In the interest of sparking an off-season college football debate, I'm throwing my team (and myself to a lesser extent ) under the bus. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes had an extremely disappointing season last year with a relatively easy schedule. They finished 6-6, and missed out on a bowl invite. This year they return 10 of 11 starters on offense, and a very strong defense which always plays well under Defensive Coordinator Norm Parker. They should be greatly improved. But here's where you get upset.
Take a look at the schedule for 2008:
2008 Hawkeye football schedule (home games in bold):
Aug. 30 vs. Maine
Sept. 6 vs. Florida International
Sept. 13 vs. Iowa State
Sept. 20 at Pittsburgh
Sept. 27 vs. Northwestern
Oct. 4 at Michigan State
Oct. 11 at Indiana
Oct. 18 vs. Wisconsin
Nov. 1 at Illinois
Nov. 8 vs. Penn State
Nov. 15 vs. Purdue
Nov. 22 at Minnesota
It's really almost an embarrassment. Seven home games, only five on the road. The toughest road game is at Illinois, an overrated team from last year that Iowa beat. There's no Michigan, and no Ohio State. Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin all have to come to Iowa City.
Surely the non-conference games must be tougher right? There's Maine and Florida International (both in Iowa City) those are both very winnable to say the least, and Iowa State is always a tough rivalry game, but this year it's (you guessed it) in Iowa City. Following the Iowa State game they do have to go to Pittsburg, but it seems like every year Pittsburg is supposed to be greatly improved, but they never are. They're like the Arizona Cardinals of the College ranks.
Now granted I've already admitted this is my team, so it's a biased opinion, but it is very conceivable for Iowa to finish 10-2 or better, possibly with a share of the Big Ten title, and an invite to a BCS game. So go ahead, send me your hate. SEC fans tell me how much tougher your conference is. Criticize the Hawks for such a cupcake schedule. This year I'll be fine with it, because I'll be in Pasadena while you complain about how your team got screwed by the BCS!
Hey, there's nothing to be ashamed of there.
LSU has shown the way for cupcake schedules.
They don't leave the state and all non-con games are at home.
7 home and 5 away is no biggie.
The lack of Big Ten top teams means the Hawks better do well in 08.
Start your arguments for a BCS game now.
slshusker, So I guess you still believe Hawaii or south Florida belonged in the BCS Title game? I mean you argued for these two schools right up until they got hammerd,Anybody but LSU right? your like a knat on a dogs ####!
Last edited by gambitxxx on February 19th at 6:59 PM.
Gambitt, your homer rant is predictable.
Look at LSU's non-con.
It's pukeable and unforgiveable.
You know better.
At least that tony the tiger Avatar is cute for a 12 year old...ba da bing!
slshusker, I wouldn't say there's a lack of top teams in the Big Ten based on one down year. The Big Ten overall should definately be stronger than last year. Ohio State should be better than last year. (they were picked 4th in the conference pre-season). Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State will all be ranked as well at some point during the year. But I am saying that Iowa's toughest opponents have come to Iowa City, and that does give an slight edge to the Hawkeyes.
Sorry Gambit, but LSU did have a weak non-conference schedule last year. However the SEC was very deep last year and that pulled up the overall strength of schedule.
What??? You give the Gophers no love here! Brewster actually recruited players he won't, or shouldn't, have to teach how to tackle this year! That puts him way ahead of Glen Mason already. And Iowa goes to MN. OK, I'm kidding. Gophers will score and all of their opponents will still score more. Doesn't matter where this game wil be played. Gophers are two years from getting over getting hammered by NDSU last year.
gcoach, Minnesota should be better than last year, but that's really not saying much. The Floyd of Rosedale broze pig trophy should stay with Iowa for at least one more year. The fact that's it's a road game doesn't matter too much, Iowa fans call the Metrodome "North Kinnick" because Iowa always plays well there, and the stadium is almost neutral due to all the Iowa fans that travel for the game.
The Hawkeyes better be ready to stop Lance Smith, if they plan on beating the Badgers. He won't be suspended from traveling with the team next year, and judging by how awesome he looked at the end of last year you better count your lucky stars. That six yard average can really start to hurt you in the third and fourth quarters.
Last edited by gabechihua on February 21st at 8:09 AM.
ib_ice_dogs
How comes the Little Sisters of Mercy And The Poor aren't on their schedule ? Afterall it's meant to be what those teams are there for isn't it ?
By way of an invite check out my two newest posts and let me know what you think as to their merits ?
