Quick note to all those who loved Iowa -7 vs. Iowa State

Fezzik · Aug 9, 2005

You now can have your Hawkeyes -5 -105 at Pinny. Warning, I expect this current line will also be higher than the closing line.

Iowa's 2005 season could well finally be the setback year, if they manage to win 9/10 at Iowa State (I see the upset coming), they still are going to get whacked 9/24 in the Horseshoe in Columbus (payback for a 33-7 beating last year), and 10/8 @ Purdue 11 angry returning defensive starters are gonna atone for last year's 2 point loss.

The boys in blue will be very tough to beat 10/22, and even the overrated Wisconsin Badgers have a good shot @ Wisky 11/12.

8.5 season wins? 7-4 I think, a and a trip to the crappyville Bowl.

Jarbo · Aug 9, 2005

All very possible.

Also possible that the magic continues, good teams make their own breaks.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2005

Glad I grabbed the +7 earlier!

Think the game probably closes at -4.......which is exactly what I made the number.

Yes, even though I bleed black and gold(along with Red Sox red), the Hawks could very easily be looking at a 7-4 record for reasons that you mentioned.

With Ohio State, Michigan, Purdue, and an underrated Penn State team..........the Big Ten is going to be incredibly tough this year.

Also, BARRY ALVAREZ will be coaching against his former Hawkeyes for the last time this year and would want nothing better than to knock off his old team.

-Fishhead-

ps- Would love to see the HAWKS destroy Iowa State!..........screw my wager!

JohnBuzz · Aug 9, 2005

Too many folks look at graduation of the skilled positions in the first week or two. I havent looked closely at this years edition of each team but ISU has not had good line play in a long time while Iowa has dominated and had tremendous talent on the O line. Good line play doesnt show up in the preseason capping guides. I would need more than 5 points to take a chnace on ISU.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2005

JOHN- Basically, Iowa has EVERYBODY back on both sides of the ball with the exception of their entire DEFENSIVE front four.

They did lose an OL to injury in the spring however.

-Fish-

Journeyman · Aug 9, 2005

And their best defender Roth

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2005

Journeyman said:
And their best defender Roth

Linebackers Hodge and Galloway may have something to say about that......as both are touted as preseason FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS by many media services.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2005

2005 CFN Preseason First-Team All-Americans

Ahmad Brooks, Jr., Virginia
A top 15 draft pick whenever he decides to come out, the 6-4, 249-pound junior has tremendous range with cornerback speed and big-time hitting ability. He has 207 tackles over his first two seasons with 20 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and 26 quarterback hurries. He's also tremendous in pass coverage with two interceptions and ten broken up passes. How fast is he? He returned a few kickoffs averaging 27.5 yards per return.<TABLE id=table1 cellSpacing=4 width=180 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffcc>Top 30 Linebackers
1. A.J. Hawk, Sr., Ohio State
2. Ahmad Brooks, Jr., Virginia
3. Chad Greenway, Sr., Iowa
4. Spencer Havner, Sr., UCLA
5. Abdul Hodge, Sr., Iowa
6. Ernie Sims, Jr., Florida State
7. Travis Williams, Sr., Auburn
8. D'Qwell Jackson, Sr., Maryland
9. Will Derting, Sr., Washington State
10. Justin London, Sr., UCLA
11. Kevin Simon, Sr., Tennessee
12. Gerris Wilkinson, Sr., Georgia Tech
13. LaMarr Woodley, Jr., Michigan (DE)
14. A.J. Nicholson, Sr.. Florida State
15. Kai Parham, Jr., Virginia
16. Brian Toal, Soph., Boston College
17. Nick Reid, Sr., Kansas
18. Bernard Davis, Sr., Troy
19. Rufus Alexander, Jr., Oklahoma
20. Moses Osemwegie, Sr., Vanderbilt
21. H.B. Blades, Jr., Pittsburgh
22. Aaron Harris, Sr., Texas
23. DeMeco Ryans, Sr., Alabama
24. Rocky McIntosh, Sr., Miami
25. Tim McGarigle, Sr., Northwestern
26. Paul Posluszny, Jr., Penn State
27. Omar Gaither, Sr., Tennessee
28. Bobby Carpenter, Sr., Ohio State
29. Patrick Willis, Jr., Ole Miss
30. Dontez Sanders, Sr., Wisconsin</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Chad Greenway, Sr., Iowa
Greenway went from being a good tackler to a great all-around player with three interceptions and another defensive back in pass coverage. He never, ever missed a one-on-one tackle and is strong at shedding blocks and stopping the run.

