Thanks to Nebraska so horribly (and so wonderfully) failing to show up at the Big Ten championship game*, Northern Illinois took Oklahoma’s at-large spot in the BCS and the Big 12’s bowl affiliations were scrambled down the line.<\/p>\n
Iowa State, as the only 6-6 team, drew the short straw and dropped down to being an at-large in the Liberty Bowl, against Tulsa. Yes, again.<\/p>\n
Iowa State already beat Tulsa this season. The teams will play three times in 13 months. But now, as CUSA champions, Tulsa is 10-3 and looking for blood while Iowa State is on its third quarterback.<\/p>\n
There are few ways this can end well. If the Cyclones win, they’re supposed to win because they already did so. If the Cyclones lose, it’s a “BCS program” scalp for a mid-major (where have we heard that before?<\/a>) and the third losing season in a row for Paul Rhoads.<\/p>\n Now, about the bowl itself: Iowa State went there 40 years ago as a .500 team too (5-5-1). ISU lost to Georgia Tech 31-30 after a failed two-point conversion (where have we heard that<\/em> before?<\/a>)<\/p>\n No matter what happens, though, there is one good thing: It’s not Shreveport.<\/p>\n EDIT: Bowls like Iowa State because its fans travel. Cyclone Fanatic’s Chris Williams wonders what this rematch will do to that reputation.<\/a><\/p>\n *Second-most points ever scored against Nebraska (tied 2004 Texas Tech), biggest rushing game ever against Nebraska (539, vs. 506 from 1956 Oklahoma), second-most total offense ever against Nebraska (639, behind 656 from 1956 Oklahoma). Wisconsin will be the first five-loss team in the Rose Bowl.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Thanks to Nebraska so horribly (and so wonderfully) failing to show up at the Big Ten championship game*, Northern Illinois took Oklahoma’s at-large spot in the BCS and the Big 12’s bowl affiliations were scrambled down the line. Iowa State, … Continue reading