Showing posts with label Iowa hawkeyes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iowa hawkeyes. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Second All-America Honor for Greg Jones
Greg Jones has been named a first-team AP All-American today, a day after he was named an All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Jones was the only Big Ten player named to the AP first-team, which is probably a reflection on the conference's recent bowl struggles. Pat Angerer, linebacker for Iowa, was the only other Big Ten player on the FWAA team with Jones.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Last (Couple) Week(s)/This Week
Two Weeks Ago = L/15-13 to Iowa
Where to begin with this one. The Spartans appeared to have the stars aligned after the crazy hook-and-lateral taken by Blair White on a late third-down, and then his 30-yard TD reception with 1:37 remaining. However, Stanzi, who hadn't looked all that spectacular all night long, brought the Iowa offense down the field with authority, hitting Marvin McNutt on the quick slant as time expired. My Dad mentioned to me after the game that there was a point on one of the final drives where the start of the clock was delayed at least 7 seconds, but you've gotta make a stop somewhere on that last drive regardless. Chris L. Rucker did the same thing I would've done once McNutt made the catch; kept whacking at his arms for a good 5 seconds, in complete denial of what had just occurred.
The surprising stat to me had to be the lack of turnovers from either side. Kirk Cousins has proven that he's not really turnover prone, so I wasn't really expecting interceptions. However, the inability for some of the young runners for MSU has been obvious, so I was pretty shocked not to see one pop out. As for the Hawkeyes, I also heard after the game that there may have been an Iowa fumble on that last drive that wasn't called, but I can't remember it from being in the crowd. In the end, it was two gutty drives that defined each team. It's just too bad that Iowa's drive was the one resulting in gloom and doom for the Green and White.
Last Week = L/42-34 to Minnesota
The Iowa loss wasn't a "bad" loss, this one was. MSU never really looked in the game, even with the 31-28 brief lead, despite a school record 17 penalties for 157 yards. SEVENTEEN PENALTIES! I mean, a lot of them were warranted, don't get me wrong, but I certainly would've wanted to take off the heads of the refs if I were a Gopher fan in Fifth-Third Bank Stadium on that night. Again, in spite of the penalties, it was really just two huge plays from Keyshawn (the BTN announcers think my last name's Johnson) Martin that even made this thing close. His 93-yard kickoff return to open the second half, followed about 10:00 later by an 84-yard end-around made things somewhat interesting, but Weber grilled the Spartans through the air for 416 and 5 TD's.
Where to begin with this one. The Spartans appeared to have the stars aligned after the crazy hook-and-lateral taken by Blair White on a late third-down, and then his 30-yard TD reception with 1:37 remaining. However, Stanzi, who hadn't looked all that spectacular all night long, brought the Iowa offense down the field with authority, hitting Marvin McNutt on the quick slant as time expired. My Dad mentioned to me after the game that there was a point on one of the final drives where the start of the clock was delayed at least 7 seconds, but you've gotta make a stop somewhere on that last drive regardless. Chris L. Rucker did the same thing I would've done once McNutt made the catch; kept whacking at his arms for a good 5 seconds, in complete denial of what had just occurred.
The surprising stat to me had to be the lack of turnovers from either side. Kirk Cousins has proven that he's not really turnover prone, so I wasn't really expecting interceptions. However, the inability for some of the young runners for MSU has been obvious, so I was pretty shocked not to see one pop out. As for the Hawkeyes, I also heard after the game that there may have been an Iowa fumble on that last drive that wasn't called, but I can't remember it from being in the crowd. In the end, it was two gutty drives that defined each team. It's just too bad that Iowa's drive was the one resulting in gloom and doom for the Green and White.
Last Week = L/42-34 to Minnesota
The Iowa loss wasn't a "bad" loss, this one was. MSU never really looked in the game, even with the 31-28 brief lead, despite a school record 17 penalties for 157 yards. SEVENTEEN PENALTIES! I mean, a lot of them were warranted, don't get me wrong, but I certainly would've wanted to take off the heads of the refs if I were a Gopher fan in Fifth-Third Bank Stadium on that night. Again, in spite of the penalties, it was really just two huge plays from Keyshawn (the BTN announcers think my last name's Johnson) Martin that even made this thing close. His 93-yard kickoff return to open the second half, followed about 10:00 later by an 84-yard end-around made things somewhat interesting, but Weber grilled the Spartans through the air for 416 and 5 TD's.
This Week = vs. Western Michigan, @ 12pm - Big Ten Network
All the glitz and glamour the end of the season could've contained for the Spartans is gone now, and it's dog-fighting for a bowl game time. A 6-6 finish is no longer guaranteed, and a win over the Broncos in Spartan Stadium is an absolute necessity. The positive is probably that Western isn't the MAC powerhouse that some thought they would be pre-season, as the Broncos have dropped conference games to Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, and Kent State just last week. Tim Hiller can still throw the ball, however, and the Michigan State secondary is going to have to have a significantly better day than they did against Adam Weber last week if they want to avoid the upset.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Hate the BCS? Root for the Hawkeyes
I'm a huge antagonist when it comes to the Bowl Championship Series, better known as the "BCS," formula of crowning a college football champion. There are far too many years where there's more than two teams worthy of competing for that title by the time the season's over. The really unfortunate thing at this point is that there appears to be no end in sight.
