Per Indy Star

[CC Mac]

In 130 years of playing football IU has started the season 4-0 a grand total of SIX times.
Let that sink in,almost seems impossible.
Hopefully it will be 7 after Saturday.

 

[82hoosier]

And those four games have perennially been the weakest part of the schedule.

 

[iu2win]

I would expect Coach Allen is posting this data all over the football complex encouraging his team to buck the trend and prove the doubters wrong. Not to say it would be the first time an IU coach has used such a tactic but it could be the first confirmation of a special breakthrough year in the event IU moves forward with one of the most successful years ever. I'm not predicting an 8 win season but I believe there is every reason to think this season is a bit different than other 3 - 0 starts; IU has balance on both sides of the ball (all too often in the past it has been a great O with no D or vice versa).

 

[mushroomgod_1]

In 130 years of playing football IU has started the season 4-0 a grand total of SIX times.
Let that sink in,almost seems impossible.
Hopefully it will be 7 after Saturday.

Unless Wiki's lying, I'm counting 7: 1898; 1910; 1967; 1985; 1986; 1990 (Why did we fire Mallory, again?); 2015. It's interesting 1945's not there---the tie game was the 2nd game that year

In any event, I don't think it's quite as surprising if you consider that the practice of playing 3-4 (generally) weak NC games didn't happen from around 1925 through 2000 or so.........look at who we started with from 1907 and each 10th year thereafter:

1907:: Depauw, Chicago, IU Alumni
1917: Franklin, Wabash, St. Louis
1927: UK, Chicago, Minnesota
1937: Centre, Minnesota, Illinois
1947: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa
1957: MSU, ND, Iowa
1967: UK, Kansas, Illinois
1977: Michigan, OSU, MSU
1987: Rice, UK, Missouri
1997: N. Carolina, BSU, UK
2007: ISU, W. Michigan, Akron
2017: OSU, VA, FIU (Ga, Southern)

Until the mid-1980s or so so we were just as likely to start the season with a Big 10 opponent as not. Also NC games weren't necessarily bunched. It wasn't until this century or so that we started playing 3 consecutive NC games to start the season, followed by a Big 10 team. Our schedules since 2000 or so have, as a very general matter, been the weakest we've played since the mid-1920s. From about 1925-1980, you weren't going to go 4-0 to start the season unless you were a top 10 level team.

 

[YOTHN]

The crazy part is if we win Saturday (big if), we are pretty much guaranteed to be 5-0 because we get Rutgers next. Obviously any B1G game can't be overlooked especially on the road but it's definitely a game we should win handily. If we are at 5-0, IU will ranked heading into a match-up vs OSU. OSU will have just came off a big game vs a top 10 Penn State opponent.

I know, I know, I'm getting way ahead of ourselves but it's fun to think about. This weekends game feels like the first REAL litmus test. Let's hope they come out hungry and break through.

 

[fieldjock]

Doubt Tom Allen is talking about anything but one game this week. The only motivation we need is looking at last years game. That's all. You have to beat your man make plays and tackle. Simple as that.

 

[MrBing]

The crazy part is if we win Saturday (big if), we are pretty much guaranteed to be 5-0 because we get Rutgers next. Obviously any B1G game can't be overlooked especially on the road but it's definitely a game we should win handily. If we are at 5-0, IU will ranked heading into a match-up vs OSU. OSU will have just came off a big game vs a top 10 Penn State opponent.

I know, I know, I'm getting way ahead of ourselves but it's fun to think about. This weekends game feels like the first REAL litmus test. Let's hope they come out hungry and break through.

NOTHING is guaranteed! We laid a huge egg against Rutgers a couple of years ago. We can't consider any game a gimme.

 

[Pigalow]

In 130 years of playing football IU has started the season 4-0 a grand total of SIX times.
Let that sink in,almost seems impossible.
Hopefully it will be 7 after Saturday.

I remember in 1985 we started 4-0, then went to OSU & got blasted by Cris Carter & company, & we never won again that year. Cautionary tale.

 

[Pigalow]

The crazy part is if we win Saturday (big if), we are pretty much guaranteed to be 5-0 because we get Rutgers next. Obviously any B1G game can't be overlooked especially on the road but it's definitely a game we should win handily. If we are at 5-0, IU will ranked heading into a match-up vs OSU. OSU will have just came off a big game vs a top 10 Penn State opponent.

I know, I know, I'm getting way ahead of ourselves but it's fun to think about. This weekends game feels like the first REAL litmus test. Let's hope they come out hungry and break through.

I too think we'd likely be ranked if we get to 5-0. Especially if we roll by MSU & Rutgers, convincingly(i don't think it's impossible), but I just wanna' win, no matter what the score, or whether we get ranked, or anything else.

 

[fpeaugh]

Doubt Tom Allen is talking about anything but one game this week. The only motivation we need is looking at last years game. That's all. You have to beat your man make plays and tackle. Simple as that.

