.
Do you want to play Baylor or TCU again? Maybe face Texas and OSU eariler. The season has ups and downs for every team. This conference is very equal from top to bottom.
Reality bites: Big XII rank
- Thread starter chicagocyfan
- Start date
Do you want to play Baylor or TCU again? Maybe face Texas and OSU eariler. The season has ups and downs for every team. This conference is very equal from top to bottom.
I think our fanbase has been there for awhile. We did, after all, fire mccarney, who was clear could get us to bowls but couldnt get to the next level.
But yes, i'm glad for those that think this way as well. 6-6 to most BCS programs isn't anything special.
We had three great chances to win against very good football teams. Unfortunately it didn't pan out. Whether that is because of quarterback play or getting out coached shouldn't matter. This is a team sport and alot of how well the QB plays and how well we run the ball is dependent on how well the O-line is playing. That being said we are two unfortunate plays from being 7-5 and ahead of Baylor, TCU and WVU in the rankings.
While every team did play all other league opponents, no teams played the exact same conference schedule. Kansas would have actually had the most difficult league schedule, only because they didn't get to play themselves.
I'm a homer as much as the next guy, but I didn't think this was up for debate. A 3 - 6 losing conference record and 9th out of 10 in conference is a failure of a season. What step forward? It's the same as last year, unless we win our bowl game. Only in previous years, at least we had a huge upset knockoff. TCU was the closest, but definitely not in the same caliber.
Doesn't mean we aren't headed in the right direction, but doesn't mean we are either. The record alone is a bad one. In most of our games our offense was a complete joke. Defense got significantly worse as we went along (yes I know we lost Jake).
The only positive is we made a bowl game, but it means we'll either beat a really weak opponent or officially make our record a losing one if we don't.
It is was it is. And not even that disappointing, because this was to be expected. Everyone else certainty called it.
Doesn't mean we aren't headed in the right direction, but doesn't mean we are either. The record alone is a bad one. In most of our games our offense was a complete joke. Defense got significantly worse as we went along (yes I know we lost Jake).
The only positive is we made a bowl game, but it means we'll either beat a really weak opponent or officially make our record a losing one if we don't.
It is was it is. And not even that disappointing, because this was to be expected. Everyone else certainty called it.
Last edited:
Where was it expected? I personally picked us to be 6-6 (had us beating Tech and losing to TCU, everything else I had) but most pundits had us winning 3 or 4 games. If we go by those standards, we actually overachieved this season. But, it is what it is.
The record was slightly below what I expected, but to me it's more a matter of closing the gap vs. missing opportunities.
For fun, add a touchdown to each game, and here’s the result:
Tulsa, W 45-23
@Iowa, W 16-6
WIU, W 44-3
TT, L 24-20
@TCU, W 44-23
KSU, W 28-27
@OSU, L 31-17
BU, W 42-21
OU, L 35-27
@UT, L 33-14
@KU, W 58-23
WVa, T 31-31 (speculate on the OT result)
Pretend a tie would stand, that’s 7-4-1 (4-4-1). We’d still wish we could get back the TT game (and WVU if it was OT loss).
If ISU got the OT, that’s 8-4 (5-4) with top-10 win (KSU), wins would be more convincing and only two losses are more than one-possession games. Best regular-season record and most conference wins since 2000.
Even at 7-5 (4-5), would finish above BU and WVU by tiebreaker, lose tiebreaker to Tech.
Now, subtract a touchdown:
Tulsa, W 31-23
@Iowa, L 9-3
WIU, W 30-3
TT, L 24-7
@TCU, W 30-23
KSU, L 27-14
@OSU, L 31-3
BU, W 28-21
OU, L 35-13
@UT, L 33-0
@KU, W 44-23
WVa, L 31-17
5-7 (3-6)
Same conference record, but two of three wins are within a possession. No bowl game. A loss to bad Iowa team, two blowout losses, not competitive vs. OU.
Comparing those two scenarios vs. reality, does it make this season encouraging or frustrating?
