Worst ISU Football Team You've Watched

[madguy30]

That Baylor game in Waco still gives me nightmares

2013?

I'd put that and 2003 as the worst teams I've seen but I didn't see the 2013 one in person. I was at the 2003 UNI game and it was very evident that ISU simply had no physicality anywhere.

Saw the 2008 team live vs. Missouri and they were really bad. Chase Daniel had so much time he could have directed receivers where to get even more open like a backyard game.

Saw the '97 opener vs. OSU but they actually came out looking OK that night until the ol' 4th quarter collapse came around.

 

[Statefan10]

Giving up 500+ rushing yards to Oklahoma in 2014 while losing 59-14 deserves mention as well. I went to way too many games from 2013-2016.

I haven't left one game early as far as I can remember (parents might've made me leave when I was little), but I was so so close to leaving during the Drake game two years ago. Like legit was walking down the cement until I talked myself into staying. I stayed, we won, I sprinted to my college house and started drinking.

 

[Al_4_State]

2003 was the absolute worst in my cognizant lifetime other than maybe '97. '95 was the year I started paying attention to football, and my memories of ISU in that era were mostly Pete Taylor and the Big Peach.

If you didn't watch that team play, you can't really put the '08 and '13 or '14 squads anywhere near them. All of those squads were in quite a few close-ish games that they could have won but ****** up. The 2003 squad got blown out by every P5 opponent they played. They were completely inept offensively, and the defense wasn't THAT bad, but they were playing constantly.

I do think being run through that ringer really built some of those guys up for the 2004-2005 run on the defensive side.

 

[SolarGarlic]

2003 was the absolute worst in my cognizant lifetime other than maybe '97.

If you didn't watch that team play, you can't really put the '08 and '13 or '14 squads anywhere near them. All of those squads were in quite a few close-ish games that they could have won but ****** up. The 2003 squad got blown out by every P5 opponent they played. They were completely inept offensively, and the defense wasn't THAT bad, but they were playing constantly.

I do think being run through that ringer really built some of those guys up for the 2004-2005 run on the defensive side.

That they rebounded in 2004 was miraculous. And then 2005 was close to being a special season. Of course both of those seasons ended in typical ISU fashion, but 2003 was just on another level.

 

[SolarGarlic]

That KU game should’ve been it for Paul. Atrocious.

I lost a good chunk of change that day. Watched the game at Es Tas, and I think it was only on one TV by the end of the game.

 

[Al_4_State]

That they rebounded in 2004 was miraculous. And then 2005 was close to being a special season. Of course both of those seasons ended in typical ISU fashion, but 2003 was just on another level.

That season completely caught me off guard. It was so much fun. That Nebraska game is one of my Top 5 days in Jack Trice.

'05 had it's moments, but it will always be remembered for the choked opportunities. That team should have been 11-0 heading into the Big 12 Championship, and 11-1 with a shot at a BCS at large after Texas throttled them.

 

[Statefan10]

Looking back at that 2005 team, that was one of the most memorable seasons for younger people like me. The 23-3 victory vs. #8 Iowa, back to back throttlings of A&M (Todd Blythe game) and K-State, the two defensive TD's and win against #22 CU at home. Looking at those scores brought back memories.. How tf did we lose some of those games?? Didn't we fumble twice on the goal line against Baylor to lose and miss a FG against KU to go to OT?

 

[Hoggins]

Anything CPR after 2012 and 2003.

It takes talent to have the worst loss in ISU history, but my god did CPR do it

 

[ScottyP]

Looking back at that 2005 team, that was one of the most memorable seasons for younger people like me. The 23-3 victory vs. #8 Iowa, back to back throttlings of A&M (Todd Blythe game) and K-State, the two defensive TD's and win against #22 CU at home. Looking at those scores brought back memories.. How tf did we lose some of those games?? Didn't we fumble twice on the goal line against Baylor to lose and miss a FG against KU to go to OT?

Don't forget Nebraska OT game as well. If DeAndre Jackson would have picked up that fumble, we would have won.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Here are the 25 worst teams in school history according to SRS...



At least some of you probably remember...

1994
1997
2003
2006
1987

Here, on the other hand, are the ten best...



It looks like that metric really likes the Majors and Bruce era from the 1970s. It really likes the 2017 Campbell team, too, compared to 2018 and 2019.

