In the McCarney years,People are greatly underestimating the change in SOS that has occurred given conference realignment. Our schedules going forward are going to be markedly easier than the DMac era.
- We played one less conference game
- There was a stretch where Iowa was in a rebuilding phase
- The conference was divided into divisions and the Northern Division was really bad. There were a couple of years where it would have been much easier to win the North Division that it would be to win the conference this year
A more manageable schedule is an opportunity not a guarantee of success. Iowa State is part of an easier schedule for other teams in the conference.