For fun, add a touchdown to each game, and here’s the result:
Tulsa, W 45-23
@Iowa, W 16-6
WIU, W 44-3
TT, L 24-20
@TCU, W 44-23
KSU, W 28-27
@OSU, L 31-17
BU, W 42-21
OU, L 35-27
@UT, L 33-14
@KU, W 58-23
WVa, T 31-31 (speculate on the OT result)
Pretend a tie would stand, that’s 7-4-1 (4-4-1). We’d still wish we could get back the TT game (and WVU if it was OT loss).
If ISU got the OT, that’s 8-4 (5-4) with top-10 win (KSU), wins would be more convincing and only two losses are more than one-possession games. Best regular-season record and most conference wins since 2000.
Even at 7-5 (4-5), would finish above BU and WVU by tiebreaker, lose tiebreaker to Tech.
Now, subtract a touchdown:
Tulsa, W 31-23
@Iowa, L 9-3
WIU, W 30-3
TT, L 24-7
@TCU, W 30-23
KSU, L 27-14
@OSU, L 31-3
BU, W 28-21
OU, L 35-13
@UT, L 33-0
@KU, W 44-23
WVa, L 31-17
5-7 (3-6)
Same conference record, but two of three wins are within a possession. No bowl game. A loss to bad Iowa team, two blowout losses, not competitive vs. OU.
Comparing those two scenarios vs. reality, does it make this season encouraging or frustrating?
And it all hinged on a poor offense (actually scored slightly more than the year before) that was promised to be improved on the running game. Well, we barely could run the ball and we barely could pass the ball over the middle. We are lucky to be 6-6.
Fire CPR he has hit his ceiling maybe a hot shot defensive coordinator from a big time program can come in and win. :v_SPIN:
From some of you bandies who I know had to sit through the 2003 football season, you have some pretty heavy demands. If you just started following Iowa State 4 years ago then please be quiet. This is not a Danny Mac coaching situation. Yes, this is a disappointing season but you all are treating it like we went 2-10...
Of the 120ish teams since 1998 the following have played in a BCS game only 41 have played in a bcs game.
Of the current and former big 12 teams in that same span here is the bowl breakdown counting this year
Oklahoma 14
TCU 14
Texas 14
Nebraska 13
Texas Teach 13
West Virginia 13
Texas AM 11
Oklahoma State 10
Kstate 9
Missouri 9
Iowa State 8
Colorado 7
Kansas 4
Baylor 3
(No former or current Big 12 team made a bowl every year under the BCS system. Oklahoma missed the first year)
Should this have been an 8-4 team? definitely, but as has been stated many times before, at least now our bad seasons seem to be still going to some bowl game (no matter how meaningless some of you deem that bowl to be) If this were Danny Mac football we would be 2-10 right now
From some of you bandies who I know had to sit through the 2003 football season, you have some pretty heavy demands. If you just started following Iowa State 4 years ago then please be quiet. This is not a Danny Mac coaching situation. Yes, this is a disappointing season but you all are treating it like we went 2-10...
Of the 120ish teams since 1998 the following have played in a BCS game only 41 have played in a bcs game.
Of the current and former big 12 teams in that same span here is the bowl breakdown counting this year
Oklahoma 14
TCU 14
Texas 14
Nebraska 13
Texas Teach 13
West Virginia 13
Texas AM 11
Oklahoma State 10
Kstate 9
Missouri 9
Iowa State 8
Colorado 7
Kansas 4
Baylor 3
(No former or current Big 12 team made a bowl every year under the BCS system. Oklahoma missed the first year)
Should this have been an 8-4 team? definitely, but as has been stated many times before, at least now our bad seasons seem to be still going to some bowl game (no matter how meaningless some of you deem that bowl to be) If this were Danny Mac football we would be 2-10 right now
Perhaps we need to clarify something - just because 6-6 was the expectation of this team going into the season, and we reached 6-6, doesn't mean that 6-6 isn't a disappointment. The defense was good enough to be 8-4 or better, but the offense was bad enough to be 4-8 or worse. And in spite of the offense we could have gone 8-4 or better anyway. Expectations change during the season, and as the season went along it was clear they were good enough to be better than our initial expectations. Unfortunately the offense simply didn't get it done often enough.
