Don’t panic Hawk fans, the best is yet to come
Never count out the fighting spirit of the Hawkeyes
Last Saturday’s contest between North Dakota State and Iowa was the most heartbreaking game ever played inside Kinnick Stadium. A preseason filled with high expectations and a heightened sense of Hawkeye bravado all came crashing down as a wimpy 37 yard field goal sailed through the south end zone uprights.
The words “national championship” have now been officially erased from our collective subconscious – and that’s just the way us real Hawk fans like it.
My message to every Iowa fan reading this is to not lose hope in our 2016 season. The most pivotal moments in Hawkeye sports history have happened when staring in the face of adversity. From that Capital One Bowl last-second miracle catch, to Marvin McNutt’s sneaky slant route up in East Lansing, to Marshall Koehn’s 57 yard boot to send Pittsburgh packing, Iowa always saves their best for prime time.
Football, like life, is a series of unfortunate events and a collection of happy moments to keep you coming back for more. The 2016 Hawkeyes are lucky to be playing a schedule that will almost certainly guarantee more wins than losses. Iowa’s next four games are against Rutgers, Northwestern, Minnesota and Purdue. Our beloved Hawkeyes will be plus-touchdown favorites in all of these games.
The next game against Rutgers is especially exciting because of the Scarlet Knights’ lackluster run defense. Perennial Pac-12 cellar dweller, Washington, ran all over Rutgers in their first match-up. Rutgers suffered a humiliating 48-13 loss only three weeks ago. Flying out East to take care of business in Newark, New Jersey gives our state and team a much needed reprieve from the tarnished confines of Kinnick Stadium.
North Dakota State’s band lingered in the stands long after the game ended
Losing last Saturday certainly gave credence to demagogue national pundits such as Colin Cowherd, Jason Whitlock and Skip Bayless — but it also shut them up — Iowa is back to basking in the underappreciated anonymity of national media irrelevance. Colin Cowherd’s usual weekly five minute Iowa hate rant lasted only one minute this week.
My exact feelings after the game on Saturday
People walking around campus are proudly wearing their Rose Bowl gear again. The water cooler conversation around the Ped Mall today was our crazy election, midterm tests and the sudden break up of Brangelina. Life has returned to normal in the state of Iowa. The Hawkeyes will live to fight another day.