Iowa and USC...other stuff

IMO the two hottest teams in college football. Many of you know I am an Iowan, but not a huge Iowa fan. In fact, I am generally very critical of the Hawkeyes, but they give one little to criticise.
These are the two teams in the nation that NO ONE really wants to play going into the bowl season.
Iowa with Banks leading the way has steadily exceded ALL expectations. Picked in the lower half of the BIG 10 pre-season, the Hawks have not only dominated the conference, but have climbed the rankings since hitting the 5-1 mark. Take away a piss poor second half against a scappy Iowa State and weak opponents in Utah State and Akron...the Hawks are in OSU's spot in the BCS rankings.
USC, minus an early loss to Washington State (and someone else?)have been near flawless. On the arm of Carson Palmer, the Trojans have dominated the PAC 10.
I expect Iowa and Washington State to meet in the Rose Bowl, that is unless Miami, OSU, Texas and OU fall apart, at least three of those teams would have to lose a game anyway. If there is no undefeated team at seasons end, could Iowa face OU in the championship (if OU is the team to come out without a second loss)? Unlikely, I know, but Iowa is worthy!
Banks and Palmer would lead my Heisman list, based on what they have done for their respective teams and what the team would do w/o them. Miami would win w/o Dorsey, but not w/o Magahee...Magahee would be on the list Dorsey would not.
Brown should eclipse the 2000 yard mark w/ three games and less than 400 yards to get there, he's a top candidate. And don't forget Larry Johnson, who has quietly but consistently dominated his opponents while gaining number similar to Brown.
Banks won't get it because he's from Iowa. That and the fact that the Hawks regular season concludes today, voters will have three weeks to forget him. Palmer probably won't get it because he's in the West and folks out East just don't get to see him play. Dorsey doesn't deserve it, nice resume, but he is a product of his surroundings...see Gino Toretta.
Magahee, while deserving, is only a Soph.
Johnson, also deserving, but overshadowed by players on better teams.
Brown gets 2000, he should be the reciepeint.

 

something that annoys me a moment while I have the topic - the parallel of Aaron Brooks to Banks. I didn't even know before I watched today Banks was black. It didn't matter to me, all I had to look at were scout sheets, internet reports, I'd never even seen a picture. I don't scout Iowa past a few backs last year on recommendation.

He's much more Garcia than Brooks. They're similar, but the release, the manner of going about business, he's much more Garcia. It's like when they'd call Jeffers a McCafferey clone. No. Moose is an Eddy Mc clone. They're physical, huge receivers. Jeffers played like a big Rod Smith, or maybe Tim Brown if you wanted to go more league wide in the reference. But maybe that's why I hate it when that type comparison comes into play.

I dunno where I read the Brooks comparison - may have been here. Dunno if it was you McFly or not, and it wasn't meant in any way personally toward you, but that gets under my skin some.


with or without McGahee - tell me this. Do you find McGahee that much better than his backups? They do very well as backups. Portis was once nothing, McGahee was once nothing. Edge had one good year. Those backs just keep on barreling out of UM like nothing else in the world right now. Miami doesn't have another Dorsey. He might not be asked to do as much, and no, he'd never be a one man show. He's not even asked to make tough throws, or throw on a rope, which I've seen him do well. Very well. He's a very good QB. No one on that team deserves an MVP because they are a team. They've had too much success to see any diversity from anyone, it's just a matter of who made the play that drive.

If McGahee goes another year and does that much better next year, sure. But there's no way that I could feel like Willis is doing something above and beyond when he's just doing what Portis did, and all that went before him did. For that he'd actually have to go above and beyond.

 

1. I'm beginning to think that no one in the nation wants to play K-State. It's hard enough getting home for home series (yes we only seat a little over 52,000), but bowl games give us the chance to play big name teams. Our team is at their peak right now. We just blew out Nebraska 49-13 today at home. Score was only close twice - at the beginning of the game and when NU scored in the third quarter making the score 20-13. We held Nebraska to 231 yards (less than 100 I believe was rushing yards) while our offense had 507/508. Our QB had 228 rushing yards himself.

2. USC lost to Kansas State. That's their other loss. Our defense held Palmer all evening long. The game wasn't as close as it looked. KSU should have had more than 27 points.

3. Talk is the Holiday Bowl wants USC bad. Bad thing is it looks like it will either be K-State or Colorado in the same bowl, which this game would be a rematch for both. It'll be interesting to see.

 

Mags, must have been someone else that made that comparison. I would have never said Brooks, Garcia would definately be accuracte now that you mention it.
The only person I compaired him to was Seneca Wallace, and that's just because they showed a split screen of the two of them dropping back and they looked identical mechanically, although Banks has proved to be a better true QB...Wallce is a better athlete.
I probably did make the comparison of Mc & Jeffers though. In retrospect, Jeffers has fairer skin?

What did you think of Banks now that you've seen a little of him?

He's funny! Real shy kid when you stick a mic and camera in his face. He's just kind of "Ah, shucks" when asked about the Heisman. Never really any marketing on him for the Heisman either, his play on the feild and that's it.
Last week @ Northwestern and this week @ Minnesota you saw hometown fans even holding up "Banks for Heisman" signs. That says alot to me when an opponents fan cast a vote of confidence.

CGF, USC and KSU meeting again in a bowl game would be awesome. I remember that game, Palmer didn't really get in a grove. Played more like the Palmer of 2001.
KSU has come on of late and has played a generally tough schedule...although beating up on Nebraska is really bitter-sweet this year. You'd like to beat them at their best and frankly, they aren't even a shadow of themselves anymore.

 

OH! And Texas showed their true colors today getting bumped by Texas Tech.
DAMN IT! I really want everyone to close out w/ at least one loss. If that were to happen it would probably be OU and Miami for the Championship anyway, but it would be cool if Iowa and OU could battle for it. With all the Hawkeye flavor in OU (The Stoops boys, Long and Co.) I call them the Oklahome Hawkeyes, just for shits and giggles.
OSU is going down next week...shoudl have lost this week, and last week, and to Penn State. They just haven't dominated people enough to be considered #1 or #2.

 

I agree that Nebraska isn't at their best this year, but any win over NU is something for K-State fans when we've only been able to beat them 3 times in 33 years? 3 in a row at home is something us fans enjoy! Now only if we could go to Lincoln and play this way!

I really want to play in the Holiday or Alamo bowls. I went to the Cotton 2 years ago and was not impressed with their stadium. If we could meet back up with USC, I'm sure we'd have a different team playing than the one we played back in September.

 

Banks isn't bad at all. I like what I see, no doubt. Very polished, yes, as complete a product as you'll get. Probably not the most talented at anything in this draft but I'd say he does well at everything.

As far as here? doubt it. Just doesn't make a good fit.
re: Jeffers, McCaffrey, everyone made that connection. Saw big white receiver with a little speed, but their games are totally different. It's like calling Jeff Blake a Doug Williams clone because they're both black and have guns.

 

True dat. But a lot of champions haven't.

UT, in 98, dominated no one outside South Carolina, had 4 late fourth QTR come from behind victories, but we had a big zero in the loss column at the end of the year.

 

Dont forget to thank Clint Stoerner

 

Oh, and mags, you didn't read that here. ESPN compared Banks to Brooks.