T.Austin long touchdown run, Gage Shaeffer(#16) was blocked in the back. I think T.Austin and WV are a buch of cheaters anyway.
The defense isn't off scott free, imo. We had a punter consistently sticking teams inside the 20, and we consistently let them out of that position. Certainly could have helped the offense out a bit more in the field position battle.
Really to me it comes down to the ability to finish games. We had a great chance at home against KSU with the ball on our own 40 yardline. We had the ball inside the 10 against WVU.
Our defense is #3 in scoring defense in conference play, the most relevant comparison I think and excludes weak ooc opponents. Our defense is behind 2 teams likely playing in the bcs, so that leaves us with a majority problem on offense.
SCORING DEFENSE G TD XP 2XP DXP FG Saf Pts Avg
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. Kansas State........ 9 26 25 0 0 9 1 210 23.3
2. Oklahoma............ 9 30 23 1 1 11 0 240 26.7
3. Iowa State.......... 9 30 27 1 0 13 0 248 27.6
4. TCU................. 9 30 27 1 0 15 0 254 28.2
5. Oklahoma State...... 9 34 31 1 0 11 0 270 30.0
6. Texas............... 9 37 33 0 0 16 1 305 33.9
7. Texas Tech.......... 9 44 43 0 0 15 0 352 39.1
8. Kansas.............. 9 46 46 0 0 13 0 361 40.1
9. Baylor.............. 9 51 51 0 0 4 0 369 41.0
10.West Virginia....... 9 52 49 1 0 9 0 390 43.3
Really to me it comes down to the ability to finish games. We had a great chance at home against KSU with the ball on our own 40 yardline. We had the ball inside the 10 against WVU.
Our defense is #3 in scoring defense in conference play, the most relevant comparison I think and excludes weak ooc opponents. Our defense is behind 2 teams likely playing in the bcs, so that leaves us with a majority problem on offense.
SCORING DEFENSE G TD XP 2XP DXP FG Saf Pts Avg
--------------------------------------------------------------
1. Kansas State........ 9 26 25 0 0 9 1 210 23.3
2. Oklahoma............ 9 30 23 1 1 11 0 240 26.7
3. Iowa State.......... 9 30 27 1 0 13 0 248 27.6
4. TCU................. 9 30 27 1 0 15 0 254 28.2
5. Oklahoma State...... 9 34 31 1 0 11 0 270 30.0
6. Texas............... 9 37 33 0 0 16 1 305 33.9
7. Texas Tech.......... 9 44 43 0 0 15 0 352 39.1
8. Kansas.............. 9 46 46 0 0 13 0 361 40.1
9. Baylor.............. 9 51 51 0 0 4 0 369 41.0
10.West Virginia....... 9 52 49 1 0 9 0 390 43.3
Ok, read through most of this post, and I have reserved my feelings for the most part, but there's allot of you that seem like you shouldn't re-new your tickets next year and take up wine-touring with your wife on Saturday's!!!
How many of you really thought we would be going to our 3rd bowl game in 4 years when CPR was hired after the Chizik era? Be honest. I went to OU a year ago, OSU this year, and we're planning on WVU next year along with all home games and enjoy the total experiance of watching our Cyclones compete without those big blow-outs we all experianced years ago. Yah I want more from my team, but also a realist and like earlier replies said we were one freaken game from 5th or 6th in the best league (top to bottom).
Now with this said, I will say my expectations are higher the next 3-4 years with middle of the pack finishes with top third thrown in there at least once.
Ok, who's "ALL IN" or planning their wine tours for next season?
