Why Iowa Should Not be a Rivalry

[Redux]

I am all for Iowa becoming a rival of ours. Hope it happens, really do. But I still want a different team on Black Friday. Lets be honest, the reason we aren't embracing Iowa isn't just because the series was forced on us. It's also because were a bit selfish as Husker fans and rightfully so. The other reason is because when people that aren't Huskers or Hawkeyes see Nebraska vs Iowa on the guide, they look for the next game on the slate. Nebraska still holds that interest but I don't know that Iowa has that Must See TV factor. Not an insult to Iowa by any means, it's just the way I imagine the game is perceived. You put Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State or Miami vs Nebraska on Black Friday and regardless of records people will tune in. That's what we want, the sex appeal. Nebraska isn't the household name it once was but it still holds a grand interest. We need a rival that brings that same factor to the table.

[Hawkeye2011]

I am all for Iowa becoming a rival of ours. Hope it happens, really do. But I still want a different team on Black Friday. Lets be honest, the reason we aren't embracing Iowa isn't just because the series was forced on us. It's also because were a bit selfish as Husker fans and rightfully so. The other reason is because when people that aren't Huskers or Hawkeyes see Nebraska vs Iowa on the guide, they look for the next game on the slate. Nebraska still holds that interest but I don't know that Iowa has that Must See TV factor. Not an insult to Iowa by any means, it's just the way I imagine the game is perceived. You put Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State or Miami vs Nebraska on Black Friday and regardless of records people will tune in. That's what we want, the sex appeal. Nebraska isn't the household name it once was but it still holds a grand interest. We need a rival that brings that same factor to the table.

 

Wow, i think that you are giving Nebraska the kind of credit they deserved, actually earned, 15 years ago. This is not the same program by any means. Any perennial NC contender would not want to play Nebraska, as a win would do nothing for them. Do you really believe that in a snapshot of right now (not historically) that Nebraska is that much better than Iowa? Is is different now because you are in a physical league that batters players, no matter what shape they are in? Part of being a winner is being able to field a team for the whole year, not just part of a season. the B1G is a physical conference and until Nebraska toughens up, Iowa will continue to bet you (assuming the Black Friday game) and you will continue to watch the B1G Championship on TV. Could it be that Nebraska had an advantage in the past by playing in a less physical league?

 

One way for Nebraska to get back to prominence would be to embrace the Iowa rivalry. If your wining causes you to lose out on the Black Friday game, you may very well fall out of any relevance at all. Myself I see it raising both schools up.

[Redux]

I'm not whining. But what old school fans are perplexed by the Iowa name brand? It's not a traditional power, not trying to talk smack, its true. Yes Iowa is a more recent BCS contender, well was before the hard times of the last few years hit. Nebraska needs to get back to relevance thats true to. But in alot of peoples minds Iowa doesn't have the appeal. Could they? Sure, but not at the moment. I know that is a hard pill to swallow and I'm not in any way trying to offend Hawkeyes by this, it's just an opinion. Like I said, it's going to be a good series but really I'd rather it be played to open league play rather than close it.

[Hawkeye2011]

I'm not whining. But what old school fans are perplexed by the Iowa name brand? It's not a traditional power, not trying to talk smack, its true. Yes Iowa is a more recent BCS contender, well was before the hard times of the last few years hit. Nebraska needs to get back to relevance thats true to. But in alot of peoples minds Iowa doesn't have the appeal. Could they? Sure, but not at the moment. I know that is a hard pill to swallow and I'm not in any way trying to offend Hawkeyes by this, it's just an opinion. Like I said, it's going to be a good series but really I'd rather it be played to open league play rather than close it.

 

Being a hard core Nebraska fan is somewhat clouding your judgement of Iowa not having appeal (just as mine is with Iowa). Hopefully this game will bring both teams along.

 

I guess that I am the opposite in that I think that it is a great way to end the B1G season. Injuries will always play a role on the hind end of the B1G season. It is a tough league. Winning the conference takes winning all the way through the schedule, not just certain games. A National Championship out the B1G may be tough, just due to how we beat up on each other week in and week out. Injuries play a huge role. For a few years, Iowa had no running backs due to injuries (well, and some other stuff). Being "empty" in the backfield will kill any B1G offense, just as it did.

 

I am hoping that next years game in Iowa City will at least have league championship implications, and both teams come in healthy and ready to play. 2, 3, and 4 years from now, I think that we will definitely have the upper hand, as keeping Bo around "just to see" has got to hurt recruiting if nothing else.

