Spring Football: Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska close out Spring in front of fans

Fans will have an opportunity to view Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska on Saturday, as Spring Football winds down for all three programs. On the Big Ten Network, the Michigan spring game is being televised, as new coach Brady Hoke takes the field with the Maize and Blue again!

Spring Fever for Iowa witnessed a little morning snow - The Gazette

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Kirk Ferentz said it earlier this week. Spring football is kind of a peaceful deal. No game preparation. No late-week TV production meeting with the guy who questioned your game management the previous week. No hours of video prep and what not...

The real excitement in the Big Ten in 2011 will be division play and the addition of a 12Th program, with the University of Nebraska joining the conference. The Iowa-Nebraska game will debut on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, in Lincoln in 2011.

Iowa State University will see a different landscape, as the Cyclones face ten bowl teams from last year with the 2011 schedule, not counting games with traditional Big 12 power Texas and FCS power Northern Iowa. It will be Year 3 for the Paul Rhoads era in Ames. The Cyclones will have new players leading the way at the skill positions and will face a nine game conference schedule, with Colorado exiting to the new Pac 12 and Nebraska joining the Big Ten.

The Iowa controlled scrimmage will begin at Noon at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes will likely be an under-radar team heading into the 2011 season. Does that make the Hawkeyes a dangerous team in 2011? We shall see, but as Iowa heads into the 13Th season, under head coach Kirk Ferentz, look for a strong mix of senior leadership and youth to be the key to the 2011 season.

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Iowa State faces challanging schedule in 2010 in the Big 12 and Out of Conference

It will be a challenging schedule for the 2010 edition of Iowa State Cyclones' football. For 12 straight weeks, the Cyclones will face eight bowl teams, three other Big 12 opponents and an in-state match up with FCS power Northern Iowa. The Cy-Hawk game will be in Iowa City this fall. ISU has been held without a scoring a TD for 14 straight quarters vs. Hawkeyes. Three new Big 12 South opponents will come onto the schedule, with Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech.

The Cyclones welcomed new coach Paul Rhoads last year to Ames. The Cyclones finished 7-6, with a solid 14-13 win over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl in Arizona. But, year two will be a challenge, with 8 offensive, four defensive starters returning and their talented punter departed.

ISU hoping to follow Austen Arnaud's lead ‎- The Associated Press

Arnaud struggled with Iowa State's new spread offense, ... studied and watched how they've been some of the best passers college football has ever seen ...

Cyclones on the rise? ISU faces tougher schedule in 2010 ‎ - KUsports

The Cyclones return its top two QBs in senior Austen Arnaud and sophomore Jerome Tiller, senior RB Alexander Robinson (#33), the #2 and #3 WRs in senior Jake Williams and junior Darius Darks and four starters in the offensive line. Junior PK Gran Mahoney is back for another season, as well, for the Cyclones offense.

The retooling is on the defensive side of the ball for coach Rhoads and his coaching staff. All three linebacker positions will be have new faces, as well many in the defensive line. The defensive line and secondary will return half of the starters. A redshirt freshman punter is projected to replace talented punter Mike Brandtner. The top return specialists are back for the Cyclones for '10.

Here's the Cyclones 2010 schedule:

• Thu, Sept 2 vs. Northern Illinois 7 PM Central Time


• Sat, Sept 11 @ Iowa 2:30 PM Central Time


• Sat, Sept 18 vs. Kansas State* 11:00 AM Central Time from Kansas City


• Sat, Sept 25 vs. Northern Iowa 6:00 PM Central Time


• Sat, Oct 2 vs. Texas Tech


• Sat, Oct 9 vs. Utah


• Sat, Oct 16 @ Oklahoma


• Sat, Oct 23 @ Texas


• Sat, Oct 30 vs. Kansas


• Sat, Nov 6 vs. Nebraska


• Sat, Nov 13 @ Colorado


• Sat, Nov 20 vs. Missouri

This will be the final season for Nebraska and Colorado in the Big 12. The loss of both programs will be felt by the Cyclones, especially the home and home with Nebraska, the closest conference program to Ames.

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How good will the 2010 College Football Season be?

