Debacle

The Iowa Hawkeye football team was dealt a blow yesterday and lost to MSU. It was a showcase for how to dominate another team. While watching the end of the game, I mocked up how the rest of their season could play out. It starts with the loss to MSU and progresses through the end of the season.

Basically, with victories against both NW & WI, they could be able to sustain late season losses to both MI & NE and still end up a .500 team. I am writing off the OSU game. When they do get back to Kinnick and face NW, they will be fighting for a .500 record in the Big 10. If they win and win against Wisconsin the following week, they are 3-2 in the Big 10. Purdue is never a gimme game, but I am hoping they win. They will need a game in which they march in and dominate because the following week, MI comes to Kinnick. MI is a powerhouse who defeated MN yesterday at home 42-13. MI has a 4 games before Iowa - 2 relatively easy, 2 difficult. They will be ready for battle, especially if they lose either (or both) of the difficult games as they come into Kinnick. If Iowa does manage to beat MI, that would make their final game @ NE, who currently have a 4-1 record,  a test. This season was never going to be an easy season for Iowa. I've not thrown in the towel yet as I see the potential for a good season. They have to beat some teams that simply do not want to be beat. They have to have more than 6 minutes of good football, which is all they had in the MSU loss. They have to shake off MSU and begin to mentally prepare for a buzzsaw. OSU can be defeated - it's happened before - but it's going to require a lot of Iowa playing flawless football and OSU making mistakes. If Iowa can force OSU to make mistakes, it's possible. Here's the table.