have come against teams with offenses run by exceptional dual-threat quarterbacks. From what little I have seen of the Gophers, that description doesn't fit.

But Iowa State is a long, long way from being a great or even very good team. We could, probably should, have beaten both Kansas schools, but on the other hand, we would probably lose at Nebraska 19 out of 20 times. Like Minnesota, we're only conditionally eligible for a bowl, and if it weren't for the reputation of our fans, we would -- like Minnesota -- be playing in the bottom bowl affiliated with our conference.

This is a very big deal for the ISU program, by the way. The past three or four years have not been good, and certainly have not been stable. A .500 season in the first year of the Rhoads tenure is really important, because the schedule is going to make it very difficult to win the next couple of years. We go into the rotation where we will be playing Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech in the league, and we pick up Utah and UConn in the non-conference in addition to Iowa and Northern Iowa.