A.J. Hawk, Sr., Ohio State
Hawk likely would've been a first round draft pick had he left school a year early. A tackling machine with 273 career stops with 24.5 tackles for loss and six interceptions, the 238-pound Hawk ripped off a 4.46 40-yard dash time proving that he doesn't just look fast when chasing down ball-carriers. In a good year for college football linebackers, Hawk will be at the head of the class with his tremendous instincts, production and toughness.

2005 CFN Preseason Second-Team All-Americans
Spencer Havner, Sr., UCLA
Havner was a one man gang last year cleaning up everything the line couldn't take care of. He could've left for the NFL and been around a third-round draft pick, but he came back to give the Bruins one of the nation's best linebackers, and to try to get a little bit bigger and faster. While not a blazer, he's more than quick enough in traffic to make plays and is tough as nails against the run.

Abdul Hodge, Sr., Iowa
If he isn't the best middle linebacker in college football, he's in the team photo. He has 295 career tackles with the speed of a defensive back to get in the backfield and chase down ball carriers from sideline-to-sideline.

Ernie Sims, Jr., Florida State
He's ready for the NFL right now. He has defensive back athleticism and huge hitting ability on the strongside. The only knock is that he isn't that big at only 6-0 and 220 pounds, otherwise he's a first round talent with unbelievable range and superior closing ability when he gets into the backfield.

Fishhead · Aug 9, 2005

JMAN-- Do agree with you, ROTH was the best defensive player on the team last year probably.

Don't mean to downplay that fact or disagree with your assessment.

-FISH-

viking611 · Aug 9, 2005

Hodge and Greenway best linebacker tandem in the nation. Greenway will be top LB taken in the draft. I'm on Iowa -5.

outhousetim · Aug 10, 2005

Line opened 8 or 8.5

Which I took, as my numbers say the line should be under 7. Iowa is a decent, not great team with a really great coach. Should be a close game.

TTinCO · Aug 10, 2005

Well, I'm bucking the world here, and I don't think that Iowa is going to be as mediocre as everything thinks, and I also don't think that ISU is going to be as good as everyone thinks.

A lot of logic seems to become meaningless when you are talking about such a heated rivalry, but I still think that Iowa is a much better team. I have a rule about not playing heavy on rivalries, but I'll be adding to my stake now.

GreenDoberman · Aug 10, 2005

Iowa is loading up for the future. The job recruiting has been nothing short of phenomenal, as I'm sure our 348 posters from Iowa will tell you daily starting in September.

Jarbo · Aug 10, 2005

GreenDoberman said:
Iowa is loading up for the future. The job recruiting has been nothing short of phenomenal, as I'm sure our 348 posters from Iowa will tell you daily starting in September.

We are up to 350 now. Fishhead had twins!

:monsters-

It's Great To Be A Hawkeye!!!!

arty:

Fishhead · Aug 10, 2005

TTinCO said:
Well, I'm bucking the world here, and I don't think that Iowa is going to be as mediocre as everything thinks, and I also don't think that ISU is going to be as good as everyone thinks.

A lot of logic seems to become meaningless when you are talking about such a heated rivalry, but I still think that Iowa is a much better team. I have a rule about not playing heavy on rivalries, but I'll be adding to my stake now.

Don't think anybody is really saying Iowa is going to be medocre considering they have their entire offense back and at least 3 2005 All-Americans in all liklihood back on defense from a team that finished the season ranked #8 in the country.

iahawk40 · Aug 10, 2005

Cool, I've always wanted to be #351 at something....:smoker2:

D2bets · Sep 6, 2005

So much for closing at -4. It's -9 now. :monsters-

Fezzik · Sep 7, 2005

Week Zero was a disastrous outcome for my Iowa State 7.5 bets

Iowa crushes Balls, and Iowa State looks very vulnerable.

Even if I win my +7.5 bet, I still played this one badly based on the fact +8.5 is now out there.

Argggggggggggggh
:icon_conf