[Redux]

I think we agree alot about the league. The series though I just think would be better suited at the front of the year. It has a feel to it that would be a fun/tough opener for both teams. I just don't know that it has that end of the year Black Friday appeal. The problem for us is that we were used to the round robin of the Big 8 and the final game was ALWAYS the conference title game with OU. We never got that back even with Colorado. We hated the Buffs because there fans were pretty much sh#t to us. If Iowa is to take that role and offer that flavor we currently both lack, we both need to step up in a big way next year and both be competing for the division crown.

[Hawknut5]

I just can't get excited for Iowa. If the teams meet with the conference and national title implications on the line a few times, then I can see a rivalry starting. But even CU was just the de facto "rival" because Oklahoma was down and then stopped playing yearly. And CU wasn't much of a rival even with national and conference championships hanging in the balance almost yearly. Iowa has not been relevant to the national title hunt in my lifetime that I can recall, and Nebraska hasn't been in over a decade. Past controversy with PSU makes them NU's de facto "rival" until something forms with another program.

 

These things have to develop naturally, not with some ridiculous trophy. (FYI, the B1G has WAY too many trophies. I find that I care about none of them because they are all cheapened by having so many.) My money says Wisconsin or NW are more likely to become NU's rival than Iowa.

09 and 02 Iowa was ranked in the top 5 in November. Also, if national relevance is what you require for a rival than why are you suggesting that Wisconsin or Northwestern replace Iowa? Wisconsin would just kick Nebraska's a$$ mostly and have you seen Northwestern's record? Just because they consistently play tough with Nebraska doesn't mean they're nationally relevant. You Husker fans just provide so much entertainment.

09 and 02 Iowa was ranked in the top 5 in November.

 

Do you hang banners for that........??

 

No we don't. I was just pointing out that Iowa was nationally relevant in his lifetime. Do you know how to read and read context? Never mind that's a silly question.

[HuskerNationNick]

I have said it all year, that Iowa will be better than what their record speaks of. They were close with each of their losses, and honestly, they schedule was WAY tougher than ours.

 

Now with that said, Iowa beat a Nebraska team that has a LOT of injury issues, and a QB who got his 1st career start. With 3 turnovers, Iowa still didn't get 300 yards on offense. If we had an Offensive Coordinator who knew how to call a game against someone with a winning record, I would not have had that feeling we weren't going to win. What put Iowa above Nebraska this year? Iowa was MUCH more healthy than we were, and that's not just an opinion. I had a GREAT conversation with a big group of Hawkeye fans after the game, and this is something they also brought to my attention.

 

To the Hawkeye fan who said we should keep Pelini so you could have something entertaining to watch... I will proudly take Pelini as my HC over Ferentz any day. Also, don't act like your HC is such an innocent person, you must not have seen his tantrum that should have been flagged as well on Friday huh?

 

Also the comment about showing future commits the audio tape of Bo... don't you think the coaches already bring this up? But the thing you fail to realize, there isn't a single comment about him saying "f#*k the players". You Hawkeye fans seem to love to bring that up, but at least to me, I could care less for two reasons, this was two years ago, and I agree with the coach.

 

Congrats to Iowa on the win, but to already be counting the a W next year is laughable. Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Remember, you beat a Nebraska team who isn't close to having a healthy offense. Also, doesn't Iowa also lose their major contributors on defense next year? Morris, Kirksey, Hitchens, Lowery, and Miller? This is a lot of talent lost, with no one coming in to prove they can step up yet.

[Redux]

I promise Iowa that we will bring some serious aggression next year.

[Hawknut5]

I promise Iowa that we will bring some serious aggression next year.

 

You must have the sports almanac from Back to the Future. Biff...is that you?

[HuskerNationNick]

Like I said, congrats for beating a team that is completely unhealthy on the offensive side

[BigRedPowerWagon]

Sad day when there is nothing to do but gloat on the internet over a win. Which number where you again, or are you another tavernhawk.

[EbylHusker]

Nebraska - Iowa, in football terms, certainly isn't a rivalry yet, no matter how much they are trying to force it to be. It may be someday, and that would be fine with me. But it's not now. Not even close.

 

Now, just in terms of states and population, absolutely. Iowa f'ing sucks and I literally have yet to meet anyone from that state I feel is worth anything at all. I'm sure there are a few decent people in there somewhere. Maybe.

[Redux]

I promise Iowa that we will bring some serious aggression next year.

 

You must have the sports almanac from Back to the Future. Biff...is that you?

 

Why would I need an almanac to know that we will come at this game a hell of alot harder than we did this year? We don't like losing to an opponent. We will be better prepared next year. Be ready.

[beanman]

How about we admit that we both suck. Problem solved.

[EbylHusker]

Neither team is anywhere close to sucking.