Way too early football predictions?

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twojman

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I'm waffling on 5-6 wins. We'll get an upset some place and it will be up to the D to carry ISU again. New QB, new RB, a struggling OL since 2016 and lack of special teams has me real nervous.
 
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CyCloned

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All depends on the performance of the OL IMO. I'm not that concerned about much else honestly. TE and RB might take a little step back, but possibly not either.
I agree completely, but just feel like this might be the year where they finally put things together, get a couple true tackles out there and grind out some games.
 

besserheimerphat

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I agree completely, but just feel like this might be the year where they finally put things together, get a couple true tackles out there and grind out some games.
I thought late last season Campbell said a couple OL were playing out of their most natural position but he had to do that to get the best 5 on the field. Hopefully we can get that sorted out this year. I really like our RB room. We don't have to replace Breece with one guy, just want to get similar production from the position as a whole. As long as we don't get too locked in on who does what and break tendencies enough to keep defenses guessing, I think we'll be okay with Brock, Silas and Sanders. We really need another receiver to step up; hopefully X can stay healthy and Noel continues to shine.
 

CascadeClone

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I have us at 7-5.
2-1 noncon, although I could see winning the Iowa game - always feel like the away team plays better in this game.
1-3 or 2-2 on the road at best.
3-2 or 4-1 at home.

Lot of wildcards in conference too. New coaches at Tech, TCU, OU. What if all those turn out to be rebuilding messes? The conference could be down as a whole next year.
 

TheJackWePack5

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We return: 3 starting WR, starting H-Back, 3 full time starting OL (and a couple more who have started games), two starting DL (and others who played significant snaps), two starting LB (and a grad transfer) and 5 DB’s who have played very significant snaps (a few were full time starters).

We return more than most realize. We just lost a few huge ones, obviously.
 

Remo Gaggi

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Hok fans are already getting nervous about hosting the Cyclones in September. They are saving up their flashlight bateries to throw at the band. One more reason I never set foot in that cesspool.


HOK THROWING BATTERIES.jpg
 

JM4CY

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Hok fans are already getting nervous about hosting the Cyclones in September. They are saving up their flashlight bateries to throw at the band. One more reason I never set foot in that cesspool.


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Al_4_State

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I'm waffling on 5-6 wins. We'll get an upset some place and it will be up to the D to carry ISU again. New QB, new RB, a struggling OL since 2016 and lack of special teams has me real nervous.

Our OL played really well in 2020.

If anyone wonders what the difference was that year, it was the line. Plain and simple.
 
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Al_4_State

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Hok fans are already getting nervous about hosting the Cyclones in September. They are saving up their flashlight bateries to throw at the band. One more reason I never set foot in that cesspool.


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Why should they be nervous? Campbell will never beat Ferentz. Especially not in Kinnick with a rookie QB making his first road start (I realize Dekkers played decent in Norman when Purdy got dinged), but this is a blowout in the making.
 
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istater7

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Why should they be nervous? Campbell will never beat Ferentz. Especially not in Kinnick with a rookie QB making his first road start (I realize Dekkers played decent in Norman when Purdy got dinged), but this is a blowout in the making.
Which, as oddly as it sounds, is exactly why it seems like the perfect time for ISU to finally get over the hump in this game. So many unknowns. Iowa maybe overconfident. At some point Campbell has to learn to not play directly into Iowa’s hand in this game, right?
 

Al_4_State

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Which, as oddly as it sounds, is exactly why it seems like the perfect time for ISU to finally get over the hump in this game. So many unknowns. Iowa maybe overconfident. At some point Campbell has to learn to not play directly into Iowa’s hand in this game, right?
I dunno. I really don't think he cares about the non-conference. It's been 6 years now, and I've just resigned myself to it never happening.

Now, say if Kirk retires and Campbell's still here I think he will beat Iowa. I just don't think he'll beat Kirk. He's beaten his head into the wall trying to out-Kirk Kirk in that game and I've seen no sign that he's willing to approach that like a Big 12 game.

Which at the end of the day isn't that big of a deal. I'd take Big 12 regular season championships and winning NY6 bowls all day every day even if it meant always losing to Iowa. It's mostly just annoying in the off season and the week of the game.
 