The Big Twelve Conference should be very interesting, especially with all eyes on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-4) and the Huskers swan song in the conference. Three important games to watch for the Huskers:

• @ Washington (5-7) in Week 3 - Second year coach Steve Sarkisian had the Huskies ready in Week 3 last season, when Washington pulled out a 16-13 upset win over #3 USC.
• @ Kansas State (6-6) on Thursday, October 7Th - the Huskers will likely be a target for eight straight weeks in the Big 12, since they are moving to the Big Ten in 2010. The home team has won 10 of 13. K-State has only won five games over the Huskers, since 1969, but all five wins have come with Bill Snyder at the helm for the Wildcats.
• vs. Texas (13-1) on October 16Th - Husker Bo Pelini is entering his third season at the helm of the Cornhuskers program, but he has yet to win a home conference opener as head coach. Texas has won 8 of 9 over the Cornhuskers, including five straight, with the last four games by a FG or less.

All eyes are not on Nebraska in the Big Twelve this season. Respected preseason magazine, Phil Steele's College Football 2010 Preview, ranks the Oklahoma Sooners (8-5) the #1 team for this year's BCS championship. The Sooners last five loss season was in 1999, they followed it up with a 13-0 season in 2000 and BCS Title for Bob Stoops, who was in his second season as head coach at Oklahoma. Not sure Phil Steele's logic is right on the mark here, but it should be interesting to find out.

Remember, Alabama (14-0) is the defending national champs and they return a boat load of talent for coach Nick Saban. Alabama beat Texas 37-21 in the BCS Title Game last season. Texas has defeated Oklahoma four out of the past five Red River Rivalry games and won the BCS title during the 2005 season. So, there is no guarantee that the Sooners will get out of the Big 12 South, let alone a date in the BCS title game this season.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (11-2) will attempt to win their first Big Ten title, since 2004, when Michigan and Iowa finished 7-1 in the Big Ten. Ohio State (11-2) is going for their sixth straight Big Ten title or share in the Big Ten. Penn State (11-2) tied with Ohio State in '05 and '08, but was knocked out of the race last season with home loses to Iowa and Ohio State. Both Iowa and Ohio State are coming off BCS wins, with Iowa's win over Georgia Tech (11-3) 24-14 in the Orange Bowl, while Ohio State beat Oregon (10-3) 26-17 in the Rose Bowl last year.

The Big Ten has witnessed a drop in Ann Arbor, where Michigan (5-7) has had back to back losing seasons for the first time, since '62 and '63. Coach Rich Rodriguez enters his third campaign in Ann Arbor with a lot of eyes on the program. Senior Day will be November 20Th vs. Wisconsin (10-3). We should know by then, if Rodriguez is getting the shipped turned in the right direction in Ann Arbor.

By the way, it's been over a decade, 1999 to be exact, since the Wisconsin Badgers were on top in the Big Ten. Every Big Ten program, but Wisconsin, Michigan State, Minnesota and Indiana has won a share of the Big Ten, since 2000. The Big Ten will add the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2011 and a conference title game will be on the horizon. But, the 2010 season comes first.

The SEC continues to be the top NCAA conference among the FBS division. However, it is a top heavy conference with Alabama, Florida and LSU. Auburn (8-5) had a perfect season in 2004, but didn't make the BCS title game. The Tigers are only 10-14 the past three seasons in the SEC. Georgia (10-3) wins games in the conference, they are 55-25 over the past ten seasons, but not enough to get into the SEC title game, since Florida (13-1) has normally stood in their way, with the occasional time Tennessee sneaks ahead. The Tennessee Volunteers (7-6) welcome a new coach, Derek Dooley, who will be the third head coach in three seasons for the Volunteers. LSU (9-4) fans are getting a little restless, since coach Les Miles hasn't won a SEC title or a trip to the BCS game, since the 2007 season.

The ACC has a lot of eyes on it. North Carolina (8-5) and only 4-4 in their division is getting hype this pre-season. They return nine starters on defense for coach Butch Davis, but the NFL draft gurus for the 2011 draft love the Tar Heels, which makes the Tar Heels popular heading into the 2010 season. The Tar Heels last bowl win was in 2001 over Auburn in the Peach.

There was a lot of love for 2009 ACC champion Georgia Tech last season. But, don't ask those who saw the games at Miami-FL, vs. Georgia and vs. Iowa in the Orange Bowl. The ACC has a lot of good programs that can beat up on each other, but do they have a Top 10 program that can stand out? Of course, Miami-FL (9-4) and Florida State (7-6) are looking to get back to the party. Clemson (9-5) and Boston College (8-5) would like to sneak in there.

The top ACC program could be Virginia Tech (10-3). The Hokies have an important OOC opener in Landover, MD on Labor Day vs. Boise State (14-0), who intends to carry again the top banner for the non-BCS programs. This is the last season for the Broncos in the WAC, before they move over to Mountain West for the 2011 season.

