A look ahead at Nebraska's 2014 schedule

[Abdullah the Butcher]

Gut-check game: at Wisconsin. Sure, the Michigan State game on the road is a big gut-check game, too, but the Spartans are in the other division. Nebraska could have a hard time getting to Indianapolis if it doesn't get past Wisconsin. And, of course, Big Red lost 48-17 the last time it went to Madison (and 70-31 the most recent time it played the Badgers away from home). Camp Randall can be an intimidating place for visitors to play, but Bo Pelini's team has to be ready to step up and stop the run.

 

Trap game: Fresno State. Coming a week before the more heavily-hyped showdown versus those Hurricanes, this one has all the makings of a trap. The Bulldogs have fielded a solid program for years, won 11 games last year and have been picked to win their division in the Mountain West. Plus, the game is on the road with a night kickoff before Fresno fans who will be foaming at the mouth. No overlooking allowed here.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=bigten&id=104093

[Abdullah the Butcher]

 

 

1. Iowa Hawkeyes

2013 regular-season SOS rank: 55

2014 projected regular-season SOS rank: 99

The Hawkeyes went 8-4 in the regular season last year with three losses coming against teams that won at least 12 games each -- Northern Illinois (12-2), Michigan State (13-1) and Ohio State (12-2). None of those three opponents appears on the 2014 schedule, as Iowa slides to a new Big Ten West Division with fewer interdivision challengers and a manageable cross-division slate (Indiana and Maryland). Iowa is 30th in our post-spring FEI rankings, but the Hawkeyes have the 13th-best chance nationally to finish the regular season at 11-1 or 12-0 (16 percent).

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/11252196/teams-most-helped-2014-schedule-strength-college-football

[Saunders]

Iowa's schedule is so hilariously bad, if they don't start 10-0 or 9-1, they should fire Ferentz (lol).

[deedsker]

Iowa's schedule is so hilariously bad, if they don't start 10-0 or 9-1, they should fire Ferentz (lol).

Proceeds to lose to Iowa State...

[RedDenver]

 

Iowa's schedule is so hilariously bad, if they don't start 10-0 or 9-1, they should fire Ferentz (lol).

Proceeds to lose to Iowa State...

 

I'm already looking forward to that.

[BoKnowsD]

 

 

Iowa's schedule is so hilariously bad, if they don't start 10-0 or 9-1, they should fire Ferentz (lol).

Proceeds to lose to Iowa State...

 

I'm already looking forward to that.

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

[LukeinNE]

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

[sd'sker]

 

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

 

that's a really good take. i am going to pay more attention to this theory from now on.

[The Dude]

As long as we don't crap the bed during our cake non-con schedule, it seems like a fairly easy path to #9wins this year. Just win 2 games between Iowa, Minnesota, and Northwestern. Easy-peasy.

[hskrfan4life]

Looking at the schedule we should be 5-0 heading into the Michigan State game, given we expected the same last year. I expect to be 5-0 up to the Michigan State game then all bets are off. Here's to an undefeated season and a national title chance!

[Mavric]

Nebraska Huskers ‏@Huskers 2h

Final summer preview of the #Huskers regular season. November 28, Nebraska goes back to Kinnick Stadium. pic.twitter.com/gSR09H7GZD

[Caven]

 

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

 

 

Except for 2001 where ISU kept Iowa from having a shot at the National Title. I still can't believe we let down in the 2nd half and let them beat us like that.

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

 

 

Except for 2001 where ISU kept Iowa from having a shot at the National Title. I still can't believe we let down in the 2nd half and let them beat us like that.

 

I'm confused on this comment.

 

I didn't ever remember Iowa being that close to an NC so I went back and looked. In 2001, you ended up 7-5 and tied for 4th in the Big Ten. Are you talking about 2002?

[hskrfan4life]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

Except for 2001 where ISU kept Iowa from having a shot at the National Title. I still can't believe we let down in the 2nd half and let them beat us like that.

I'm confused on this comment.

 

I didn't ever remember Iowa being that close to an NC so I went back and looked. In 2001, you ended up 7-5 and tied for 4th in the Big Ten. Are you talking about 2002?

He must be, But if Iowa wins that game, Ohio State is still undefeated and I don't see a Iowa-Ohio State national title game. It would have been Miami again.

[LukeinNE]

 

 

 

 

 

I just started paying attention to this series. Do they play on a neutral field or do they go home&home

 

 

Home and home, and yes, you should. Iowa's season seems to track pretty nicely with the outcome of that game. If they beat the Cyclones, they've typically turned out to have decent to good teams the last 5 or so years. If they lose that game, they're sweating bullets over the 6 wins necessary to make a bowl. I suspect this is because Paul Rhodes does a very nice job of maintaining a perfectly mediocre team in Ames. His only big failure on paper was his 3-9 team last year...that went 1-5 in one score games. Iowa on the other hand jumps all over the place from good to crappy with no apparent reason, so the ISU game is usually a pretty good harbinger of how the season is going to go for them.

Except for 2001 where ISU kept Iowa from having a shot at the National Title. I still can't believe we let down in the 2nd half and let them beat us like that.

I'm confused on this comment.

 

I didn't ever remember Iowa being that close to an NC so I went back and looked. In 2001, you ended up 7-5 and tied for 4th in the Big Ten. Are you talking about 2002?

He must be, But if Iowa wins that game, Ohio State is still undefeated and I don't see a Iowa-Ohio State national title game. It would have been Miami again.

 

 

2002 was a nice year for them, but they got pantsed by (a really good) USC team in the Orange Bowl, so I guess I never really considered them a NC contender, loss to ISU or no.