Minorthreat......Time to come out of hiding!

[TheJON]

It's now game week. Looks like a 12 point spread early. Not that I care about the spread, I just want to see the Hawks drop the hammer on the Clones.

What's your pick on the game? Cyclone boards seem pretty confident.

As we saw in 2005 and 2002, this game is won and lost up front. ISU dominated at the line (both sides of the ball) in 2005 and in the 2nd half in 2002 and that's why they won. But ISU's D-line has been lousy thus far. If Kent State was able to push them around, what do you think Iowa will do?

The advantage ISU is going to have will be their WR's against our secondary. If the ISU O-line can hold off our D-line (and I'm not sure they can), ISU might be able to get some big plays in the passing game. I am curious to see how Arnaud plays in his first road game. Young QB in a hostile environment against a good front-4 is not a good mix.

I think Iowa jumps out to a 10-14 point lead early. The emotions will be equally in Iowa's side this year with the fact that it's at home and revenge will be on their minds. They'll jump out early. BUT.....if ISU can just weather that storm and not panic, they'll have a shot. I don't think Iowa will lose the game in the 2nd quarter, but I think ISU can. Or they just might put themselves in a position to win it. Iowa will take a 10-0 lead going into the 2nd quarter and then ISU will have 15 minutes of football to either get back in the game or get blown out. How will they handle being behind?

My prediction.....

Iowa 27
ISU 14

Hawks go up 10-0. Clones cut it to 10-7 at half. Iowa makes it 17-7 after 3. Clones score early in the 4th. Then Hawks put it away with a few minutes to play.

[Danimal]

ISU always plays their asses off in this game. Little brother takes the game more seriously than big brother and the scoreboard has been reflecting that. Ferentz better have his guys ready this year.

[PSUFAN]

What ever happened to Mister Twister? He was a good poster.

Minor Threat will probably stop in - shout to my Cedar Falls homey!

[Adelpiero]

i'll take iowa st + the points if in 10+ area.

Iowa has played NO ONE. Kent st, while not a beast of a team, is 50X better than the shit Iowa has played.


good thing Pinkel dumped Iowa. Like i stated, MU dropped Iowa to find better competition, and they found it in Buffalo and Nevada. Hopefully they don't follow KST and KU, and schedule more cream puffers,although, i hear the Big East has schedule openings.

[TheJON]

good thing Pinkel dumped Iowa. Like i stated, MU dropped Iowa to find better competition, and they found it in Buffalo and Nevada.

If you believe that you're just flat out stupid. Plain and simple.

He dropped Iowa because he wanted to rack up wins. Do you even know who you picked up in place of us?? ARKANSAS STATE! Buffalo and Nevada would get buttfucked in the mouth by 60 points by Iowa. That's the worst take ever on this board, and you know it. You're not that dumb. You may be a degenerate but you know that's just a horrible take.

So what if Iowa has played no one? Kent State is not much better than FIU and Maine. Remember, we're talking about a MAC team that currently holds a 9 game losing streak. I saw Kent State in person last year against Iowa State and they were anything but impressive even in victory.

I would stay away from the Iowa game. It's a horrible bet either way. On one hand, ISU plays its best game every year against Iowa and the Hawks typically don't play great against ISU. So based on that you'd have to take ISU if you're getting 10-12 points. BUT.....Iowa SHOULD win by double digits. They have more talent pretty much across the board and more experience up on the lines. In terms of matchups, this is a 3-4 touchdown game. But matchups only mean so much in Iowa-Iowa State games. However, like I stated earlier, I believe Iowa has an equal edge in terms of emotions this year. Most years I don't think they do, but this year is different.

[King Crimson]

ISU was pretty salty on D the last half of last season at times. they weren't the Steel Curtain by any means but Chiz had them playing physical. Colorado flat gave them a W last year....Dan Hawkins, up 21-0, goes for it on 4th and 5 on his own 40 on the first possession on the second half. ISU promptly scores 24-27 unanswered points.

it's about time that Blythe and Meier moved on....those guys were there forever. especially Blythe.

[War Wagon]

..the heavy rains in the forecast for Saturday...

Five day forecast? :?

You must have some awesome weathermen up there if you're confident in that prediction. The weather geeks here couldn't accurately predict what's going to happen tomorrow.

