And it really is a sea. Well played by ISU AD Jamie Pollard. He made extra coin off Iowa fans willing to pay the $90 or buy season tickets and ensured a sea of red. That's a win and the game was a win.
Iowa State, what's wrong with those uniforms? Very cool.
On to Iowa . . .
Here's one way to look at it, Iowa people. Drew Tate's third career start was a disaster, 44-7 at Arizona State. OK, Saturday wasn't Jake Christensen's official No. 3 start, but it wasn't pretty. He missed a few receivers, a few receivers dropped passes (James Cleveland's drop on third-and-2 at ISU's 23 was a killer), he missed checks away from tipped blitzes and his decision making in a few decisions was questionable. The 7-yard sack on third-and-goal from ISU's eight wasn't a killer, but it did end up in a blocked field goal. On Drew Tate's fourth start, Iowa's offense shifted to pass-first and Tate was given the keys. Some tinkering needs to be done. All involved have to figure out what gives this offense, this cast of characters, the best chance to be successful.
Iowa State started a entirely new offense line Saturday, pretty much entirely new. The Cyclones didn't set the world on fire, but they did move the ball effectively enough to put Bret Culbertson into place for five field goals. ISU played to its strength, its dink-and-dunk spread option attack did the trick. The spread offense, we've been over this one. Iowa stuffed Northwestern's version of it in 2000 and has had mixed results since. The spread offense is here to stay. It's going to give the "bend but don't breaks" of the college football world fits until they learn to deal.
Special teams aren't helping. Get ready for the ups and downs of first-year specialists. The history is that the gong never goes off on these guys. Iowa kickers and punters stick and stay. Freshman punter Ryan Donahue seems intent on putting this to the test. The margin of error that this team has to endure right now can't afford mulligans. The kick Austin Signor had blocked looked low, but ISU did a great job crushing the middle of the Iowa O-line. He showed a lot of resilience when he bounced back and booted the 41-yarder to give Iowa the lead. He's improving.
Reserve safety Lance Tillison was arrested Saturday night and released. He's been suspended for two weeks. We don't know any of the details, but the judgment, not just this guy's, is in question.
Great picture (actually great pictures) in Sunday's Gazette of wide receiver Colin Sandeman's acrobatic catch in the second half. You can make out his eyes, which are on ISU DB James Smith and the smackdown he's going to lay on Sandeman. Very cool, Brian Ray.