Last season, the Pac Ten saw USC (9-4), fall out of the conference perch for the first time, since the 2002 season. Further, coach Pete Carroll has moved back into the NFL and a controversial hire was made in Lane Kiffin. Now, the best USC can do is become a spoiler in the Pac Ten, since the NCAA has placed the Trojans on probation and they will not be allowed to participate in a bowl game, face scholarship cuts and they will not be eligible for the ESPN/Coaches Poll. The conference will likely be in a vacuum for awhile, until another program can jump into the national spotlight.

The Big East will most likely have a changing of the guard, since Cincinnati (13-1) lost coach Brian Kelly to Notre Dame (6-6), after Kelly lead the Bearcats to back to back Big East titles. Pittsburgh (10-3) has not won the Big East, since 2004, under a former coach. Coach Dave Wannstedt enters his sixth season and maybe this will be the season finally. Of course, West Virginia (9-4) would like to win for third year coach Bill Stewart, who replaced Rich Rodriguez, when he headed to Ann Arbor.

The MWC will again argue that if the Big East is worthy for the BCS, so should the MWC. TCU (12-1), Utah (10-3) and Brigham Young (11-2) are all programs doing well. Air Force (8-5) will hope to play spoiler in 2010 in the MWC. TCU played Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, but lost 10-17, after beating Boise in the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl 17-16. The Horned Frogs won the top non-BCS program banner back, after winning it in 2008.

Conference USA has not found a way into the BCS mix, despite fielding 12 football programs. The C-USA West looks to overtake the C-USA East, after East Carolina (9-5) took back to back titles in the C-USA Championship game. Houston (10-4), SMU (8-5) and Tulsa (5-7) are the top three programs to likely make that move in the West. UCF (8-5) and Southern Miss (7-6) will be the likely top candidates to contend for the top spot in the East.

The WAC will take a hit after 2010, when Boise State moves to the MWC. Right now, Boise State is looking to make history in 2010. Can the Broncos sneak into the BCS title game, coming from a non-BCS conference? The big games that stand in the Broncos way:

• Labor Day game in Landover, MD vs. Virginia Tech, from the ACC
• September 25Th, vs. Oregon State (8-5) from the Pac Ten
• @ Wyoming, Toledo and eight conference cupcakes in the eyes of the rest of the nation

Could we see another Boise State-TCU match up at season's end for the third staight season?

The FBS has three Independents in 2010...

• Notre Dame - on the wish list for the Big Ten, but still not interested?
• Navy (10-4) - The Midshipmen have won 2 of the last 3 games vs. the Fight Irish!
  
• Army (5-7) - The Black Knights have lost eight straight to the Midshipmen!

Is this the year that coach Al Gordon leads the Temple Owls (9-4) to a MAC championship?

Heck, maybe a MAC title or two could help hoist him into the position, held the past 45 years by Penn State coach Joe Paterno? At Ohio U (9-5), former Nebraska coach Frank Solich will fight Temple and five other schools for the MAC East spot. In the MAC West, five other schools will look to knock out 2009 and 2007 champ Central Michigan (12-2), who have to find a new QB, along with welcoming a new head coach.

The Sun Belt Conference has seen Troy (9-4) win back to back conference titles. But, Middle Tennessee (10-3) is the top program to sneak past Troy in 2010. The Blue Raiders host the Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-7) in the season opener.

The 2010 season looks to be a very interesting one...

Who do you like in college football in 2010?

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NY Times ranks ISU Football #112 for '09 in The Quad Countdown: No. 1 to 120

The New York Times is counting down the Top 120 teams in FBS, with Iowa State ranked #112 in the article titled The Quad Countdown: No. 112 Iowa State.

Last year, Iowa State's final ranking was #86.

2009 schedule:

• Sept. 3 North Dakota State
• Sept. 12 Iowa
• Sept. 19 @ Kent State
• Sept. 26 Army
• Oct. 3 Kansas State (Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.)
• Oct. 10 @ Kansas
• Oct. 17 Baylor
• Oct. 24 @ Nebraska
• Oct. 31 @ Texas A&M
• Nov. 7 Oklahoma State
• Nov. 14 Colorado
• Nov. 21 @ Missouri
  

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Five Big Ten teams among Top 25 All-Time Final AP Football Poll, including #25 Iowa

SECsports.com has compiled the All-Time Final AP Football Poll. SECsports.com is the official web site of the Southeastern Conference. Eight of the 12 Top 25 teams were from the SEC.

