MONDAY MUSINGS: Will this time be different?

[Sigmapolis]

Anybody who has been a Cyclone football fan for awhile is right to approach these "program defining" games with trepidation.

I will never forget the Seneca team rolling into Norman ranked. I really thought, even with my entire fan history telling me otherwise, that ISU was prepared to launch the program forward that day.

Nope.

Here's to my fan cynicism being totally wrong for once Thursday night.

That game was before I got to ISU, so still in high school down the road, but still 90% sure I was going to go there at that point, and I had been watching ISU sports with abandon since the Fizer/Tinsley years, so definitely was on the train at that point.

I watched it with my grandmother, who took me to my first ISU game when I was like 7, in her kitchen in her home near Ogden. We were so excited.

Man, that was a letdown. That whole season just went to hell after that...



Glad we were able to beat Mizzou by 7 even after out-gaining them 602 to 365.

 

[CycloneWarning]

That game was before I got to ISU, so still in high school down the road, but still 90% sure I was going to go there at that point, and I had been watching ISU sports with abandon since the Fizer/Tinsley years, so definitely was on the train at that point.

I watched it with my grandmother, who took me to my first ISU game when I was like 7, in her kitchen in her home near Ogden. We were so excited.

Man, that was a letdown. That whole season just went to hell after that...

View attachment 50147

Glad we were able to beat Mizzou by 7 even after out-gaining them 602 to 365.

That OU game just sucked so bad. And then we got totally embarrassed on a night game in Manhattan.

Seneca could only do so much for us that year. The OL started to fall apart and he never had any time to even think before someone was bearing down on him.

Crappy end to a highly disappointing season in the cold drizzle of Boise. A Bronco hits Seneca with a cheap shot early in the game, hobbling him. Our OL could not get us 1 yard on three consecutive plays during key drive late.

 

[ca4cy]

That OU game just sucked so bad. And then we got totally embarrassed on a night game in Manhattan.

Seneca could only do so much for us that year. The OL started to fall apart and he never had any time to even think before someone was bearing down on him.

Crappy end to a highly disappointing season in the cold drizzle of Boise. A Bronco hits Seneca with a cheap shot early in the game, hobbling him. Our OL could not get us 1 yard on three consecutive plays during key drive late.

Agreed on the bolded part. Seneca was getting no protection down the stretch.

The team actually bounced back pretty well from the pounding we took in Norman and played Texas tough. If I'm remembering the right game, ISU was within one score and had Texas stopped dead to rights on 4th down around mid field. But of course, in true Big12 ref fashion, they gave Simms a ridiculously good spot (like over a yard) and a first down, which Texas then used to score the TD that salted the game away. The spirit was pretty broken after that, and even with the Mizzou win sprinked it, it was finished off at KSU. The UConn loss and the **** show in Boise were the final insults.

 

[Daserop]

This game is never a fair fight. It is always 2 versus 1. Texas and the big 12 refs versus us.

 

[t-noah]

Uhm, that would be me! Haha

That game was before I got to ISU, so still in high school down the road, but still 90% sure I was going to go there at that point, and I had been watching ISU sports with abandon since the Fizer/Tinsley years, so definitely was on the train at that point.

I watched it with my grandmother, who took me to my first ISU game when I was like 7, in her kitchen in her home near Ogden. We were so excited.

Man, that was a letdown. That whole season just went to hell after that...

View attachment 50147

Glad we were able to beat Mizzou by 7 even after out-gaining them 602 to 365.

Dang, that was depressing. Thanks for reminding me of the end to that year. Some things are better left forgotten.

 

[madguy30]

That 2011 game... ISU came out horribly sloppy (IIRC the first three possessions were lost fumble, lost fumble, interception) but the defense held its ground in the first quarter keeping the score a lot closer than it should of been.

Then Leonard Johnson's penalty just completely killed us. IIRC, we had just stopped them on 3rd down, CPR pulled Johnson to chew his ass out, and Ash threw right at Johnsons backup for a 50 yard TD. From that point on we were deflated.

Went from 13-0, something manageable, to 20-0 and far less manageable because LJ couldn't just make a play and treat it like he expected to. The penalty was headbutting/taunting IIRC.

Unless ISU can run and the secondary is more crisp I'm just not sure Texas doesn't win by at least 10. Oddly I think ISU's defensive strength is their Dline and that can be big.

