Saturday, November 16, 2024
Back to formula
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Burnt
Wednesday, November 06, 2024
Execution
The offense has one goal across the last four games: score touchdowns.
Finding only two TDs after generating nine (9!) trips past the opponent’s 35 will get you beat every time.
Some are mad at the Looney Tunes final play- but game was lost in the second and third quarters. Across 6 possessions Tech managed only 21 yards, but State only scored 10 points. They left the door wide open.
ISU’s defense deserved to win; the offense did not.
A repeat at Arrowhead will result in an even bigger loss. Tighten up, fellas.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Comparisons
The football world is already greasing the skids to ensure the B12 only receives one bid to the football playoffs.
"The B12 is a weak league" is the leading story, echoed especially loudly by our GoBla neighbors who support the Team Out East (TOE). A little perspective:
Using the Massey Ratings site, we can see rankings for entire conferences as a whole.
SEC 8.36
Big 10 8.10
Big 12 7.95
ACC 7.84
So the B10 is closer to the B12 than the SEC, and the B12 is closer to the ACC than the B10.
But here are the power rankings for the B10 West/Leaders in the past:
2023- 7.58
2022- 7.76
2021- 7.96
2020- 7.89
2019- 7.71
2018- 7.73
2017- 7.85
2016- 7.09
2015- 7.35
2014- 7.07
2013- 6.97
2012- 7.12
2011- 6.94
To summarize: in 13 seasons of the B10 West, 1 year that group had the same rating as the current B12. All the others were worse, often by a bunch.
End of math lesson.
Percentages
Leaving Jack Trice made sense. UCF had just picked up a first down at midfield with only 2:10 left on the clock. The Golden Knights led 35-30. They had a 99% win probability. It made sense to go and get ahead of 61,498 others who would soon be walking to their cars.
CSJ staff has witnessed probably a couple hundred Cyclone games in Trice, but few had as wild an ending as the one the smart people getting to their cars early missed. That ending may be the craziest in Trice history, considering the stakes. Bedlam ensued. But the run continues.
Now a bye week for everyone to pause and take a breath. The last four games are harder on paper than the previous four, but the Cyclones have found different ways to win each game. They are determined problem solvers.
Improved health, especially on defense, may be the ingredient to carry our walk through The Undiscovered Country to the other side.
Enjoy the ride, everyone.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Steady Trip to Morgantown
Monday, October 07, 2024
Patience
Friday, October 04, 2024
Don’t step on the rakes
Looking forward, the Cyclones have lots of potential losses ahead if anything other than an A Game is played.
Baylor has a solid defense, but their offense has been unremarkable. Can ISU keep them off the board? Will the Bears rally around their coach? Or will they fall apart if they fall behind by 14?
Here are the defensive/offensive rankings for the rest of the year:
BU 28/87
WV 106/59
UCF 53/4
TT 124/15
KU 57/68
CN 104/16
UT 20/57
KS 55/43
These numbers will change as we move forward, but if our Cyclones have a memorable season it come from the performance of the defense.
Here’s hoping.