1. Michigan
2. Oklahoma
3. Notre Dame
4. Ohio State
5. Alabama
6. Nebraska
7. USC
8. Texas
9. Tennessee
10. Penn State

Michigan State is #19 and Iowa is #25 to close out the Big Ten Conference teams in the Top 25. Texas A&M is #20 and Colorado is #25 to close out the five Top 25 teams from the Big 12 Conference.

The final six Big Ten teams are Wisconsin at #27, Minnesota at #29, Illinois at #40, Purdue at #42, Northwestern at #51 and Indiana at #76.

Iowa Pre-Fight is listed tied at #79 with Yale in the All-Time Final AP Football Poll.

The final seven Big 12 teams are Kansas State at #38, Missouri at #39, Kansas at #54, Baylor at #56 Texas Tech at #59, Oklahoma State at #60, and finally, Iowa State tied at #116.

Iowa will face #70 Arizona in the non-conference this season in football.

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Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Oregon (9-3)

The 2008 Holiday Bowl will pit the Oklahoma State Cowboys (9-3, 4Th in the Big 12 South) vs. the Oregon Ducks (9-3, tied for 2Nd in the Pac 10) in San Diego. The Big 12 has beat the Pac 10 in four of the past six Holiday Bowls, including last year, when Texas defeated Arizona State 52-34.

Oklahoma State is playing in their third straight bowl game, including last year's 49-33 win over Indiana in the '07 Insight Bowl. Cowboys coach Mike Gundy is 2-0 in bowl games as a head coach, entering his fourth season. The Oregon Ducks are playing in their fourth straight bowl game under coach Mike Bellotti, who is in his 14Th year as head coach, as dean of the Pac 10 coaches. Last year, the Ducks beat USF 56-21 in the '07 Sun Bowl.

The Cowboys three losses were all in the second half of the season at Texas, at Texas Tech and vs. Oklahoma, while the Ducks three losses cam in the middle half vs. Boise State, at USC and at California. Both teams played Washington State, with the Cowboys opening the season with a 39-13 win, while Oregon took care of business at Washington State 63-14 in the fifth game, coming off a loss to Boise State.

Conventional wisdom says with a Big 12 team squaring off with a Pac 10 team that the audience is in for an offensive showdown in the 2008 Holiday Bowl. Oklahoma State enters the game coming off an offensive showdown, but a 41-61 loss against in-state rival Oklahoma. While the Ducks, closed out the regular season with three wins, including a road finale at in-state rival Oregon State with a sound 65-38 win.

Cidsports' Prediction

Oklahoma State 38

Oregon 35

cidsports

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Alamo Bowl: Missouri (9-4) vs. Northwestern (9-3)

The 2008 Alamo Bowl has an interesting match up between the Big 12 North Division champ, the Missouri Tigers (9-4, 1st in Big 12 North) vs. the Northwestern Wildcats (9-3, tied for fourth in Big Ten). Which team shows up for either program, in this classic Big Ten vs. Big 12 match up?

The Missouri Tigers have won back to back Big 12 North Division titles, their first, only to be stalled in the Big 12 Championship game each year. Northwestern hasn't won a bowl game, since the 1949 Rose Bowl. Last year, Northwestern stayed home, though they were bowl eligible at 6-6, while Missouri beat Arkansas soundly 38-7 in the Cotton Bowl.

Each team will be coming off a break, so what impact will that have in the bowl game, especially to each teams passing game? One would think experience clearly favors Missouri, since the Wildcats haven't traveled to a bowl game, since the 2005 Sun Bowl, which ended in a 38-50 loss to UCLA. The Wildcats are 1-5 in bowl games. This is Tiger's fourth straight bowl game.

Northwestern comes into the game with a two game winning streak at Michigan and over in-state rival Illinois, which cost the Fighting Illini a bowl birth. Missouri has lost two straight game to conference rival Kansas and to Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship. Missouri's four losses have come to four bowl teams: Oklahoma State, at Texas, KU and OU, the final two games both at Arrowhead Stadium. Northwestern lost at Indiana 19-21, in additon to the game vs. MSU and at Ohio State.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel is 3-2 in bowl game, while Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is in his first bowl game.

Conventional wisdom clearly points to Missouri beating Northwestern, but when you look at the 37-40 loss to Kansas, something tells me that Northwestern does have a speck of hope in this one. Turnovers will be big, as they are in any bowl game. Special teams appear to favor Missouri, as do many other aspects of this game. The intangibles favor Northwestern in this one. It clearly is an opportunity for Northwestern to complete one of their better seasons ever. David meet Goliath in the 2008 Alamo Bowl?