WWBB Do ? He Gave Up Football For A Career In Hollywood !
That's It Mark Fire A Shot Across Someone Else's Bow !
I'll look forward to reading your comments.
Hey hawkeye fans, Sept 20th going to be rough in Heniz Field, and ya ya I know you always hear that Pittsburgh (with a H) Ha ha is going to be good. Well guest what Walt Harris was not a very good recuriter and he did leave the team full of holes. I think the new coaching staff at Pitt has done a pretty good job of signing players ( RB Lashawn McCoy ) on Sept 20th you will find out who he is likely for around 150 plus and two to three TD. Last three years in a row Top recurit class in the Big East ( a lot of players that Joe pa wanted.
You might wish that the A.D calls somemore cup-cakes from the Patriot League after Sept 20th.
mmm I love cupcakes. So the scheduling gods smiled on us. I am just gonna sit back with a beer and enjoy the season. Any one know if any other teams got it this easy next year?
Well lb:
As a Michigan fan, I have no room to talk about schedules. We have the Ohio tour this year with ND for our OOC games. I thought Iowa would be a big ten co champ last year, but they lose games to Iowa State and Western Michigan. But the offense last year was horrible. I hear a lot of Iowa fans say it was the offensive line, but I've seen many games that Christenson had time and just missed open receivers on pretty easy throws. If he improves with a decent running game, you guys would be primed to share. But I think that Wisconsin, Illinois, Pittsburgh and Michigan State will be much tougher this year as well.
Based off last season records this would be a big cupcake schedule.
This is sad. While each school has the right to schedule its own OOC schedule, the Big Ten really needs to change the fact that teams like Iowa can avoid other teams (think Ohio State) for two years. The Big Ten either needs to add one team, or get rid of one (like Minny, I mean seriously they are terrible) and make a round-robin schedule that would be much more entertaining (and more fair) for everyone.
I don't particuraly respect Iowa for scheduling nobody decent for an OOC game, but if they want to pad their schedule, it's their right to do so. But the fact that their Big Ten schedule is a joke needs to be addressed.
Who knows. Maybe Iowa can be 2008's Kansas. My question to you is, when San Diego State fires Chuck Long, are you going to welcome him back? I just pray that Stoops doesn't rehire him at OU.
I hope Iowa doesn't lose 4 or 5 next year or that is really going to hurt.
B&B,
I agree with you about the Big Ten but, in the meantime, schools should at least have to face OSU or Michigan in a given year rather than missing them both. That seems to always end up making a co-champ.
I doubt you get a BCS bid even with that cupcake. Talk about a team that is suppose to be improved year in and year out. Iowa fits that to a T! I guess that is why the coach is going to be on the hot seat.
Yeah Jake doesn't really have much touch with the ball and missed open recievers all year. Two touch touchdowns were tipped balls that accidently fell into a another recievers hands. if he doesn't improve drastically i think he needs to be benched. Hey Pitt is suppose to be top 25 next year lol
OK,so I didn't even know Maine had a football team. Are they the Lobsters? On the other hand Pitt and Florida International are on one game winning streaks. My question is whether Iowa can capitalize on this marshmellow schedule. Is returning 10 of 11 starters on a team that only scored 18 ppg a positive signal for '08? I did love the approach of defusing the critics before the season even starts. Better than trying to convince others that the schedule is not THAT bad. Frankly I am thinking we will see a rematch of OSU and USC in the Rose Bowl. Its at least a breather from the NC game and getting pounded by the latest SEC champ. Go Bucks.
SKCUBOG, take my word for it, Iowa will capitalize on NOTHING.
They cannot. They do not know how.
It matters not that they cannot recruit anyone to Iowa City (they did not get one single four star this year) which is a great little town.
What matters is the staff. And the Iowa fans just don't get it. Never have, never will.
Kirk Ferentz was a college football God a few years ago, yet he refuses to recognize their problems and make the appropriate changes.
They have this #### named Ken O'Keefe running the O, and take from me, he could not coach his way out of a paper bag. Yet, Hawkeye fans will come on here, living in the past, and defend him.
Iowa's offense basically revolves around ten basic plays. It is almost like the coaches have no faith in their players, to either learn more plays or to execute them.
They are so predictable an offense that the games they play are usually over before the first half - such as the Western Michigan game last year.
When Michigan had that down year a few years ago, what did Carr do ? He fired the coaches and brought in new ones. The next year, they are in the Rose Bowl. Can Iowa do that ? Yes. Will Iowa do that ? No.