As ESPN.com's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg noted about a year-and-a-half ago, the Big Ten has likely benefited more than any other conference from the current BCS system. This past bowl season did nothing to detract from that thinking, as yet another pair of Big Ten teams, Penn State and Ohio State, made one of the five bowls. But what if the BCS gave the Big Ten a reason to change their tune about the system as a whole?
It might be difficult to look at from as far down the road as we are right now, but an undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes team that does not make the national title game over a one-loss USC or Texas could be that turning point us BCS haters are looking for. I know, I know, I'm a Spartan fan, we're playing Iowa for the right to be in the Big Ten championship drivers seat this weekend, yet I'm still writing this article. Believe me, I want MSU to beat the 'Hawks, but I really feel this subject needs some serious attention. If Iowa was kept out of the title game, the office of Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney would be loaded with calls and e-mails from not only Iowa fans, but all Big Ten fans clamoring for him to do something about the disparaging outcome.
Would Delaney, or any other Big Ten bigwigs for that matter, be able to actually affect the needed change? It's hard to say, but having such an ardent supporter of the system turn on the BCS would certainly be a first. Cincinnati and Boise State could also go undefeated and potentially have their bids beat out by another one-loss team. It's pretty safe to say that neither the WAC, or even the Big East, however, likely have the same type of pull with those who actually pull the BCS strings.
So, realistically, how likely is this scenario? Well, it's likely enough that I felt the need to write this article. Iowa already beat fellow front-runner Penn State, but does have to go to East Lansing for a night game against the Spartans this weekend, and then have a trip to the Horseshoe to face Ohio State three weeks later. However, other than that, they play Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota all at home in Iowa City, all very winnable games. As for the others, assuming Iowa beats out Cincy and Boise State in the BCS polls (it wouldn't hurt if the Bearcats lost one too), things are a bit more muddled. There's a decent chance that the SEC champion may have one-loss, and, I would say almost probably, would be ahead of the Hawkeyes in the polls. If, however, there's an undefeated SEC champion, either Florida or Alabama, we can hope Texas loses one in the regular season, then wins the Big 12, or that USC wins out, and looks strong doing so.
Any way you shake it, I do feel that the recent performance, or lack thereof, from the Big Ten in recent bowl games could keep Iowa from getting the votes. Fans across the country have blamed the Big Ten for some bad bowl games lately, and may have reason to blame the conference for the BCS still being around. Come this off-season, however, those same fans may have reason to thank the Big Ten for getting the powers-that-be to seriously consider some major BCS change.
As ESPN.com's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg noted about a year-and-a-half ago, the Big Ten has likely benefited more than any other conference from the current BCS system. This past bowl season did nothing to detract from that thinking, as yet another pair of Big Ten teams, Penn State and Ohio State, made one of the five bowls. But what if the BCS gave the Big Ten a reason to change their tune about the system as a whole?
It might be difficult to look at from as far down the road as we are right now, but an undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes team that does not make the national title game over a one-loss USC or Texas could be that turning point us BCS haters are looking for. I know, I know, I'm a Spartan fan, we're playing Iowa for the right to be in the Big Ten championship drivers seat this weekend, yet I'm still writing this article. Believe me, I want MSU to beat the 'Hawks, but I really feel this subject needs some serious attention. If Iowa was kept out of the title game, the office of Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney would be loaded with calls and e-mails from not only Iowa fans, but all Big Ten fans clamoring for him to do something about the disparaging outcome.
Would Delaney, or any other Big Ten bigwigs for that matter, be able to actually affect the needed change? It's hard to say, but having such an ardent supporter of the system turn on the BCS would certainly be a first. Cincinnati and Boise State could also go undefeated and potentially have their bids beat out by another one-loss team. It's pretty safe to say that neither the WAC, or even the Big East, however, likely have the same type of pull with those who actually pull the BCS strings.
So, realistically, how likely is this scenario? Well, it's likely enough that I felt the need to write this article. Iowa already beat fellow front-runner Penn State, but does have to go to East Lansing for a night game against the Spartans this weekend, and then have a trip to the Horseshoe to face Ohio State three weeks later. However, other than that, they play Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota all at home in Iowa City, all very winnable games. As for the others, assuming Iowa beats out Cincy and Boise State in the BCS polls (it wouldn't hurt if the Bearcats lost one too), things are a bit more muddled. There's a decent chance that the SEC champion may have one-loss, and, I would say almost probably, would be ahead of the Hawkeyes in the polls. If, however, there's an undefeated SEC champion, either Florida or Alabama, we can hope Texas loses one in the regular season, then wins the Big 12, or that USC wins out, and looks strong doing so.
Any way you shake it, I do feel that the recent performance, or lack thereof, from the Big Ten in recent bowl games could keep Iowa from getting the votes. Fans across the country have blamed the Big Ten for some bad bowl games lately, and may have reason to blame the conference for the BCS still being around. Come this off-season, however, those same fans may have reason to thank the Big Ten for getting the powers-that-be to seriously consider some major BCS change.
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