How many of you really thought we would be going to our 3rd bowl game in 4 years when CPR was hired after the Chizik era? Be honest. I went to OU a year ago, OSU this year, and we're planning on WVU next year along with all home games and enjoy the total experiance of watching our Cyclones compete without those big blow-outs we all experianced years ago. Yah I want more from my team, but also a realist and like earlier replies said we were one freaken game from 5th or 6th in the best league (top to bottom).
Now with this said, I will say my expectations are higher the next 3-4 years with middle of the pack finishes with top third thrown in there at least once.
Ok, who's "ALL IN" or planning their wine tours for next season?
Did I miss a memo for this thread that said we're going to Troll ourselves here? It became hard to read through this thing. Yes, there were some serious disappointments and frustrations this year. There were also some fantastic moments. It was a roller-coaster and it was a blast!
I have no doubt in my mind that the program is improving. We just red-shirted an entire recruiting class. We continued to set attendance records. We've had very little turn-over in the coaching staff. We had an iconic moment - Jake Knott's game-winning interception. We have excitement over a "quarterback of the future". We just picked up a commitment from a 4* recruit that we don't get 5 years ago. I proud of the way this program represents the university and I think the majority of our fans feel the same (would you trade CPR with a 6-6 record on the season for Pelini or The Chiz and a 8-4 record? - I sure as hell wouldn't). And later on tonight we're going to find out what bowl we're going to.
Maybe I'm looking at this with a longer-term point of view than the folks in this thread who are in melt-down mode. For me, even if we lose our bowl game and have a losing record next season, I still think ISU is trending up! I could also be biased because of the excitement of the Volleyball team and both men's and women's Basketball teams (5 or 10 years ago I never would've thought I'd stay home on a Friday night to watch ISU volleyball on my computer and love it!). And on top of all this there's Jamie Pollard showing wisdom in his decisions. Oh, and I'm happy about having this forum, the charters, the call-in shows, and Cyclones.tv for increasing fan involvement.
I've never been more excited to cheer for the Cyclones.
I have no doubt in my mind that the program is improving. We just red-shirted an entire recruiting class. We continued to set attendance records. We've had very little turn-over in the coaching staff. We had an iconic moment - Jake Knott's game-winning interception. We have excitement over a "quarterback of the future". We just picked up a commitment from a 4* recruit that we don't get 5 years ago. I proud of the way this program represents the university and I think the majority of our fans feel the same (would you trade CPR with a 6-6 record on the season for Pelini or The Chiz and a 8-4 record? - I sure as hell wouldn't). And later on tonight we're going to find out what bowl we're going to.
Maybe I'm looking at this with a longer-term point of view than the folks in this thread who are in melt-down mode. For me, even if we lose our bowl game and have a losing record next season, I still think ISU is trending up! I could also be biased because of the excitement of the Volleyball team and both men's and women's Basketball teams (5 or 10 years ago I never would've thought I'd stay home on a Friday night to watch ISU volleyball on my computer and love it!). And on top of all this there's Jamie Pollard showing wisdom in his decisions. Oh, and I'm happy about having this forum, the charters, the call-in shows, and Cyclones.tv for increasing fan involvement.
I've never been more excited to cheer for the Cyclones.
Agreed, and some other facts to chew on about Rhoads tenure so far compared to other around the Big 12...
Pinkel and Mangino only combined to only go to 3 bowl games over both of their 1st four years(3 out of 8). Rhoads alone has gotten ISU that many so far. Pinkel didn't hit 8 wins until his 6th year then really took off after that. Some Jayhawk fans think that had KU not beaten ISU in 2005, there's a good chance Mangino is shown the door after that season, which was his 4th.
Briles trajectory has been more steep but he also limped along to a couple 4-8 seasons to start with. Overall compared to some of the other "have not's" in the Big 12, Rhoads has given us a much better start than some of the best coaches at other Big 12 universities.
Outside of Mike Gundy's 9-4 in his 4th year, his early resume isn't much different than Rhoads....although he did coach in the meat grinder south, but Rhoads tackling a 9 game conf schedule the last 2 years leverages that discussion out a bit.