 

[madguy30]

Yep. It's time. Games like the OSU shocker or the Nebraska "So Proud" stunner are great fun, but instead of a catch lightning in the bottle game, we need a true home-underdog-play-with-our-hair-on-fire game for 60 minutes and beat the will out of UT.

Tech last year was a great example. We physically dominated them and they basically quit before halftime. They could not wait to get out of the cold. We need that effort Thursday night.

Also need a very strong NE win and game time temps at about 15 degrees.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Went from 13-0, something manageable, to 20-0 and far less manageable because LJ couldn't just make a play and treat it like he expected to. The penalty was headbutting/taunting IIRC.

Unless ISU can run and the secondary is more crisp I'm just not sure Texas doesn't win by at least 10. Oddly I think ISU's defensive strength is their Dline and that can be big.

I actually agree with you the DL looks the strength of the defense -- never though I would say that about an ISU defense anytime soon, but seems to be the case.

Also need a very strong NE win and game time temps at about 15 degrees.

Funny how UT and OU never play in Ames in late October or November, eh? "Somehow" seems we only have late visits from WVU, KSU, KU, and occasionally the others.

 

[somecyguy]

That game was before I got to ISU, so still in high school down the road, but still 90% sure I was going to go there at that point, and I had been watching ISU sports with abandon since the Fizer/Tinsley years, so definitely was on the train at that point.

I watched it with my grandmother, who took me to my first ISU game when I was like 7, in her kitchen in her home near Ogden. We were so excited.

Man, that was a letdown. That whole season just went to hell after that...

View attachment 50147

Glad we were able to beat Mizzou by 7 even after out-gaining them 602 to 365.

I've heard from multiple people that the chemistry on that team was complete garbage. By the time UConn came around, the team was shattered.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I've heard from multiple people that the chemistry on that team was complete garbage. By the time UConn came around, the team was shattered.

From the start or did it fall apart as the W-L record did...?

They were a Top 10 team in the rankings at some point.

 

[fsanford]

Texas has much more talent than ISU, coaches down there have had a hard time harnessing it.

Their game against USC was pretty amazing, but that was a night game on national tv, against a top 5 opponent, in Los Angeles, not to hard for Texas players to have major focus for that game. And not sure how good USC is, Cal was a struggle, Western Michigan was a struggle.

Herman may be turning 4 and 5 star recruits physically into guys that also are 4 star between the ears. Hoping though Texas still has some bugs to work out though.

Its probably gonna come down to the wire, ISU needs to figure out how the heck to win some of these close games late.

 

[somecyguy]

From the start or did it fall apart as the W-L record did...?

They were a Top 10 team in the rankings at some point.

Likely both. Some of the players on that team were there for themselves and caused a lot of problems. Mac was in a similar situation as CPR that he needed talent, but the talent he had came with ****** attitudes.

Seneca carried that team to its top10 ranking. Once teams knew they could focus on him, the team was toast.

 

[madguy30]

Likely both. Some of the players on that team were there for themselves and caused a lot of problems. Mac was in a similar situation as CPR that he needed talent, but the talent he had came with ****** attitudes.

Seneca carried that team to its top10 ranking. Once teams knew they could focus on him, the team was toast.

Big difference that year was Seneca had a running back his junior year, and senior year he was essentially the best RB on the team.

I always wondered if the '03 team had some similar situations. There was going to be drop off, but they were just bad on bad. Mac had to do an internal culture change and the next two seasons were better but still historically inept in key moments.

 

[khardbored]

Yeah, I think we need this for bowl game, I think we could find a way without it, but this definitely one that is winnable one.... that seems like the most logical path to 6 wins.....

If they play like the are capable they will win.

Gotta take that next step.

Texas fans could say all of these things.

 

[Cycsk]

Is Cotton-Moya back? I think he is the difference. With him at the end, I think we beat Iowa. Or at least Wadley doesn't wander around our defensive backfield until he scores. And we would have shut out Akron with him playing.

 

[DRCHIRO]

Is Cotton-Moya back? I think he is the difference. With him at the end, I think we beat Iowa. Or at least Wadley doesn't wander around our defensive backfield until he scores. And we would have shut out Akron with him playing.

This is as key as anything, he's in the depth chart and hopefully healthy.

Texas can "out athlete" us and I think it's key they we smack them in the mouth right away on defense. Blitz, pressure, anything where we are knocking the QB to the ground.

 

[spitfyr36]

Offense can't take a quarter off like they have the past 3 games. We're due to pull one of these out.
31-28 Clones