 

[jbindm]

Anything CPR after 2012 and 2003.

It takes talent to have the worst loss in ISU history, but my god did CPR do it

Oh man, if we're just talking individual games it's hard to find one worse than the Baylor beatdown in 2013. 71-7. It was over in the first ten minutes.

 

[madguy30]

Looking back at that 2005 team, that was one of the most memorable seasons for younger people like me. The 23-3 victory vs. #8 Iowa, back to back throttlings of A&M (Todd Blythe game) and K-State, the two defensive TD's and win against #22 CU at home. Looking at those scores brought back memories.. How tf did we lose some of those games?? Didn't we fumble twice on the goal line against Baylor to lose and miss a FG against KU to go to OT?

Yep. Also let a young Chase Daniel shred them for a quarter's worth of work after shutting Brad Smith down.

They had some decent talent and the schedule worked out beautifully but any sort of adversity was their kryptonite. There was a weird call iirc in the KU game that yeah, was a weird call, but letting that break the camel's back is a bigger problem and those types of things are what I remember that team for more than anything.

 

[GMackey32]

2003. That team was terrible and didn't put up a fight.

 

[GMackey32]

2003. That team was terrible and didn't put up a fight.

Also, that game against OU in 2003 was comical. Lose 53-7. Our only points were a pick 6 by Billups in the 4th quarter and then OU takes the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown.

 

[Aclone]

If it helps, I fully expect ‘21 to be the best Cyclone season I’ve ever seen.

 

[Cyched]

Here are the 25 worst teams in school history according to SRS...

View attachment 73739

At least some of you probably remember...

1994
1997
2003
2006
1987

Here, on the other hand, are the ten best...

View attachment 73740

It looks like that metric really likes the Majors and Bruce era from the 1970s. It really likes the 2017 Campbell team, too, compared to 2018 and 2019.

Imagine if we could’ve sustained the 70s success..

 

[SEIOWA CLONE]

For me (25 y/o) the worst team I saw was the 2014 team. We went 2-10, and I know we beat Iowa (hilarious), but good lord.. Got smacked down by Wentz and NDSU 14-34 at JTS. We somehow competed but blew the lead against a good K-State team, almost won @ Texas, and then almost beat TTU. We also beat Campbell when he took his Toledo team to Ames, but besides that...

28-49 vs. Baylor

20-37 @ Okie State

14-59 vs. OU

13-34 @ KU (WTF)

24-37 vs. WVU

3-55 @ TCU

We were at the TCU game that year, they could have put 70 on us if Paterson had wanted too. They called off the dogs, thinking they were already in the new playoff system. They entered the game as the 3rd seed, only to have Ohio State crush Wisconsin and they dropped out of the playoff. The magical 13th data point, never to be used since.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Imagine if we could’ve sustained the 70s success..

A butterfly flaps its wings and it starts raining in Central Park.

Woody Hayes punches that Clemson player and Iowa State sucks at football.

 

[dualthreat]

I think the 2003 team actually had some talent. We won 7 games the year before and after. They just lacked leadership and the team appeared to quit down the stretch.

The 2014 team had a little talent too, but man, that year ended about as bad as a college football team could get.

I don't have a great recollection of the '97 team but that team was 1-10 and simply one of the least talented teams in all of football. We had no business being on the same field as the good teams in the big 12. 77-14 where Nebraska was playing with us in the 2nd quarter is a good example. .. it was what, 63-0 at the half?

 

[Bigman38]

For me (25 y/o) the worst team I saw was the 2014 team. We went 2-10, and I know we beat Iowa (hilarious), but good lord.. Got smacked down by Wentz and NDSU 14-34 at JTS. We somehow competed but blew the lead against a good K-State team, almost won @ Texas, and then almost beat TTU. We also beat Campbell when he took his Toledo team to Ames, but besides that...

28-49 vs. Baylor

20-37 @ Okie State

14-59 vs. OU

13-34 @ KU (WTF)

24-37 vs. WVU

3-55 @ TCU

It wouldn't be my worst team pick but the circumstances and result around that TCU game was one of the most depressing weeks I remember. They had to win big to have a shot at the National Championship and no one was talking about ISU even putting up a fight, it was more about how much Patterson was going to run it up before he called it. And they were absolutely right.