Beating Iowa matters. Why? Because they are in the Big 10. Did Oklahoma beating Ohio State last year matter? It's what kept Ohio State out of the CFP and got Oklahoma in it. Does anyone here not want to see TCU beat Ohio State? If the Big 12 (and Iowa State) are to stay relevant as a Power 5 conference (and a school) and reduce the risk of realignment, then beating other Power 5 schools with their media coverage matters, to include Iowa State beating Iowa. Iowa State has the chance to represent the Big 12 every year against a Big 10 team.
Secondly, we play Iowa every year, just like we play Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma State, etc. Therefore, it is not at all unlike our conference schedule. For those of you who are too young to remember, playing Iowa annually was legislatively required back in 1977. Therefore we will continue to play them annually. Beating Iowa, regularly, helps recruiting in-state, as well as regionally, as well as nationally, and keeping those recruits. For those who say we don't care about the in-state kids because they are not good enough, the TOE has been beating us with those kids for 4 straight years, and representing the Big 10 while doing it. Beating Iowa matters.
Thirdly, do we seriously go into each season and each game not desiring to win them all? Do we think Matt Campbell desires to beat Iowa, or does he just look to get past this annual game to focus on Big 12 teams? As a fan base, should we not care about winning all the games? Do we want a coach who wants/desires to win all the games? Then beating Iowa matters. If Iowa is truly a mediocre program, like we as Cyclone Nation like to proclaim, then we should not only desire to beat them but expect to beat them. Do any of us really want to lose to Akron and then proclaim the game doesn’t matter. Losing to Akron has negative connotations, and we know it. As an educated fan base (as compared to Iowa) this should be obvious.
Lastly, whether we like it or not, Iowa won the contest because Ferentz out-coached Campbell. Campbell’s philosophy is that the game is “won in the trenches”. This statement of truth is universally embraced by most, but in order to win in the trenches, you have to attack the flanks and create a weak spot in the trench. Campbell did not do this. Straight-up trench warfare, with nothing but toe-to-toe battles, results in stalemates and losses. A twist in the attack (game plan) is needed to create a weak point.
In what used to be my deployments and worldly travels, it drove me bat-crap crazy when unit leaders failed to recognize changing conditions, and what constitutes reaching decisive points and maintaining agility, because it lessens the ability to assess and make needed adjustments to win. I for one am tired of not beating the lowly “toe” and not being in a position to win every game throughout the game. And it drives me bat-crap crazy when our own educated fan base does not recognize the importance of beating Iowa – a Big 10 rival.
