For the first time in over a century, neither Missouri nor Nebraska is on Iowa State’s football schedule.
For the first time this decade, Iowa State is starting a football season without its existence as a major-conference program in mortal peril.
And, for the next few hours at least, Iowa State is undefeated.
This is the fifth anniversary of the first weekend of the Big Ten Network, which is both directly and indirectly responsible for the changes in the college athletics landscape over the past five years. Its effects have been most noticeable in the state of Iowa, through increased cable bills, the fact that Iowa State no longer plays Nebraska, and rumblings of an athletic budget no-win scenario at Northern Iowa.
A Missouri sports writer/statistics wonk knows exactly what’s being said about his team:
Fans from their former conference, with a sneer on their faces, have not hesitated to tell Mizzou fans just how much their team is about to get its butt kicked. Fans from their new conference, with a welcoming grin on their faces, have not hesitated to tell Mizzou fans just how much their team is about to get its butt kicked.
I saw two “#MIZSEC” shirts at the Iowa State Fair. The Sullivan Line has replaced 36°30′ as the line between North and South west of the Mississippi.