It rained cats and dogs here this morning on my way to work. I mean probably the hardest fucking rainstorm I ever had to drive in, pull over under a bridge and wait it out type rain, flash flooding all over the place.

Anyways, I'll go Big XII homer here and call it:

ISU - 24
IU - 21

[SunCoastSooner]

ISU - 24
IU - 21

ISU has had their number here very often in the recent past...

[TheJON]

They are showing Iowa-ISU 2001 on FSN right now.

A couple of things....

1.Kyle McCann sucked balls. I almost forgot how shitty he was. Almost as bad as Nate Chandler and Jake Christensen.

2.2 mistakes cost us that game. Biggest one most people would say was the Grant Steen fumble, but I'd argue the bigger one was with 2 minutes to go in the first half Khalil Hill muffed a punt inside our own 40 and instead of going into the lockerroom down 7-0 (possibly tied or 7-3 had we driven down the field and scored before half), we went into the half down 14-0.

[minorthreat]

Jon,

I honestly think this game is a toss up. I am nervous about ISU's front 4, especially the middle. I know there is a bunch of hype surrounding Shonn Greene after two games but I would rather face a back like him than a quick, elusive back like Kent St. has. ISU's linebackers aren't as good as last year but their secondary is better. I also like the defensive speed. I haven't heard much about Iowa so far, but I have heard they are slow to develop on offense. Just what I've heard. I don't care which QB plays since Hawkeye fans will boo both of them eventually. Neither one seems like a huge threat. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. I do know that I would take either ISU QBs over Iowas.

On offense....I'm not a big fan of two QB systems, but it seems to be working alright. (Yes I know it was against So. Dak. State and Kent St but it's no different than basing your team off of playing Maine and Florida International Airport). I like our WRs a lot. I think Darks and Sedrick Johnson will be two names to remember for the next 4 years. Alexander Robinson sat out last game to rest a few minor injuries and reports have him back this week. JJ Bass will have to step up to take away some of the workload. It will be very tough to run on Iowa, but we may have a chance with one of the backs on the team. The O-Line play needs to be better and I think it will.

Special teams has gotten way better from last year. I still hold my breath during field goals but that is to be expected after the Shaggy years.

It should be a good game either way. Not sure if I will be there or not. The tailgating blows in Iowa City and I don't feel like waiting 2 hours to park. It was fun however watching one of my Cyclone buddies bitch slap some stupid drunken Hawkeye fan in Kinnick and nobody doing anything about it.

If the Clones win it will be because of:

A) It's ISU's Super Bowl
B) The Hawks came out flat
C) ISU wanted it more
D) Iowa was looking ahead to the Big Ten games
E) All of the above

Good luck JON.....

My homer prediction

ISU 35
Iowa 14

[minorthreat]

What ever happened to Mister Twister? He was a good poster.

Minor Threat will probably stop in - shout to my Cedar Falls homey!

Sorry about not getting you a picture of that fucked up tree. I'll try to remember next time I'm in C.F. (I moved to Ankeny a few years ago)

[TheJON]

I do know that I would take either ISU QBs over Iowas.

Why is that? What has Arnaud and Bates done to prove they're better than Stanzi? Answer: Nothing.

I know there is a bunch of hype surrounding Shonn Greene after two games but I would rather face a back like him than a quick, elusive back like Kent St. has.

Clearly, you are not familiar with Shonn Greene at all. A brick?? Hardly. Big? Yes. Brick? No. One of the fastest guys on the team actually. Size + speed = 2 things ISU's front 4 does not have.

I like our WRs a lot. I think Darks and Sedrick Johnson will be two names to remember for the next 4 years.

Agree. Clone WR's are the best they've ever had at least athletically. If Arnaud/Bates get time to throw, this could be a problem for the Iowa defense.

If the Clones win it will be because of:

A) It's ISU's Super Bowl
B) The Hawks came out flat
C) ISU wanted it more
D) Iowa was looking ahead to the Big Ten games
E) All of the above

We won't need excuses this year.

I'm disappointed in you Minor......I fully expected something about how weak the Big-10 is and how ISU would go unbeaten every single year in the conference and that Iowa has a bunch of thugs (nevermind the fact that all the thugs are gone). You aren't a true I-State fan unless you post both of those things in every single message board post you make.

