Sure Enough, Iowa Remains Static at #4 in BCS
by Oops Pow Surprise on Nov 1, 2009 11:37 PM CST
in Football
53 comments
As was speculated last night, Iowa's rather unconventional approach to the 18-point victory against Indiana didn't cost them anything in the BCS standings. They were announced on Fox tonight, and it all looks pretty familiar:
The relevance drops way off after USC--in fact, you could make the case that USC isn't relevant to the title chase and you wouldn't be wrong, but it's worth seeing just how damaging that loss was. They are D-U-N done.
The more relevant factors are as follows:
1) Iowa's iron-fisted hold on the computers is softening. Iowa has dropped to #2 in the computer behind Florida, and they'll likely not get back to the top without some help. Beating Ohio State would help, but if Penn State does the job first, it may not be enough. Barring an upset, then, #2 is Iowa's ceiling
2) Thus, the SEC champion and Texas are in a commanding lead for the BCS title game. Florida is #1, and if they lose, it'll be to the Alabama team that'll step right up into that top spot. Meanwhile, Texas is in the top two of the polls and can't possibly fall behind Iowa without losing, even though their schedule is GARBIDGE this season. Seriously. Their toughest games were Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and.... like, what? Missouri? Texas Tech? Whatever.
Look, Iowa's resume is objectively better than Texas' and some XII Championship game against another powderpuff like Kansas State (and, lest we forget, in Cowboy Stadium which come on people this is just ridiculous) isn't going to sway matters. But since Texas is in the top two, isn't losing in the second half of most of their games, and is Texas, they're going to be favored by the human polls so much that the computer rankings--for as constantly adjusted and scrutinized as they are--will be rendered meaningless. The BCS, of course, will hail this as progress.
3) All of this, of course, is Ohio State's fault. If they'd just win a damn bowl game against the SEC--or even against Texas last year--people wouldn't be dreading the thought of another Big Ten team in a high-profile bowl setting. Just like 51 weeks ago, there were a whole lot of Iowa fans around the college football world, there were a whole lot of Indiana fans on Saturday, and there'll be a whole lot of people who are just Northwestern fans this weekend (bonus: if Iowa makes it past jNW, everyone will have to root for Ohio State and my my won't that be awkward?).
Ah well. Still a long way to go. In the meantime, just keep winnin'.
0 recs |
53 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Rankings are irrelevant until the Horseshoe
I don’t know how to lose because Iowa football never taught me how.
by Guancous on Nov 2, 2009 1:02 AM CST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Luckily
Cheering for ISU has taught me all about crushing disappointments in college football. So I’m prepared to handle it if the clock strikes midnight on Iowa’s season.
"I am so proud to be your coach." -Paul Rhoads
by CyHawk on Nov 2, 2009 1:34 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'm scared of the Hawks running the table...
Frankly, as much as I would love to be in the National Championship game come January, my worst fear is us losing the title game and being the butt of every Big XI joke for the next year or so (if not longer). The polls and pundits hate our conference, and losing in the title game would only make it worse for subsequent championship runs by any solid team in the conference. Then again, is there any summit that this team can’t conquer??? Who knows, and frankly, who cares. This is one hell of a ride, one that will probably never be duplicated, and we all just need to sit back and enjoy as best we can without having a myocardial infarction.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigbsy on Nov 2, 2009 2:15 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I think the public perception of the Big XI may be about as low as it could possibly be at this point… and given our performance it certainly is quite low for our team… that said I don’t know that us getting blown out in the NC game would really send the conference any lower. That and even if we lose by 20… we still got there. That said, if nobody expects us to do anything we can only exceed expectations right?
by arkham69 on Nov 2, 2009 8:50 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I guess I just have a fear of losing in a bowl game… especially a BCS one. Fortunately, nobody really respects what the Iowa-hating pundits like Jesse The Bachelor have to say, but regardless, it would be painful having such a fun, wild season and get crushed in the NC.
