Iowa Highway Ends (etc.)

Many Iowa media outlets have agreed on using the Twitter hashtag “iahsfb” when covering Friday night games live. By using this tag, one can follow updates on games across the state. (Following football games like this is one of the few redeeming features of Twitter.)

However, there are at least two prominent dissenters. KWWL is using its own tag “#kwwlfnf“, which is where many of the North Tama vs. Aplington-Parkersburg tweets ended up, while KCRG is using “#kcrgfnl“.

I know the two TV stations may not like using a tag that isn’t “theirs”, but it would make following games in Iowa easier if they joined the party. In addition, it would increase the prominence of the “#iahsfb” tag.

This is David Ubben’s third season of covering the Big 12 Conference for ESPN.

He has never been to Ames.

Ultimately, we still cover the most nationally relevant games in the Big 12 each week. Iowa State likes to pull upsets, but we don’t usually cover games with spreads of 20 points or more. If Iowa State’s winning ways grow and they become more relevant in the league title race, you’ll see me in Ames. So far, that hasn’t happened, but I’ll be more than happy to make my way over when it does.

I understand his argument, but completely disagree. I think that someone tabbed to cover a conference should make an effort to visit every site in that conference on a semi-regular basis. While visiting the “big games” may make sense at first, there comes a time when it’s just time to come over. By the way, last year’s spread against Iowa was 6½.

In fact, he seems to be going out of his way to justify his indifference, like in this note for the bowl projections: “Iowa State’s knocking on the door, but three Big 12 wins won’t be easy. Long way to go still for the Clones, but a nice win on Saturday.” This may be true, but then, why is Texas Tech getting the benefit of the doubt right now?

As we wait for Saturday’s game, there is something Iowa State needs to be reminded of: Many, many Iowa fans take ISU’s mere existence on the schedule as an insult.

Read this from last year, right before the game, when Conferencepocalypse II was threatening to become much, much bigger.

For whatever reason — perhaps the 40-year break, more likely the 16 15 straight years of Hayden Fry triumphs over the Cyclones, or just ISU’s historical badness — Hawks get really upset at being told to play with Little Brother.

But, to end on a happy note, here’s a 7-minute recap of last year’s game.

EDIT 9/8: Corrected number in win streak.

Same song, nth verse: It’s hard for Iowa State to win on the road. (It’s hard to win at home, too, but let’s put that aside.)

It’s been a full decade since Iowa State last won at Kinnick Stadium. Here is a rundown of this year’s away games and how they stack up.

• Iowa. No road win since 2002.
• TCU. ISU did a home-and-home in 1995 and 1998 and lost both games. Add the 2005 Houston Bowl and it’s 0-3 overall.
• Oklahoma State. Haven’t won in Stillwater since 2000. That was also the site of the 1994 tie, creating a win percentage of .045 that year.
• Texas. Currently on 1-game road win streak!
• Kansas. Haven’t won in Lawrence since 2001.