Cidsports' prediction

Missouri 34

Northwestern 35

cidsports

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Iowa State hosts Nebraska in Ames for a Big 12 Showdown

The head coaches have limited experience in this series, since Iowa State coach Gene Chizik is entering his 2nd season and Nebraska coach Bo Pellini is in his first year as head coach, after serving as DC in '03.

Iowa State has beat Nebraska two out of the last three in Ames:

2002: ISU won 36-14
2004: ISU won 34-27
2006: UNL won 28-14
2008: To be determined today

Nebraska enters the game 3-3 (0-2 Big 12), while Iowa State is 2-4 (0-2 Big 12). Last year, ISU was 1-5 at this point in the season, so a little progress has been seen in Chizik's second season.

This is a very important game for both programs, especially ISU, working to gain some more positive momentum under Chizik. Nebraska is on a three game losing streak, while Iowa State is on a four game skid.

Nebraska played well at Top 25 Texas Tech last week, but lost in OT with an anti-climatic turnover on offense. Iowa State was blown out at Baylor.

Prediction:
Iowa State 30
Nebraska 28

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Iowa State to play Service Academies in the future...

Iowa State will host Nebraska this weekend in a Big 12 football game, but in the future, the OOC schedule will include Army, Air Force and Navy.

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Texas gets it done over Oklahoma in Red River Rivalry

Mission Accomplished!

I guess Texas has a pretty good team in '08. How far they go is yet to be determined, but teams that have solid quarterback play, a strong offensive and defensive line are teams that always deserve some respect, even from OU fans.

Texas Tech gets it done too. But, who have they really played to date? Nebraska isn't a strong program and to coach Bo Pelini's credit... the Cornhuskers were close to finishing a key road test.

Oklahoma State beats Missouri in Columbia. I certainly haven't given Okie State the props they deserve with a great start in '08.

The Big 12 Conference will likely see some teams beat up on one another from here on out.

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Big Ten Conference: Top 20 OOC games for '08

Conference bragging rights are always a great debate. Here's my Top 20 OOC games for Big Ten teams in '08...

• 1. #1 Ohio State at. #2 USC... Buckeyes are playing for a lot in this one on the road to the BCS in '08


• 2. #16t Illinois vs. #6 Missouri at St. Louis... #1 OOC rivalry today for a Big Ten team...


• 3. #11 Wisconsin at #25 Fresno State... a great game for UW, but shouldn't the Badgers play an OOC BCS team too?


• 4. Michigan State at California... classic Big Ten vs. Pac Ten 2nd tier match up for '08...


• 5. Purdue vs. #20 Oregon... another 2nd tier Big Ten vs Pac Ten, w/ Big Ten hosting...


• 6. Michigan vs. Utah... after last year's Appalachian State game, this one should be on the must watch list...


• 7. Michigan at Notre Dame... are the Fighting Irish back in '08?


• 8. Iowa at Pittsburgh... why isn't Penn State playing Pitt... Iowa plays Iowa State each year?


• 9. Michigan State vs. Notre Dame... are the Spartans for real?


• 10. Purdue at Notre Dame... this will be Joe Tiller's chance to go out on top, as he will retire after '08 from his head coaching job for the Boilermakers...


• 11. Penn State vs. Oregon State... 4th Big Ten vs. Pac Ten match up in '08...


• 12. Purdue vs. Central Michigan... both teams are playing 3rd game in nearly one year between each other, wow!


• 13. Minnesota at Bowling Green... a rare BCS team for a home appearance for Bowling Green...


• 14. Northwestern at Duke... the only Big Ten vs. ACC game in the '08 regular season...
  15. Indiana vs. Central Michigan... is this a dangerous Nov. game for Big Ten?


• 16. Minnesota vs. Florida Atlantic... a revenge game for the Gophers at home this season...


• 17. Iowa vs. Iowa State... the Cy-Hawk Series is the other Big Ten vs. Big 12 rivalry game that doesn't quite have the national flare as the game in St. Louis...


• 18. Penn State at Syracuse...new QB in the Carrier Dome for Nittany Lions... danger?


• 19. Illinois vs. Western Michigan in Detroit... Nov. 8 road trip in the OOC vs. a MAC school... upset trap?


• 20. Michigan vs. Miami-OH... the Wolverines are 23-0 all time vs. MAC teams... head coach Rich Rodriquez's inaugural season could be a dandy?

One game I'll regret leaving off this list: Ball State at Indiana, Sept. 20th.

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