“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” -- Aristotle
Everyone likes the shiny new toy and the exciting new story.
Iowa’s habitual excellence, its non-flashy winning ways, have been pretty overlooked by many of the college football pundits enamored with new-money, bright bauble teams like Indiana and Iowa State.
Both programs are historically terrible; among the worst in college football. By managing to elevate their programs lately to where Iowa has been for decades, they have garnered much excited speculation of their pending greatness this pre-season.
Saturday, Iowa sent a message. The old dogs aren’t going to concede the neighborhood to the young pups without a fight. And this Hawkeye team is not a pack you want to tangle with.
It was clear within two minutes that the stage was too big for the upstart Hoosiers. Going 6-1 in the 2020 Big 10 season in what were essentially highly competitive scrimmages with only family and coaches in the stands, it turns out, is a far, far easier task than dealing with 70,000 roaring Iowa fans and 22 hard-hitting Hawkeyes.
Highly skilled Indiana quarterback Michael Penix never looked comfortable, getting continually harassed by a four-man rush, forcing him into devastating, game-losing mistakes. The new 5-star USC transfer was easily bottled up and though the vaunted Indiana defense kept the game from being a joke of a blowout, it nonetheless failed to turn the game around, despite forcing two turnovers.
From the first notes of “Back in Black” to the strains of “In Heaven There is No Beer,” there was never a moment where it felt like Iowa might lose the game. I am still chuckling at the number of game previews I read that had Indiana scoring 28 or more points, despite the fact Iowa hasn’t given up more than 24 points in a nation-leading 23 games.
Most impressively, the Iowa defense appeared to be in mid-season form. I can’t recall more than one or two times Indiana ball carriers wiggled out of tackles, and when tackles were made, they were aggressive and executed with ill-intent. The secondary’s performance speaks for itself. They may be one of the best units in all of college football.
This brings us to the second of this year’s sexy new upstart teams, your Iowa State Cyclones. Despite the fact they appear to be in a dying conference and no other conference seems interested in giving them safe harbor from the ravages of re-alignment, they remain media darlings. Heck, even ESPN is putting aside its general Big 12 disdain long enough to bring College Gameday to Ames.
What tickles me a bit is that the Cyclone’s best-ever season - 2020’s 9-3 record with a nice bowl win over the Pac 12’s third-place team - was a mirror image of many a Kirk Ferentz-at-Iowa seasons. Yet somehow we are to believe Iowa State is potential playoff caliber? I mean, I like the 2008, Outback Bowl-winning Iowa team as much as the next guy, but Alabama or Ohio State they weren’t.
That isn’t to say Iowa State can’t win this Saturday’s football game. As noted, they have clawed their way up to respectability. Their program is currently on par with those like Iowa, Northwestern and Wisconsin, and that is commendable.
It is also likely short-lived. This Cyclone team is loaded with five-year players and “super” seniors. Their recruiting has been pretty average and the future of the Big 12 being in flux is not going to help that situation. So the Cyclones and Matt Campbell must strike while the iron is hot.
Despite toying with Northern Iowa and only putting them down 16-10, it should be expected the Cyclones will come out with their hair on fire and full of intensity. What will be interesting to see is if the big stage combined with the weight of expectations might prove challenging for Iowa State. Typically, they are the loose underdog against Iowa. Now, the shoe is on the other foot.
I believe if Iowa can play in the measured, disciplined manner it did against Indiana, the Hawkeyes have an excellent chance of pulling the upset in Ames. Of course, it’s easier to play with poise in front of your home crowd, so we will see if Jack Trice home cooking proves to be the difference.
Regardless, it’s nice that for once this game seems relatively unimportant for the Hawkeye’s overall season goals. Of course it would be nice to win, but a loss to a Top 10 ranked team on the road is never something to get too out of sorts about. Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Iowa will still be in the driver’s seat for the Big 10 West title.
And if Iowa again overcomes the College Gameday hype and takes out the Cyclones? Well, Iowa will be Top 10 and the Cyclones and Hoosiers will be in a place they’ve long been accustomed to: looking up at a superior program in the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Follow me on Twitter @ToryBrecht