Kirk Ferentz is incapable of making those decisions. So they will wallow in medicrity and self-pity (or maybe I should say self-loathing) for as long as Ferentz is the coach.
Even with the cupcake schedule, they will be lucky to go 7-5.
They will Lose at Pitt, because Dave W. has made changes and is moving forward.
They will be very lucky to go 7-5.
Last edited by SunDevil75 on February 22nd at 6:44 PM.
Here we go again - the Strength of Schedule is a joke.( on any given day.....) People need to understand that usually the best teams do not play in the BCS championship game. What decides who plays is all about the MONEY$$$$$$$$$ - who travels the best - fan base - TV time - commercials and the list goes on. All the so called experts are no better then the avid football fan ( we are all partial, so are they) and the football polls are the biggest joke of them all. And being the AP is no longer apart of the "SYSTEM" we can still have more then one national champion - so we have accomplished nothing!!!! the SYSTEM is a JOKE.....
Sorry Hawkeye boy, its the Nittany Lions in 08, and we're not sharing the Big Ten or the National Championship with anybody. We lost only 3 starters last year, total. Better luck in 09...maybe
Well I guess I ought to put my two cents in being a fan and all. Is Iowa's football schedule ridiculously easy? Yes. Will they get ten wins out of it? Maybe. It is certainly possible considering the schedule but three things need to happen first.
First, The offensive line needs to improve. This should actually be the easiest one considering Kirk Ferentz is supposedly an offensive line specialist (he coached O-Line in the NFL) and he has all his starters and backups from last year back for spring training.
Second, someone needs to step up and run. If Jevon Pugh transfers, and all signs look that way, that Hawkeyes need someone else to carry the rock. I like that Nathan Guillory is in spring practice right now and that there is a boatload of running backs coming in next summer but from all accounts it sounds like a two back system would be ideal and a power back would complement Guillory nicely.
Third, someone needs to throw. I think Jake Christensen was a by product of bad protection, bad playcalling, and bad desicion making last year, and with the oline getting better, there is no excuse for Jake to feel like he can't scan the field. With the receivers all coming back I think the play calling will be alot less conservative than it was this year (I agree with Sun Devil's loathing for Ken O' Keefe but I do think the ultra-conservative calls last season were in part due to inexperience). So if Jake Christensen, or one of the talented prospects coming in at QB steps up the Hawkeyes could easily win 10. Probably a New Years bowl but no BCS this year.
Last edited by JazzMan710 on February 23rd at 7:47 PM.
Let's start with an 8 loss season then.....ummm I don't think there is anything else to say.Oh yeah 8 losses and NO OSU or UM.That's ugly!!! Bye bye Ferenz.
GO BUCKS!!! 2008 Nat'l Champs!!!!
Megabuck, how me do you figure 8 losses? Did you even look at the schedule or are you just so clouded by the loss of another championship game that you need to bash a fellow Big Ten team to make you feel better?
Ferentz isn't going anywhere. He's a great coach, and he's staying at Iowa for several years to come.
concrete_anthony, I like JoPa, and I root for Penn State when they're not playing Iowa, but you should know that Penn State always struggles at Kinnick stadium. Should be a good game though.
i think you hawk fans need to get more Bail Bondman
to get your players out of jail 14 arrest's in 2007
and 2 for 2008 already,,hawk fans you'll be in the
black & white striped prison Bowl 2008
The Prison Bowl would be interesting, but they have to play a Florida prison we would be in big trouble with Miami, Florida and Florida State. Seriously though, why is it that the Hawkeye fb players keep screwing up, can't they learn from other player's mistakes?
I'm not sure what's going on in Iowa City. Iowa players used to be very disciplined. Even so, if Iowa were to qualify for the Prison Bowl, the SEC has a higher conviction record.
Check out this well written blog by ksp113, "The SEC All-Penal Team"
http://community.foxsports.com/blog s/ksp113/2008/02/19/The_SEC_AllPena l_Team
I'm an avid sport fan, but I'm a college football fan first. I'm a Iowa Hawkeyes, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bulls, and LA Angels fan. I also love the UFC, and think boxing is a dying sport. I'm a horrible golfer, but I like to drink while driving a golf cart and the golf course is the only place that lets me do that. I live in Milwaukee now after living in Iowa and Long Beach, CA. And without a doubt, Wisconsin people are the undisputable kings of tailgating. Even Brewer games people tailgate like it's a college bowl game.
