Cyclone Roundup: Rhoads speaks on scheduling

By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisMWilliams

Some interesting quotes from Paul Rhoads coming out of a recent Tailgate Tour stop headline today’s roundup here at CycloneFanatic.com.

These quotes appear regarding the topic of scheduling in the new Big 12.

We all know that going forward with this 10 team league, Iowa State will play nine conference games every season. Add to that Iowa State’s annual date with Iowa and the Cyclones will play 10 (of 12) games per season against BCS opponents.

For a team like Iowa State, who has been on the bowl fringe the past two seasons, this obviously creates a disadvantage.

"The college game seems to be headed in that direction with more conference competition rather than less," Rhoads recently told the Quad-City Times. "If we’re going to play nine conference games, which we are, I’d like everybody else to play nine, too.”

The Big Ten is looking into this. That would help level the playing field. Here’s a comparison…I see this issue a lot like I do that of interleague play in Major League Baseball. If one team’s natural rival is the Boston Red Sox, that club is at a significant disadvantage to that of one that annually sees the Kansas City Royals on its schedule.

In college football, if one league has a guarantee to play nine conference games, the conference playing eight has an advantage when it comes to those bowl fringe teams at the end of the season.

CLICK HERE for more insight on this topic from ESPN.com’s Big 12 blogger David Ubben.

When I read Ubben’s analysis, one point popped into my head. From the way that the league is set up, he new Big 12 is essentially the old Pac-10. Every team will play nine conference games. There won’t be a championship game and at the end of the day, your league is guaranteed to have five more losses on its belt at the end of the season. While it might not affect the Big 12’s BCS contenders a great deal, the league’s "bowl bubble teams" (as Ubben put it) could suffer the most.

2013 BASKETBALL OFFER: According to the LaCrosse Tribune, Iowa State Associate Head Coach T.J. Otzelberger has offered 2013 shooting guard Matt Thomas.

Thomas averaged 16.4 points per game last season as a sophomore for Onalaska High School. Thomas is a sharp-shooter, as he connected on 41.4 percent of his 3-point attempts last year.

According to the linked report, Thomas already has an offer from Northern Iowa and is receiving interest from Wisconsin and Minnesota.

WRESTLING COMMITMENT: According to the Des Moines Register, Iowa State picked up a wrestling commitment on Monday. Dakota Bauer, a 130-pound state runner-up out of Iowa City West is the guy. CLICK HERE and scroll down within the linked story for details. Bauer’s high school record currently sits at 127-10.

LINKS GALORE

– A member of Iowa State’s football recruiting class of 2011, Omaha’s Teddy Lampkin, picked up another award on Tuesday. Watch this video for details from Action 3 Sports in Omaha.

– The Iowa State women’s basketball team ranked fourth nationally in attendance last season, according to a release sent out by the university. CLICK HERE for an Ames Tribune write up.

– My two passions in life are Iowa State and motorsports. Combine the two and I get flat out giddy. CLICK HERE for an awesome read via the Des Moines Register.

– A feature on football titled "Changing of the Guard," via our friends at Cyclones.com.

– Some specifics on Kansas State’s financial situation regarding athletics going forward via the Kansas City Star.

– Last night, I spoke with Iowa State’s latest football commitment Quan West. Here’s a recap of that conversation.