MVC Prep Football Kicks off on August 27Th in Eastern Iowa

Tonight’s top 10 prep football matchups - Iowa Prep Sports

WEEK 1
Friday, Aug. 27

• Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Linn-Mar


• Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Cedar Rapids Xavier


• Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Rapids Washington (Kingston)


• Dubuque Hempstead at Cedar Falls


• Dubuque Wahlert at Waterloo West


• Iowa City High at Dubuque Senior


• Waterloo East at Iowa City West

The Warriors will kick off play at home in Kingston Stadium vs. south town rival Prairie on Friday night. The Warriors top player in 2010 will likely be Alex Carr, senior RB and DB, who is gaining some Division I interest in football as a CB and RS. Head coach Tony Lombardi is entering his fifth season leading the Warriors. The Warriors return seven offensive and six defensive starters for the 2010 season per MaxPreps.

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Less than 30 days until the opening of Iowa, Northern Iowa and Iowa State 2009 football seasons

The University of Iowa will kickoff the 2009 football season on September 5, 2009 at Kinnick Stadium, when the Hawkeyes host Iowa's FCS top 10 program, the University of Northern Iowa. On Thursday, September 3, 2009, the Iowa State Cyclones will host a UNI's fellow FCS and MVC Football Conference member, North Dakota State.

The University of Iowa is coming off an Outback Bowl victory over the University of South Carolina. The Hawkeyes look to take the momentum from last year's 9-4 overall record (5-3 in the Big Ten) into the 2009 season. Iowa and Michigan State return the highest number of returning starters in the Big Ten Conference.

Iowa needs defense to excel to contend in Big Ten - Chicago Tribune‎
When he did see the field, he found himself clearing the way for Iowa's running game, especially last season when Big Ten Silver Football winner Shonn ...
Arkansas State scores big at Kinnick - Gazette Online
2009 Football season preview: Iowa - University of Wisconsin Badgers

Iowa State has opened camp for the 2009 season.

Rhoads Brings Different Kind Of Enthusiasm -CycloneSportsReport.com ‎
One change ISU football fans will notice about the 2009 Iowa State Cyclones in their first season under new coach Paul Rhoads is that the ...
ISU Football Media Day: New OC Herman young and confident enough ... - Daily Freeman Journal
Iowa State Cyclones media day coverage - DesMoinesRegister.com‎

Economic woes force Iowa schools to cut budgets - Quad City Times
Iowa State projects a 3.4 percent increase in its revenue to $43.3 million, although the Cyclones' athletic department joins Iowa in expecting a slight drop ...

Iowa State football: Cyclones hope to slow down high-powered Big ... -DesMoinesRegister.com
Iowa State nose guard Nate Frere is not predicting an over-under number for wins. He isn't going out on a limb about anything that involves digits — except ...
Rhoads ready for first season - Fort Dodge Messenger
Cyclones energized at dawn of new era - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Iowa State coach says team ready to move ahead - Radio Iowa

Can Rhoads turn Iowa State around? -Dubuque Telegraph Herald ‎
"If I wanted to wrap up this microphone "" Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads began to reporters at the Cyclones' media day Wednesday at Jack Trice ...

The University of Northern Iowa has opened camp for 2009 season.

UNI football reports to camp Wednesday - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier CEDAR FALLS --- The University of Northern Iowa football team will report to camp Wednesday, and will begin practice Thursday. The Panthers will be prepping ...

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The battling mid-majors vs. the middling majors on Selection Sunday

Who should be in and who should be in the NIT? Selection Sunday is Today for the Big Dance!

Watching the discussion on ESPN this morning with discussion of Creighton vs. Penn State and/or the University of Arizona.

First, don't reward 9-9 in the Big Ten or Pac Ten folks over a solid mid-major co-champion. Yes, we are talking a comparison with the Creighton Bluejays, which has been discussed on ESPN today. Look at the Conference Standings folks.

Creighton's 14-4 and a co-championship in the MVC is a worthy discussion boys. Doesn't the #9 ranked conference deserve two? Throw St. Mary's-CA off then folks. Winning in the conference means something, when we are talking a Top 10 conference and bubble teams.

Creighton is 11-1 in the past 12 games. Clearly, playing the worse game in their final game, has Creighton on the bubble. Which is too bad, because the 11 game win streak was an outstanding display of basketball. Wins on the road, including a solid win at the University of Northern Iowa, the MVC's automatic bid.

