Will we be underdogs against Northern Illinois?

[clonedude]

ISU is favored by 3.5 I believe. Per KXNO's Ken Miller and his company in Vegas he works for, Jack Trice is worth 4 - 4.5 so this would tell you it is basically a toss up game. I still think people are crazy to think ISU has a walk in the park with these guys. What makes me feel good is that NIU's strength matches up with ISU's strength, their d line vs our o line.

No, it doesn't mean it's a toss up game, it means that on a neutral field Northern Illinois would be favored over us.

So for all of you out there predicting we win by 21 or by 14+ points, are you going to be screaming that the sky is falling if we only win by 3? I won't. This is a good football team we are facing. I would take a one point win right now if you'd give it to me. This game scares me.

Could we win by a large margin... sure... but it is by no means a given. I think we will HAVE to score a minimum of 24-28 pts to win this game.

 

[Wesley]

We will be much tougher this year than last year. We are CPR 2 and better than last year.

 

[RING4CY]

Lots of close losses. I tend to think that teams returning a lot of experience turn those close losses into close wins the next season.

I doubt Iowa State stood around all offseason and didn't improve themselves.

 

[dualthreat]

Obviously, you guys are forgetting that we are playing a MAC school. And as any college football fan with half a brain will tell you, that over the last 20 years a MAC school has ALWAYS pulled the upset on a bigger school during the so-called preseason.
How soon you forget losing to these guys 24-16 in 2003, or Toledo in 2007.
I not saying mark it down in the loss column by any means. Just be ready, be on your game, and we’ll be walking off the field with a W!

those were also teams that won 2 games and had relatively low expectations. No cyclone fans predicted losses for those games, but we knew it was going to be a rebuilding year.

NIU is a tough team. A GREAT opponent to start the season with. A team that will challenge us and give us some national credit when we beat them. Yet, i love this situation that the iowa state football team is in. We have a good coach. A good team. And this schedule is going to be tough. But I am excited for it.

 

[VeloClone]

We will crush them like bug.

Do you speak with a Russian accent? :wink:

I don't think you can take NIU for granted. This is a quality team - that the 'Clones should beat. However those that are predicting a three touchdown+ Cyclone blowout - how often have you seen the 'Clones blow out anyone by that kind of margin?

I would love to be wrong on the margin, but I for one will just be happy if the outcome is a Cyclone W.

 

[Cloned4Life]

Um, no.

We'll win by 20+.

It will not go down to the wire.

 

[isuno1fan]

Do you speak with a Russian accent? :wink:

I don't think you can take NIU for granted. This is a quality team - that the 'Clones should beat. However those that are predicting a three touchdown+ Cyclone blowout - how often have you seen the 'Clones blow out anyone by that kind of margin?

I would love to be wrong on the margin, but I for one will just be happy if the outcome is a Cyclone W.

I will be drinking only vodka during tailgating festivities :wink:

 

[Cyhart]

I'm guessing yes, since they are in some people's top 25-30 teams in the country.

Anyone that thinks we can chalk this one up as a win is kidding themselves. NIU might be on par with Utah right now. I put this game in the toss-up category. In fact, NIU is probably better than KU, KSU, and Colorado IMO.

:biglaugh::biglaugh:

 

[Frak]

Um, no.

We'll win by 20+.

It will not go down to the wire.

Exactly. NIU's strength on D is their DL. Our strength on offense is the OL. Their offense is run-based more than passing. Our defense is going to be pretty good vs the run and last year did pretty well vs running teams. It's the teams with legit passing threats that gave them fits.

Basically, our strength is going to overpower their strength and our weaknesses are less damaging than their weaknesses. Their DL may very well be the best part of their team, but our OL will still pound it. NIU's good DL is going to be nowhere close to iowa's, OU's, UT's, NU's. And we expect to be able to run on them. If we can run on NIU like I think we will, this game won't be close.