Early love for the men in black

[isuarch80]

Wow - I didn't see this type of prediction coming. I have no idea how it'll end up, and I know I have Cardinal&Gold fogged eyes, but I just don't think they'll be KU special...

Scout.com: 2008 Spring Preview - Who's The New Kansas?

(But I like the love for my Irish :wink

 

[isuno1fan]

and ESPN put Iowa at 10th.

Very difficult to predict what either program will put on the board as far as wins go this year. Best bet is .500 records (which will be marked improvement at ISU, but be ridiculed in IC).

 

[tejasclone]

I'm really not surprised. Just wait until ESPN starts doing their preseason predictions and Mark May has a chance to talk up Iowa and Kirk Ferentz. If the Hawks still had Tater on their roster, I don't know how Mark could keep his pants dry.

 

[abcguyks]

No way KSU is any better this year. I hear all sorts of rumblings about not so good thiings happening behind the scenes with that program.

EIU may have a better record next year, but no way they'll be a BCS quality team as KU was at the end of last season.

 

[whirlybirds]

sick....................

 

[mkcrawford]

IMO, missing tOSU and Michigan = weak

 

[Indyclone]

IMO, missing tOSU and Michigan = weak

Kind of like us having a better record this year but missing Oklahoma and Texas.

We really shouldn't cast those stones considering we miss the top two teams in the Big 12 twice every 4 years.

 

[SplitIdentity]

Kind of like us having a better record this year but missing Oklahoma and Texas.

We really shouldn't cast those stones considering we miss the top two teams in the Big 12 twice every 4 years.

Yup, the "Iowa misses OSU and UM" thing from Big 12 North fans just doesn't cut it. If a team wins 10 games and plays in a BCS conference, that's still a very fine season. Iowa still has to go through PSU, UW, Purdue, MSU, Pitt, and ISU, so this season will be far from easy.

I don't like the hype, BTW.

 

[cyfan15]

I don't know what they're seeing in Iowa. On defense, they lose their top two DBs, their top two LBs, and their two DEs. The only guy that scares anybody on that side of the ball is Mitch King. On offense, they lose their top two RBs (the only reason their offense did anything last year), the OL still isn't very good, and if Christensen isn't any better they don't really have anybody ready to challenge him. I could actually see the Hawks taking another step back this year.

People forget how many close games Kansas lost in 2006. They lost in overtime on the road to Toledo and Nebraska, had a one point loss on the road to Baylor (remember the Bears started conference play that year 3-1 before their QB got hurt), and had a three point loss at home to Texas A&M. They were pretty close to being 10-2 (6-2) and returned everybody of note other than Jon Cornish.

 

[BryceC]

Yup, the "Iowa misses OSU and UM" thing from Big 12 North fans just doesn't cut it.

Uhh... One could make the argument that Kansas and Mizzou were the best two teams in the Big 12 last year. So Big 12 north fans don't exactly have an easy road.

 

[ajk4st8]

Iowa will be worse than last year.

Iowa will have more wins than last year.

 

[Rogue52]

HA
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I'm going to try to say this without sounding like a biased Cyclone, but the Hawkeyes just aren't going to be good this year. There just is no reason to think so. Yes, will certain aspects of the team be better next year? Of course. But the Big 10 is improving and Iowa just isn't.

Not having Ohio State and Michigan on your schedule is nice, but every team in the Big 10 should be improved except for maybe Northwestern (Minnesota has to improve). The only way I see 6 wins on Iowa's schedule this year is if they win a hard fought rivalry game against ISU in Iowa City.

Lucky for them, they'll be facing a week Northern Iowa team who has lost all their players. If not, I'd say Iowa would have experienced the same fate we did last year.

 

[jumbopackage]

Yup, the "Iowa misses OSU and UM" thing from Big 12 North fans just doesn't cut it. If a team wins 10 games and plays in a BCS conference, that's still a very fine season. Iowa still has to go through PSU, UW, Purdue, MSU, Pitt, and ISU, so this season will be far from easy.

I don't like the hype, BTW.

The difference being that if ISU had 10 wins they would very likely play Oklahoma or Texas in the Big 12 championship game, just like Missouri had to last year.

 

[Wesley]

I'm really not surprised. Just wait until ESPN starts doing their preseason predictions and Mark May has a chance to talk up Iowa and Kirk Ferentz. If the Hawks still had Tater on their roster, I don't know how Mark could keep his pants dry.

No doubt the hawks will win 12 or 13 games per their fans. Yeah, and the Empire State Building is the tallest in the world.

 

[CYdTracked]

Interesting read because even the Iowa City and Hawkeye friendly media has not been too optimistic so far because the recruiting class was less than stellar.

 

[Wesley]

All they have to do is to recruit Koolaid.

 

[cytheguy]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Iowa do well this season. While they didn't make a bowl game last season, they had 45 underclassmen play meaningful minutes. And many believe their backups on defense, guys like Clayborn, Ballard, Coleman and Hunter, will be even better than the guys they replace. I watched Clayborn, Ballard and Coleman last year, and I believe it.

For Iowa, the best recruiting classes they've had (2005-2007) will see the field as starters this year. If they can't do anything with those classes in the next year or two, I don't think they'll ever do much again under Ferentz.

 

[ajk4st8]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Iowa do well this season. While they didn't make a bowl game last season, they had 45 underclassmen play meaningful minutes. And many believe their backups on defense, guys like Clayborn, Ballard, Coleman and Hunter, will be even better than the guys they replace. I watched Clayborn, Ballard and Coleman last year, and I believe it.

For Iowa, the best recruiting classes they've had (2005-2007) will see the field as starters this year. If they can't do anything with those classes in the next year or two, I don't think they'll ever do much again under Ferentz.

You are right. Those are some solid D upfront guys. The problem will be when their pathetic offense wont keep them off the field. Also could be weak in the defensive backfield.

 

[SplitIdentity]

Uhh... One could make the argument that Kansas and Mizzou were the best two teams in the Big 12 last year. So Big 12 north fans don't exactly have an easy road.

Sure you could. But, on the same token, UW has been known to make a Rose Bowl every now and then, with the re-surgance of Illinois, Iowa's schedule still isn't easy by any means.

All that being said, I don't agree with being that optimistic. At all. I just can't see it after the past three years.

On the same token, I keep reading how Iowa will be so much worse than last year, etc... I don't understand that too much. That's coming from people that think a 3-9 ISU team will all of the sudden turn the corner and be a bowl team next season. If I recall, ISU lost more players than Iowa did last year.

I know, I know, recruiting. Even so, Iowa's recruiting classes were ranked higher than ISU's. To me, it just makes me wonder why people think all things considered ISU will be so much better and ISU so much worse?

 

[HILLCYD]

To me, it just makes me wonder why people think all things considered ISU will be so much better and ISU so much worse?

Cuz EIU is going to have to play their games in Fort Madison....



Sorry, couldn't resist.


That would give them one hell of a homefield advantage though.