By the way, when we listen to Digger Phelps speak on ESPN, how much does he hold a grudge against mid-majors that beat him, while at Notre Dame or after, for that matter? Creighton beat UNI in Cedar Falls and beat Dayton, ending their 8 game winning streak with a 18 point win. The Auburn Tigers were 0-2 vs. UNI and Dayton.

The Big Ten is looking at a pretty full cup of teams entering the Big Dance. The MVC deserves two bids in 2009 folks. UNI and Creighton, both would look good in a match up with some of those worthy Big Ten bubble teams. Maybe the NCAA will do just that in their effort to keep teams closer to home, due to the economic times we all face today.

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Selection Weekend for the Big Dance: Will the MVC get 2 bids in 2009?

The University of Northern Iowa won the automatic bid last weekend as winners of the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Now, a waiting game for the Creighton Bluejays this weekend, as the Jays hope to be among the 34 teams selected as an at-large selection to the 2009 NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

Here's to ESPN bracketology expert Joe Lunardi keeping the Jays in throughout the weekend and scoring it right for the Creighton Bluejays, who had some ups and downs earlier in the year, but finished with 11 wins in their final 12 games of the season.

The Creighton Bluejays won a share of the MVC regular season title with UNI. The Jays picked a bad time to have their worse game of the season, but the 2008-09 Bluejays finished the season with a 26-7 record, 14-4 in the MVC.

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UNI and Creighton sit tied for 1st Place in the MVC

UNI's win over Illinois State 69-67 on Tuesday, coupled with Creighton's road win at Missouri State last night 65-59, as well, leave both teams tied at 13-4 entering the final weekend of conference regular season play.

Creighton will host Illinois State to close out the conference play on Saturday on ESPN2, while Northern Iowa will host Evansville the same evening.

The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, also known as Arch Madness, will take place March 5Th through 8Th in St. Louis, MO, with the title game on CBS Sports.

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January 7, 2009 - The Day After

The Northern Iowa Panthers ended an 11 game losing streak in Omaha and a eight game losing steak to the Creighton Jays last night, after the 69-66 win at the Qwest Center Omaha.

Congratulations to the Panthers in getting the monkey off their back.

Hopefully, the Jays will get the return game in Cedar Falls on February 8, 2009, when the two teams meet again.

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January 2, 2009: Cotton, Liberty and Sugar Bowl games are on for today

It was a great start to the New Year yesterday enjoying the Outback and Rose Bowl games, along with parts of the Capital One, Gator and Orange Bowl games. Congratulations to Iowa and USC in very strong performances. Nebraska pulled on their second bowl win under coach Bo Pelini, the first was in 2003 as a interim coach. Georgia and Virginia Tech were both winners.

Today, we have the Cotton, Liberty and Sugar Bowl games up. The majority of bowl games are in the books, but three major BCS games are yet to be played, including the BCS Championship game.

The 2009 Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech (11-1) vs. Mississippi (8-4) in this Big 12 vs. SEC match up on FOX. The Texas Tech Red Raiders finished in a three-way tied for first in the Big 12 South, while the Mississippi Rebels second in the SEC West.

In the last five bowl games, Texas Tech's Mike Leach is 4-1. The lone loss, the Red Raiders lost 10-13 in the 2006 Cotton Bowl to Alabama, in the Big 12 vs. SEC match up. The Rebels are playing in their first bowl game, since the 2004 Cotton Bowl. By the way, the Rebels won 31-28, in the SEC vs. Big 12 match up, to Oklahoma State

Cidsports' prediction for the 2009 Cotton Bowl:

Texas Tech 27
Mississippi 33

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My prediction for the Liberty Bowl:

Kentucky 20

East Carolina 24

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My prediction for the Sugar Bowl:

Utah 24

Alabama 35

It was a great start to the 2009 year with the January 1 bowl games. The NHL enjoyed a little ice time at Wrigley Field and the College Basketball season is beginning to heat up as most conferences are beginning conference play. For example, the Creighton Bluejays are off to a 2-0 start with wins over Wichita State and Indiana State to open the 2008-09 Missouri Valley Conference basketball season.

Enjoy your first weekend of the New Year! T.G.I.F. to all!

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