But, I digress. Just having a shot at the championship is more prestigious than any other bowl, and what help recruiting like mad.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigbsy on Nov 2, 2009 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Right…
That said, at the moment I am more afraid of how Oregon is playing and in general how they run their offense compared to the likes of a Texas, Florida or Alabama… so I would rather take my chances on the big stage at 12-0 vs. running into an up and coming buzz saw in Oregon (a la USC after the 02 season)…
by arkham69 on Nov 2, 2009 10:08 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Is anyone really that afraid of Southern Cal though?
Not to take away from Oregon’s huge win, but not only is playing in Autzen tough for anyone, but the Trojan’s have been so wildly inconsistent this year (not to mention their freshman savior Barkley still makes rookie mistakes at times) that a huge road loss to the Ducks seems to say more about them than it does about the aesthetically challenged boys from Eugene. Don’t get me wrong, Iowa would have difficulty with both teams, but just because Oregon blew out a reeling SC defense at home doesn’t send off any alarms for me just yet. With that being said, Oregon gets better every week, where as Iowa seems to… well, just win.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigbsy on Nov 2, 2009 11:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
“Oregon gets better every week”… that’s just the part that scares me.
by arkham69 on Nov 2, 2009 12:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Why?
This is a team that only beat Purdue by two points at home earlier this year. They should get better from there.
I’m not totally sure that this year’s Pac-10 is that different from last year’s Big XII — yeah they put up pretty point totals but can they play defense?
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Nov 2, 2009 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
LSU Fans in Iowa
Next Saturday, Hawkeye fans may want to cheer for LSU when they play at Alabama. If LSU wins there, and makes it to the SEC title game, they have a chance to knock off Florida, who handed LSU their one loss. All this is a tall order (win at Tuscaloosa, beat Florida), but not impossible, either.
If LSU beats ‘Bama and Florida down the stretch, those three teams will all have (at least) one loss. if Iowa wins out, that may be enough to get them past the eventual SEC champion in the final BCS standings. Iowa will need LSU to pull this off to get a national title shot, because I agree that Texas isn’t likely to lose from here on out.
by Midnight Rambler on Nov 2, 2009 5:10 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
As much as I'd LOVE to see 'Bama get whooped...
I think an LSU upset @ Bama would probably catipult le tigeres over the Hawks even if we win out the season. To add to that, if LSU wins the SEC championship game vs. UF, they definitely play for the NC against an undefeated Texas.
But we are assuming that BOTH UF and ’Bama go undefeated in conference play. Follow me here… LSU wins @ ’Bama this weekend, Florida loses at S. Carolina Nov 14th (SC is undefeated at home)… We could see two one-loss teams in the SEC Championship game – probably a one-loss Florida vs a one-loss ’Bama or LSU.
That might (emphasis on MIGHT) allow for an undefeated Iowa to play in the NC against Texas.
Personally, even if we are undefeated at the end of the year (and the SEC Champ has one loss) when it comes to getting an invitation to the NC game, we’re fucked. (Not to mention all of the LOVE that Cincy is getting… They need to win @ PITT Dec. 5th)
This season has been full of miracles! It would take a pretty big one for all but two of the undefeateds to lose ONE game, and for the BXI to get another team into the NC. Now having said that, I’m booking my tickets to Pasadena.
KOK, Please don't fuck this up...
by hawkeye_heartattack on Nov 2, 2009 6:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Don't count out the Zooker just yet!
Cincy vs. Illinois may have enough cache to finish waking up that Zook team.
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 2, 2009 8:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Sporting News on line calls Iowa "Over rated" in run for BCS
See it here…
http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20091102?sub_id=BTCggXR5rTSdH&folio=27#pg27
by Zulu on Nov 2, 2009 6:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I refuse to read anything from the Sporting News
or any national media outlet
"If Ron Zook were an ice cream flavor, it would be praline and retard"
-Garth Algar
by Tree Meister on Nov 2, 2009 7:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
SEC superiority
I have a really hard time with this. I agree that Florida and Alabama are elite teams, probably better than any other conference’s top two teams. But look at the rest of the conference, and compare it the Big Ten. You can’t convince me that Ohio St / Wisconsin / Mich St / Minnesota / Northwestern / Michigan can’t compete with LSU / Georgia / Tennessee / Auburn / Ole Miss / Arkansas. It may have been true in years past, but not this year. Most SEC teams this year are just not good. So why is no one challenging this prevailing notion of SEC dominance. You’d think someone would — if for no other reason than to be contrarian.
