Closest P5 comparison to Iowa State?
- Thread starter Die4Cy
- Start date
Purdue came to mind for me. Successful in basketball, average in football, great fan support, in-state rival who pretends to be elite but isn't.
NC State is the first that comes to mind for me.
There’s a handful I gravitate to. I’m using mixes of this criteria:
- Engineering/Ag/Vet focused
- Shares state with a law/medical/business rival
- Punches above its weight in football
- Decent hoops
- Land grant
NC State, Mississippi State, Oregon State, K State, Oklahoma State, Michigan St, Purdue, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, Wazzu, maybe Auburn
Not a perfect science. Some of these have significantly better on-field success than we do, but the student bodies, fanbases, and culture of the schools seem similar
- Engineering/Ag/Vet focused
- Shares state with a law/medical/business rival
- Punches above its weight in football
- Decent hoops
- Land grant
NC State, Mississippi State, Oregon State, K State, Oklahoma State, Michigan St, Purdue, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech, Wazzu, maybe Auburn
Not a perfect science. Some of these have significantly better on-field success than we do, but the student bodies, fanbases, and culture of the schools seem similar
Going off success in the ap polls:
On the all time AP 25 poll for basketball we sit at 56 with providence being below us and USC being above us if looking at high majors only.
All time football: we come in at 95 with Rutgers being above us and Vanderbilt being below us for power five teams.
On the all time AP 25 poll for basketball we sit at 56 with providence being below us and USC being above us if looking at high majors only.
All time football: we come in at 95 with Rutgers being above us and Vanderbilt being below us for power five teams.
The Auburn comparison is intriguing.
It’s tough to make a direct comparison with their football success and SEC $$
But the state dynamics are almost an exact match - AL/Auburn have similar university profiles to UI/ISU. In state rivalry in a state with no pro sports, against fan bases who have more in common than they’d like to admit.
NC State is another good one, but the Duke/NC rivalry throws a wrench into that comparison.
Otherwise, Oregon State, Purdue, OK State, K State are other good ones on the list.
It’s tough to make a direct comparison with their football success and SEC $$
But the state dynamics are almost an exact match - AL/Auburn have similar university profiles to UI/ISU. In state rivalry in a state with no pro sports, against fan bases who have more in common than they’d like to admit.
NC State is another good one, but the Duke/NC rivalry throws a wrench into that comparison.
Otherwise, Oregon State, Purdue, OK State, K State are other good ones on the list.
NCState is a good one also from the research side. The Triangle is an impressive area that they are highly involved in.
I've always considered Texas Tech comparable to us. And I like their mascot 
Virginia Tech
I lived in the Richmond, VA area and had an Engineering department of appx 40 people. I hired engineers out of Old Dominion, NC State, Virginia Tech and others. VT is very very similar to ISU in a lot of ways.
I lived in the Richmond, VA area and had an Engineering department of appx 40 people. I hired engineers out of Old Dominion, NC State, Virginia Tech and others. VT is very very similar to ISU in a lot of ways.
Auburn is known for its engineering/vet med curriculum. They also have a good supply chain management program in the business school, like ISU.
The town in very much centered around the University, with closest “large” city, Montgomery about 45 mins away.
AU always plays Bama tough, but there’s a whole generation of kids and T-shirt fans wearing Crimson these days because of Bama’s dynasty the past 15+ years. That said, Auburn has proud fans and the people wearing blue and orange typically have a family connection to the school. Sound familiar?
I've been around Auburn fans, they are very much like our own fanbase.
This is the answer. Land grant school in a low population state with another large state institution. In terms of academic focus its a near match as well.
Interesting, looking at the other schools, however, can't believe so many are leaving kansas state out.
