Sunday, October 12, 2008

Season-ender: Iowa 45, Indiana 9.

I don't have any delusions about IU's place in the college football universe as compared to Iowa or anyone else. We're near the bottom, both historically and recently. Still, we went 7-5 last year and entered this season with a schedule that was among the two or three easiest to be played by any BCS conference program. Sure, we lost some key players--James Hardy, Tracy Porter, Leslie Majors most notably--but returned a bunch of good ones as well, or at least what seemed to be good ones. Although it is Bill Lynch's first "normal" season as head coach, it's also the fourth season that this particular staff, with remarkably little turnover absent the conspicuous exception, has been together. I don't think I was crazy or wildly optimistic to think that this team would contend for another bowl berth. Today's game ended any lingering delusions mathematically and psychologically. Despite returning an all Big Ten quarterback, an all-American defensive end, loads of starters on all sides of the ball, and even an all-American kicker, this team is horrid. Iowa, which was quite deserving of its win today--duh--isn't very good. Sure, they have played and lost some close games, but a quick look at the schedule reveals a very difficult path to 7 wins. They may as well have been USC today. IU's program seems to have instantly regressed to Dinardo levels. We are likely to go 2-10 against a horseshit schedule.
Box score. Enjoy. It sucks.

4 comments:

T-Mill said...

November 22, 2008 -- The battle between 3 win teams for the Bucket makes a return to West Lafayette for the first time since 1996.

John M said...

T-shirt idea: Purdue Pete and the Rock beating each other with pillows.

Rickiufan said...

Same old Indiana Football. Until IU ponies up and brings in a big name coach who knows how to win it will be more of the same. Bill Lynch is a good guy but does not belong in Big Ten and WILL NOT bring football back from the dead.
I have been watching IU since I was a kid and the only bright spot was the Mallory years. He is the only coach to have any success since John Pont.

Anonymous said...

I didn't think Lynch was doing such a bad job, until this game. Sure, Indiana hasn't been one of the top ones for years but still I was expecting more with that schedule and all.