Yes, the Big Ten has been down. Yes, the SEC has been good. But, this year? I don’t see a wide disparity.
by NHguy on Nov 2, 2009 7:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
That's because you're not using your
SEC RULES / BIG TEN SUCKS glasses. You can pick up a pair at any sporting news outlet.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Nov 2, 2009 10:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe we should schedule some of these SEC schools...
in a similiar fashion to pre-conference basketball schedule (the BXI/ACC challenge – I think?)…
It would be great for the schools and great for the conferences, although I think it would be in our best interests to get them to come north in October or November…
KOK, you might be a genius...
by hawkeye_heartattack on Nov 3, 2009 7:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I would LOVE to see some of those SEC schools play in some cold weather…especially some BCS bowls. I know it will never happen, but seeing these “speed” teams get muscle cramps and hear them bitching about the cold….oh, and then they have to worry about Clayborn eating their quarterback.
by cutlassbob on Nov 3, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree.
I looked at this week’s bowl projections from CBS Sports and there isn’t a matchup where I think the result is a foregone conclusion (unlike years past):
Rose — Iowa v. Oregon
Fiesta — Penn State v. Boise State
Citrus — tOSU v. LSU
Outback — Wisconsin v. Tennessee
Alamo — Minnesota v. Texas Tech
Insight — Michigan State v. Mizzou
Champs Sports — Michigan v. Clemson
PIZZA PIZZA! — Northwestern v. Central Michigan
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Nov 3, 2009 8:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
If this really played out
I would bet us going 4-4 at worst and 6-2 at best.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
by StoopsMyAss on Nov 3, 2009 7:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
An alternative viewpoint
maybe Iowa is getting very good treatment by the BCS.
Imagine if Iowa lost to Penn State in week four. Penn State would be ranked EXACTLY where Iowa is right now. They might not be as poorly ranked in the Human Polls but they would not have over taken Alabama or Florida and it is highly doubtful they would have overaken Texas—who was ranked #2 the week Penn State lost to Iowa.
We have gone from unranked in week three to the same place Penn State would be ranked, and they were a preseason #8 by about everyone.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
by StoopsMyAss on Nov 2, 2009 7:26 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I agree...
I don’t get the disrespect argument. Even if we were dominating teams, which we clearly are, we would not be ranked any higher.
"I'm not doing any good back here."
by Hawkaloogie on Nov 2, 2009 10:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Rittenburg (ESPN) has some encouraging words for Hawk fans...
http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/11797/big-ten-in-the-bcs-iowa-stays-at-no-4
At least he isn’t writing us off… Still, what the hell is with all the love for the UC Bear Kittycats?
KOK, you might be a genius...
by hawkeye_heartattack on Nov 2, 2009 7:32 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Like most of us have said
Either way this pans out, a season I’m going to remember for the rest of my life. But I’d be a damn liar if I didn’t say I want to see some Hawkeye D knock out the Gators.
by TAMPAHAWK on Nov 2, 2009 8:09 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Let Us Assume
That some scenario plays out where Florida & Alabama each lose a game and we end up with an Iowa v Texas NC game where the Hawks chalk up a solid win. It still won’t matter, much, for respectablity because the haters will say “yeah, well, the SEC is so tough that they knocked each other off so there were a couple 2nd rate teams in the NC game.”
Also, Bama and Florida are really good and I don’t like Iowa’s chances against them, so it’s probably good that Texas will likely win out from here.
