The more one looks at Iowa...
by NittanyBadger on Nov 3, 2008 3:07 PM EST
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`the scarier this game becomes.
They've posted field goal losses on the road to Illinois and Michigan State, a one-pointer at Pitt. A home blow-out of Wisconsin.
The obvious is to say Penn State is better than Iowa. PSU is #3, Iowa is nothing. Greene isn't better than Beanie. On and on....but I still can't shake the fact that Iowa just looks like one of those teams that wakes up and over performs against a team that, while better, has been known to come out a bit shy on the road. I can't shake the fact that despite reason pointing to Penn State, college football so rarely follows reason and logic.
Penn State has lost their last 2 games in Iowa City. Penn State has lost twice to Iowa in double overtime....both games Penn State was favored.
Anyone remember the magical 6-4 game?
I realize those invovled vastly different Penn State teams, but the eery feeling remains.
I realize I'm in the minority, and hopefully I've just got a Halloween hangover, but Kinnick Stadium has all the makings of a haunted house come Saturday.
I know this is the year of all years...the Michigan streak is no more, 30 years of futility at Ohio Statdium is a distant memory...
#1 Alabama at LSU, #2 Texas Tech vs. Ok State, #3 Penn State @ Iowa....
Someone is losing on Saturday, may it not be the Nitts.
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Is it me...
or is that picture JAYPA???
" We need MORE cowbell !"
by BlueWhiteLife on Nov 3, 2008 3:36 PM EST up reply actions
This cat is creeping me out.
and yet…and I can’t look away. I think he’s sucking my soul….
pax et amor
Correct me if I'm wrong...
but I think the last two visits to Iowa were when Iowa had Bob Sanders, and Bob Sanders absolutely explodes people. He may need to suit up again for them in order for this one to be close.
Did you watch the Illinois/Iowa game?
I did. I wasn’t impressed. Illinois looked extremely flat. If Iowa was good, they would have beaten them. They also really struggled in the red zone.
I have no doubt that our defense can continue their dominance. The only question mark is the offense. Remember when they used to score 30 points in the first half? I miss those days. If they don’t get it together, I see this being another Purdue-esque performance…but we need more than that.
Here's the thing
Iowa is a mediocre team. On paper, though, they look like they shouldn’t have more than 2 losses since their defense is very good and their offense is at least competitive. But they’ve lost close games based on not converting in the red zone, turnovers, etc. This has the makings of a game where PSU should win, but where the team won’t be able to pull away convincingly if they get a lead.
If PSU doesn’t convert some red zone opportunities into TDs in the first half, I think we’ll be looking at a unflatteringly close scoreline. Big 10 haters aren’t too off the mark in suggesting Iowa isn’t a very good team, but they will be a hard team to beat convincingly. Iowa has the defense and the ground game to turn this one into a real grinder.
Gut check
Sorry I have a hard time believing Penn State will not walk into Iowa with a chip on their shoulder. They take out their toughest opponent on the road in a hostile environment and people say they didn’t win by enough points. They get a by week and another team jumps them and people say they don’t belong. If this were me I would be extremely pissed off. This is a veteran team that oozes senior leadership. There will be no let down. Infact, I expect the defense to come out and make a statement and the offense will come out and show the nation who has the best offense. My prediction…..45-10.
The teams you mention are no good
Illinois started the season looking like they had potential. That turned out untrue.
Michigan State looks much better on paper and in stats than they do in games (which I’m in favor of, since I want them to be top-15 when we play them). They make a lot of mistakes, and are about as one-dimensional as it comes. I don’t see any team beating us with solely a running (or passing) game.
Pitt: well their signature wins were South Florida and Notre Dame. No one can tell me those teams are any good, though they do get bonus points for winning on the road.
Wisconsin: does not deserve to be in any conversation about quality wins.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we can lose to any of the teams left on our schedule, but I’d be shocked if they weren’t all blowout wins for Penn State, who is looking to make a statement (and even if they weren’t, they’re still MUCH better).
My predictions: we beat Iowa by 20, we beat Indiana by 30, and we beat Sparty by 14
My guess
Is that Sparty turns out to be our largest margin of victory win in the next 3
I just look at it this way
depending on how the whole “prime time quota” thing works out, this wil lbe probably an 8 pm game, or at least a 3:30 start…on Nov 22. I think we’ll get a healthy lead, and then just run the ball as much as possible to tick those cold, dark, cold, cold seconds off the clock.
by The JuggerNitt on Nov 4, 2008 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
Michigan State > Iowa
is a common misconception that is prevalent on this website.
If Penn State is only 14 points better at home vs. MSU, they won’t be 20 points better at Iowa on the road.
Apparently a lot of people have suddenly forgotten how bad Penn State’s history on the road is.
The offense was incredibly unimpressive at Purdue (yes, let’s blame the grass).
The team was likely a decision to be conservative and fall forward on 3rd and 1 away from not beating Ohio State (who still has proven nothing on the season, other than the ability to beat really bad Big Ten teams. Again, MICHIGAN STATE IS NOT GOOD.)
by NittanyBadger on Nov 4, 2008 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
The Bye Week
Comes at a perfect time.
Rest up, heal up, refocus, guns a blazin’ against Iowa.
Then it’s a cakewalk over the poor little Hoosiers and then an end of season, last home game donnybrook with Michigan State.
Penn State has leaders this year, remember.
Please tell me there's no way this will repeat 1999
9-0 and lose the next 3.
This team is much better than that, right?
What are you talking about? 1999 never happened.
EVER.
I bleed Blue and White.
by Horse N Buggy on Nov 5, 2008 8:49 AM EST up reply actions
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