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cyclonehomer

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I dunno. I really don't think he cares about the non-conference. It's been 6 years now, and I've just resigned myself to it never happening.

Now, say if Kirk retires and Campbell's still here I think he will beat Iowa. I just don't think he'll beat Kirk. He's beaten his head into the wall trying to out-Kirk Kirk in that game and I've seen no sign that he's willing to approach that like a Big 12 game.

Which at the end of the day isn't that big of a deal. I'd take Big 12 regular season championships and winning NY6 bowls all day every day even if it meant always losing to Iowa. It's mostly just annoying in the off season and the week of the game.
If Campbell ever goes into that game with the idea that they want to get Iowa off their game plan, I can see it happening. But every year, ISU tries to beat Iowa at their own game, and is never quite as clean running that game plan. Until I see Iowa State come out looking to stress Iowa's defense early in the game playing aggressively across and down the field, I'm chalking it up as a loss. Completely agree with your assessment.
 

CyCloned

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If Campbell ever goes into that game with the idea that they want to get Iowa off their game plan, I can see it happening. But every year, ISU tries to beat Iowa at their own game, and is never quite as clean running that game plan. Until I see Iowa State come out looking to stress Iowa's defense early in the game playing aggressively across and down the field, I'm chalking it up as a loss. Completely agree with your assessment.
One thing that would really help ISU against Iowa, would be to not have so many starters banged up for the game. Hall, and Kolar were both really limited in the Iowa game last year and it really disrupted things. Also, not turning to ball over for a change would be nice.
 

Al_4_State

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One thing that would really help ISU against Iowa, would be to not have so many starters banged up for the game. Hall, and Kolar were both really limited in the Iowa game last year and it really disrupted things. Also, not turning to ball over for a change would be nice.
We were healthy in 2017 and 2019 and couldn't get it done.

We WILL turn the ball over at horrible times and in the worst possible way. Something about Iowa's aura causes us to have unforced errors. 2017 Park throws a pick in the Iowa red zone, the punt return in 2019, Purdy's 2nd/3rd picks last year, and Hall's fumble in our own end zone last year were all totally unforced and completely the result of our team being mind ******.
 

cyclonehomer

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One thing that would really help ISU against Iowa, would be to not have so many starters banged up for the game. Hall, and Kolar were both really limited in the Iowa game last year and it really disrupted things. Also, not turning to ball over for a change would be nice.
Totally agree on the injuries front, can't really quantify how much that can impact a team.

I think a key for me is trying to get into a game flow closer to a shootout where it's not going to be always decided by who has fewer turnovers and who has fewer penalties. I don't necessarily think, especially early in the season, you want to be in a special teams battle with Iowa. I think about what Purdue did last year to beat Iowa and it feels a lot more like the game plan you want. Call plays aggressively early in the game and if you can make Iowa play from behind, you are far more likely to succeed.
 
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cyclone1209

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Why should they be nervous? Campbell will never beat Ferentz. Especially not in Kinnick with a rookie QB making his first road start (I realize Dekkers played decent in Norman when Purdy got dinged), but this is a blowout in the making.
Spencer Petras couldn’t blow out a toilet. We are due to beat them some year. May as well be this year. Just once I want to see us playing great ball in September
 

Al_4_State

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Spencer Petras couldn’t blow out a toilet. We are due to beat them some year. May as well be this year. Just once I want to see us playing great ball in September
Petras does suck, but he literally doesn't need to do anything for them to beat us. They just have to wait for us to **** up, which we will, and they've got us.

There is a blue print on how to beat Iowa. We have players that can execute it. We have coaches that refuse to embrace it. And as annoyed as I seem at the moment, I'm really quite fine with it because these coaches keep doing things that haven't been done here.
 

Al_4_State

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Can't feel good about the first game until we do better in the first game.

I actually kind of think that we blow them out. The SEMO roster isn't loaded with Iowa kids that feel spurned by ISU. They aren't going to have the same motivation that UNI (and Drake) bring in.

But naturally it would be typical of us to play with our food and **** around in that one.
 

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