In 100 years, we'll all be dead.
by Flakbait on Nov 2, 2009 8:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I realize that we shouldn't care, but this Jon Wilner fellow from San Jose is a raving lunatic
Last week he had Iowa at # 10 and USC at #2 in the country, with 1-loss Oregon one spot ahead of Iowa at #9. Yes – 1 loss USC ahead of Texas AND Florida.
What happens? Well, USC loses to 1-loss Oregon, while Iowa and everybody else wins. So he does the logical thing and moves Oregon up to #2, drops 2-loss USC ALL THE WAY down to #9, which is just 1 spot ahead of undefeated Iowa, who happened to win.
I realize the voters are entitled to their own opinions, but shouldn’t they use some amount of logic?
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 2, 2009 8:24 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
BTW - he also has Penn State at #20, three spots behind 2-loss Arizona
That’s the Arizona who lost to Iowa AND another team, unlike Penn State, whose ONLY loss is to Iowa.
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Nov 2, 2009 8:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The other team.
The other team that Arizona lost to was Washington. So the moral of the story is that if you’re going to lose a game, lose it to the Huskies.
by Abbas_Cincinnatus on Nov 2, 2009 8:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
No, the moral of the story
is that rampant West Coast bias by sportswriters on that coast is just as bad as any notion of “East Coast Bias” working against the Pac 10
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
by HoyaGoon on Nov 2, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Or
that the other polls need someone to be like Brian for the Blogpoll, ridicule ballots that are a bit whacked (or at least look for their justification) and be able spike the ones that are total nutjobs.
Luckily the Harris voters don’t have this problem since they’re completely anonymous.
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Nov 2, 2009 4:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Does Arizona have a SBN site
We should start rooting for them on their site…
"An out of context quote to support my world view." -Some Dead Guy
by Scumdog0331 on Nov 2, 2009 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Why?
If Arizona beats Oregon they’ll just start ranking Arizona ahead of us.
"I am so proud to be your coach." -Paul Rhoads
by CyHawk on Nov 2, 2009 9:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i'm going to borrow
A co-worker’s A&M big ass belt buckle to help appease BCS-gods for Bevo epic fail
this place smells like feet. i’ll bring a can of lysol next week.
by pfac51 on Nov 2, 2009 9:51 AM CST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Im sorry but living in the south and seeing these teams play weekly…texas nearly lost to colorado, earlier va tech was supposedly this great team one loss team, same with miami…and now all of a sudden lsu and oregon, two one loss teams are supposed to be contenders. no way
alabama has no offense. LSU REALLY has no offense and they are as overrated as ole miss. florida has no offense other than the teblow plow…you can throw on these guys. the pac ten has no defense
I predict oregon does what va tech and miami did…the media pumps them up as being this great one loss team and BAM they get whipped. I wouldnt be surprised if stanford beats them this week. its a long season and I have watched these teams play. I think you are all selling iowa short. yes stanziball has made us all very weary but iowa could play and beat each and everyone of these teams in the top ten.
bring em on! I WANT to play in the NC game. so if we lose…its not like we are new to the bashing?? we seen it at its highest for the past two weeks. big whoop if the clueless idiot media rips us. thats what we are doing now
BUT WHAT IF WE WIN?????
paybacks are hell. karma. what comes around goes around. I think alot of you are selling iowa short. iowas d could play against any of these media picked hyped name teams.
one week at a time. if we can get past the wildkitties and then beat the team nobody is giving us a chance on…and maybe even whip on the buckeyes…OH THE GOPHERS WOULD BE TOAST and the media is going to have an awful hard time of dissing the hawks!
its a long season with alot of football left. who thought crappy UCLA would beat USC (to get florida into their first NC game)a few years back? who thought iowa would beat penn state (other than hawk fans)? to get florida into their other nc game. florida has had help everytime they have been in the final game. of course we are not a suc loving team but still there are going to be upsets that nobody is predicting. like texas a&m could shock texas.
if we are on the outside looking in so be it…but I am not afraid of any of these teams
by kinnickcolt on Nov 2, 2009 12:13 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Hear, Hear...