Agree. Bulletin board material is overrated. If you don’t have enough motivation as a competitive athlete then you shouldn’t be on the field. An Indy Star headline stat shouldn’t change your play a single bit.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

I too think we'd likely be ranked if we get to 5-0. Especially if we roll by MSU & Rutgers, convincingly(i don't think it's impossible), but I just wanna' win, no matter what the score, or whether we get ranked, or anything else.

I think a win over Michigan State should put us in Top 25.

 

[Chriselli]

I think a win over Michigan State should put us in Top 25.

We are not even receiving votes yet.

 

[76-1]

I think a win over Michigan State should put us in Top 25.

Don't be disappointed if it doesn't happen.
I think it will take this W plus a win over IA and P$U... Sounds extreme, I know, but I don't think a lot of sports writers follow us...

Let's just get this Win.

You know if we Win them all we'd be kinda hard to ignore

 

[turney333]

We are not even receiving votes yet.

I think IU is the only undefeated P5 team not receiving any votes

 

[iueyedoc99]

Don't be disappointed if it doesn't happen.
I think it will take this W plus a win over IA and P$U... Sounds extreme, I know, but I don't think a lot of sports writers follow us...

It won’t. Enough people will see 4-0 with a win over MSU to pick up a few votes. Once you get votes you are on the radar and it gets easier.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

i think a win over Michigan State gives us instant credibility. It is all a mute point if we don’t win though.

 

[Courtsensetwo]

i think a win over Michigan State gives us instant credibility. It is all a mute point if we don’t win though.

The value of a win Sat cannot be overstated. Exposure, credibility and financially.

I don't expect them to win, but they just might.

 

[YOTHN]

NOTHING is guaranteed! We laid a huge egg against Rutgers a couple of years ago. We can't consider any game a gimme.

Then you obviously haven't seen Rutgers THIS year.

 

[rcaulfie]

I remember in 1985 we started 4-0, then went to OSU & got blasted by Cris Carter & company, & we never won again that year. Cautionary tale.

Yes, but that was a year after we didn't win a game. A big sign of what was to come under Mallory, in only his second year.

 

[Bowlmania]

I bleed cream and crimson but, like many of you guys, I've had my bubble burst more times than I can count in decades of supporting IU football. I agree with what has been said in other threads that things "feel" different this year, but the sample size is still small and we haven't played a conference opponent yet. Personally, I can't even think about the possibility of being 5-0 or being ranked (and we won't be ranked at 4-0, but will receive some votes) unless and until we get a W on Saturday night. And we're the dog against one of the best teams in the conference, so it's going to take an outstanding performance.

 

[Chriselli]

This is one of those games that come along every couple of years that can change the trajectory of the program. It reminds me of the Navy, Missouri, and Maryland home games following 3-0 starts or big wins, and the "Zander comeback" Ohio State game.

Starting 5-0 would be immense, and the psychological effect on the program would probably last for a year or two minimum. We would have total belief every week...most fans included.

 

[iubud]

I like at least thinking "what if"? We have another opportunity to break through. We could beat MSU. We should beat Rutgers.

What if Scott is the real deal and our defense continues to improve. tOSU game at 5-0 would be the biggest upset in our history, but "what if" that happened? I know it is hard to imagine and not realistic, but "if" we can beat tOSU and MSU, who else could we beat?

Okay, back to reality!

 

[IndyIUFan66]

I like Allen's focus on biggest game of season is the next one! But I get the excitement right now and there is a lot of stars potentially aligned for IU right now.
-Think week 3 bye week hurts MSU. IU got game speed week to week improvement, MSU came off a loss for 2 weeks of practice. (or as Allen Iverson said "We talking...practice?"
-Rutgers this year is a great road game
-Playing at OSU 5-0, would be exciting and I believe they will be either tad drained or nicked up after playing the "White Out" game the week before at PSU.

Nothing wrong with dreaming big. But stay focused and grounded. Need a great effort and hopefully big crowd Sat night for MSU, which we've played well in past and think we have the horses to get it done this year! W!

 

[turney333]

I like Allen's focus on biggest game of season is the next one! But I get the excitement right now and there is a lot of stars potentially aligned for IU right now.
-Think week 3 bye week hurts MSU. IU got game speed week to week improvement, MSU came off a loss for 2 weeks of practice. (or as Allen Iverson said "We talking...practice?"
-Rutgers this year is a great road game
-Playing at OSU 5-0, would be exciting and I believe they will be either tad drained or nicked up after playing the "White Out" game the week before at PSU.

Nothing wrong with dreaming big. But stay focused and grounded. Need a great effort and hopefully big crowd Sat night for MSU, which we've played well in past and think we have the horses to get it done this year! W!

Its hard to tell what the effects of the bye will be on MSU. If MSU just needed a reset for focus and energy purposes, it will probably be beneficial for them. However, if there are more fundamental issues at play, it probably hurts them as you probably won't fix those with an extra week of practice and might give them a false sense that they have corrected things.

 

[MrBing]

Then you obviously haven't seen Rutgers THIS year.

I have and they're not good but NOTHING is guaranteed.