[minorthreat]

What has Stanzi done that is so much better than Christiansen?
Passing stats:
NAME CMP ATT YDS CMP% YDS/A TD INT RAT
Ricky Stanzi 17 24 252 70.8 10.50 3 0 200.3
Jake Christensen 17 27 221 63.0 8.19 2 1 148.8

Rushing stats:
NAME CAR YDS YPC LONG TD
Ricky Stanzi 7 52 7.4 18 0
Jake Christensen 4 1 0.3 2 0

Yet one is the savior for Hawkeye football and the other is booed by his own fans.

ISU stats
passing:
NAME CMP ATT YDS CMP% YDS/A TD INT RAT
Austen Arnaud 20 26 264 76.9 10.15 2 0 187.6
Phillip Bates 8 14 109 57.1 7.79 2 0 169.7

Rushing:
NAME CAR YDS YPC LONG TD
Phillip Bates 17 138 8.1 56 0
Austen Arnaud 10 29 2.9 16 2

You are right about me not being real familiar with Shonn Green, since he has played two games. This is where the Hawkeye arrogance shines through. You are ready to start counting his votes for Heisman.

I decided not to use the "true Iowa State fan" comebacks, as you say, in my response. You on the other hand, have proven yourself to be a typical Hawkeye.

[TheJON]

What has Stanzi done that is so much better than Christiansen?

If you want to go by stats then, yeah, not much of a difference. That's where the comparisons end. Trust me, Minor, if you watched the 1st 2 games you would know that there is no doubt who the better QB is. Hey, I'm not annointing the guy as the next Chuck Long. I'm just saying that even though we're 2 games into the season there is absolutely ZERO doubt as to who is a better QB. He has shown more pocket presence in 2 games than Jake has shown his entire career. He's more accurate and has better touch on the ball. Plus, he is more mobile. Again, watch the first 2 games and you'll be saying "oh, yeah, no doubt about that." Heck, he's so much better than Jake that even Ferentz is admitting it by starting Ricky. You can tell he has done everything in his power to make Jake the QB of this team but he has no choice right now.

You are right about me not being real familiar with Shonn Green, since he has played two games. This is where the Hawkeye arrogance shines through. You are ready to start counting his votes for Heisman.

Now you're spinning what I said. All I said about Greene is he is not just a brick. I said he's big and fast, which he is. That's not homerism, that's a fact. Do you think Ferentz put him on kickoff returns a couple years ago because he's slow?? 6'1 230 and runs about a 4.4 40. I thought a couple years ago he was the most talented RB on the team but he was stuck behind AY and Sims and you know how Ferentz overrates experience so he didn't get the PT he deserved. He's got about 600 yards rushing in his career and over 6 yards per carry. That ain't too shabby.

[minorthreat]

JON serious question here....who do you have on your D-line that you didn't have last year?

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Iowa 31
Iowa St 27

[TheJON]

JON serious question here....who do you have on your D-line that you didn't have last year?

Well, to start the tackles are 5th year seniors with 4 years starting experience. Kroul, I've never been too high on but he is serviceable. Mitch King is a beast. Always has been.

But the difference between the D-line this year and last year are the ends. Adrian Claybourn is BY FAR the most talented defensive end I can ever remember at Iowa. Christian Ballard is also a damn good end. Both are sophomores and were 4-star recruits. I got so frustrated watching Iwebema and Mattison the last few years being unable to fight off blocks, recognize a screen pass, and being overall slow. Everyone but Ferentz could see how much better we were on defense last year when Claybourn and Ballard were in. There's no coincidence that 2 of our best defensive performances last year (Illinois, Michigan State) occured when Ballard and Claybourn got most of the reps at DE. They are biggest, faster, stronger and more disciplined.

We've got experience in the middle and athleticism on the ends. That's a good mix. The one concern I have for this defensive front is the depth. Assuming the starters stay healthy, they'll be fine early in the year. But I would say the line could be a question mark later in the year if other guys don't step up and prove capable because there's always the possibility of injury or having tired legs late in the season. But as long as those 4 stay healthy and fresh......it's one of the best D-lines in the country. Strength of the team for sure.