I say bring ‘em on. I don’t fear the SEC or Texas. We have shown in the recent past we can hang with these guys. Now in Columbus? That may be another story…But first, jNWU!
by stanfillr on Nov 2, 2009 1:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Really?
Iowa hasn’t played a #1 or #2 team in any bowl game recently so I wouldn’t jump all over Ohio State for what they have done in favor of what Iowa has done. A LOT of work to do to even realize all of these hypotheticals posed in this post for 2009. By “A LOT” I mean a date with OSU in Columbus. For now, that is the Pasadena/Orlando dynamic, worry about the BCS IF Iowa can run the table. Pump the brakes, this looks like the PSU boards before the Iowa game.
by Onestatewest on Nov 2, 2009 2:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I am just saying
IF we can win out I feel like we could rise to the occasion against Texas and maybe another team. For some reason I feel more confident about that than winning in Columbus.
by stanfillr on Nov 2, 2009 2:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
As much as I piss and moan about the media's disrespect,
…I’m really not that much in a lather about it. The Press and the BCS are gonna’ do what they always do, the main reason I post their bilge is to provide addition incentive for Hawkeye Nation to stay focused.
It comes down to one thing, and that’s Iowa CONTINUING TO WIN. Right now all I care about is the game with Northwestern. It’ll all shake out in the end.
(BTW, I just spent close to a thousand dollars so I can fly back to IC this weekend to see the Mildcats game. I certainly hope this action on my part doesn’t upset any Hawkeye Nation Time-Space Continuum. )
by Zulu on Nov 2, 2009 1:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
We're hockey bear fucked.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Nov 2, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I'll be watching the game from my couch (superstitious - YES!)
I’m a proud I-club member and prior to this season have watched every game with the folks down at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. I couldn’t make it to the first three or four games of the year so I watched from home. The fifth (vs. Mich) I had to watch from home cuz my in-laws were in town – that didn’t stop me from getting wasted whilst watching the comeback – and I just so happened to be wearing the same hat and t-shirt. I’ve been watching every game from the same seat, in the same clothes (laundered every Sunday, of course), drinking beer from my Iowa Hawkeye mug (thanks Sheels!) and we’ve been winning! So, I certainly hope you don’t fuck up the good vibes. Enjoy the game!
KOK, you might be a genius...
by hawkeye_heartattack on Nov 2, 2009 1:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, we are truly, epically, majorly, totally, irrevocably fucked, but...
I have to believe in one of these last three games Richard will put it all together and have a monster game. Of course I said that before the MSU game and the IU game. With fewer games to go the odds of Stanzi having a breakout game go up or not.
by Stay thirsty, my friends. on Nov 2, 2009 4:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Well quit saying it so it'll happen.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Nov 2, 2009 4:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I figure it ain't gonna happen...
until we face Oregon in Pasadena.
by Zulu on Nov 2, 2009 5:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Who knows.
A year ago, Stanzi had probably his breakthrough performance in the fourth quarter of the Penn State game, regressed mightily against Indiana, then rebounded for one of his most impressive performances ever in the Metrodome Massacre. So who knows what the future holds.
It would really be nice if the offense would get going in the first half at some point, though. The last three first halves have been absolutely terrible from an offensive standpoint.
by RossWB on Nov 2, 2009 6:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I will be making it back to IC for the first time this year...
God I can’t wait even though I have the suspicion our seats will suck (wife bought them). Not sure where I will be drinking before the game though. Any suggestions?
by stanfillr on Nov 2, 2009 1:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Parking lot outside the stadium.
Works for me.
by Stay thirsty, my friends. on Nov 2, 2009 4:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
since iowa's toughest game is vs osu you can take out all your frustrations
on their dismal performances in recent years(in bcs bowl games) on them. if you guys give them there third loss no bcs bowl for them. you win the game. you go undefeated. iowa gets into a bcs bowl and osu does not. it’s a win/win situation for the hawkeye’s. good luck.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Nov 2, 2009 2:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
