I lived in Iowa for six years. If it were nearer the coast I would be there today. Move in day we received two housewarming presents. One was a Hawkeye tee shirt, the second a Cyclones tee shirt. Overall great people and passionate fans. Having said that, during reg game they could not stay in the game with LSU. But given the circumstances of the bowl, big deal to them, essentially an extension of practice for us, they might make some noise. The real kicker about Iowa is some of those good lookin corn fed girls have some slim pickings and you see the hottest girls with some most Godawful guys!
LOL.... I've lived in Iowa..... also lived in Pennsylvania. Actually, both those states are in my top five reasons why I live in Florida. The campus at Iowa is quite pretty, perhaps the best in the Big Ten...
Let's not go too overboard here. We've played in "huge" games and so have you. This isn't one of them for either of us. I will say the 2005 (2004 season) game against you guys was much bigger for Iowa. We were playing the defending National Champions. We were both 9-2. You had led the SEC in rushing. We had stumbled out of the gate when all four of our running backs got hurt and we were 2-2 after four games, losing back to back games to Arizona State 44-7 and Michigan 30-17. Then we revamped our offense and reeled off wins in our last seven games... just to get to the CapOne. We had finished 8th in the nation in the final polls in 2002 and 2003 and we knew a win over LSU would get us in the top ten for three straight years...and it did! So, yes, the last time we played was a "huge" game for us... no denying it. This year is much different. We are one year removed from going 4-8, three years removed for playing in a BCS bowl. The program is showing signs of an upward swing, but this year's version is suspect, particularly in our corners and safeties. We are not anywhere near top ten calibre, but we do play hard. It is a compliment to play one of the big boys from the top conference. We know we will very likely be "back in the race" next year, so we'd like to win as part of that momentum. The program won't crumble if we lose.... and that's how we see this game.
I would add.... It would seem to me that getting to play your "future" qb in this game would actually produce a positive motivation for your team. He played well late against the fighting Bielema's and the staff has four or so weeks now to prep him for this "practice game", as you call it.... I would imagine he's pumped and working hard. You may have fans on "suicide watch", but I doubt if the team and coaches are running gloom and doom practices. I expect LSU to show up and play well. Hopefully, not too well...lol...
Iowa did get a break. Had they played anyone else they would have been brutally beaten like a red headed step child bare assed...
