Where does this S16 game rank?

[JayDeeSC]

Where would you rank tonight's game in the Top 10 for the Iowa athletics program (not including wrestling) in the last 25 years based only on stakes going into the game? Not outcome in hindsight. I realize 100% of the pressure is on Nebraska tonight, but surely the program is not interested in the consolation prize of simply being there, especially with a "winnable" game. I'm putting it in my Top 10. Here's where I land right now:

1. 2024 National Championship Game against South Carolina (WBB).
2. 2023 National Championship Game against LSU (WBB).
3. 2015 B1G Championship Game against Michigan State (FB).
4. 2003 Orange Bowl against USC (FB).
5. 2023 Final Four Game against South Carolina (WBB).
6. 2024 Final Four Game against UCONN (WBB).
7. 2022 B1G Championship Game against Purdue (MBB).
8. 2024 Elite Eight Game against LSU (WBB).
9. 2010 Orange Bowl against GT (FB).
10. 2026 Sweet 16 Game against UNL (MBB).

Glaring omissions include the B1G Championship games against Michigan, but in my mind, there were no stakes because there was no reasonable possibility of winning those games. This is open to scrutiny.

EDIT - Fixed years of WBB championships.

 

[Amahawk]

About right!

 

[Burghawk87]

(You gotta bump those years up for the title games) but otherwise I pretty much agree with the breakdown.

 

[TampaHawkFan]

I'd probably move that 2003 Orange Bowl down some given that Iowa wasn't playing for a national title that night, or even the chance to play for one. Otherwise I'd say that list looks about right.

I'm also not sure about the stakes of that 2022 Big 10 title game at least in comparison to #8 (getting to the Final Four is a huge deal IMO). It's always significant to win some hardware and it was a very cool moment, though. Was it any more significant than the 2001 or 2006 BTT titles?

 

[JayDeeSC]

I'd probably move that 2003 Orange Bowl down some given that Iowa wasn't playing for a national title that night, or even the chance to play for one. Otherwise I'd say that list looks about right.

I'm also not sure about the stakes of that 2022 Big 10 title game at least in comparison to #8 (getting to the Final Four is a huge deal IMO). It's always significant to win some hardware and it was a very cool moment, though. Was it any more significant than the 2001 or 2006 BTT titles?

That's a good point about '22 versus those earlier championship games. Probably some recency bias. However, given that run in the tournament, it felt like Fran was finally going to break through his ceiling.

He did not.

 

[TampaHawkFan]

That's a good point about '22 versus those earlier championship games. Probably some recency bias. However, given that run in the tournament, it felt like Fran was finally going to break through his ceiling.

He did not.

Fair point. It definitely had that feeling to it. Most of us thought Iowa was built to go on a run that year and the recent trend at the time had been upwards.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Not going to over analyze that list, but it seems that FB vs. Minn in ‘02 and Wisky in ‘04 should be in there somewhere, since the “stakes” were an elusive conference championship.

 

[HawkAlum2002]

Baseball has had a couple regional finals to get to the super regional in 2015 and 2023 but came up short both times. The Gustafson women's team vs Baylor in the Elite 8 and Clark's freshman year sweet 16 against UConn both seemed pretty big given the brand of their opponents, though much like the two B10 football title games vs. Michigan we were significant underdogs. Only the Baylor game would possibly crack top ten though had it not been overshadowed by the back to back finals. B10 basketball tournaments are pretty meaningless unless it's like 2001 or 2002 when we had to win to get in the NCAA tournament.

 

[TheGuy9]

This is a recency biased list. Where is Dan Gables first Wrestling title and don't tell me that wrestling doesn't matter. It matters just as much as women's basketball. Just saying.

 

[TampaHawkFan]

This is a recency biased list. Where is Dan Gables first Wrestling title and don't tell me that wrestling doesn't matter. It matters just as much as women's basketball. Just saying.

This post is specific to the past 25 years. Still, it appears there have been some national titles in that time. I don't follow wrestling but a quick google search comes in handy.

 

[JayDeeSC]

This is a recency biased list. Where is Dan Gables first Wrestling title and don't tell me that wrestling doesn't matter. It matters just as much as women's basketball. Just saying.

I stuck to the past 25 years, and I excluded wrestling because it simply doesn't bring the national notoriety that the other sports do, including women's basketball thanks to Caitlin Clark. Certainly, though, wrestling has been the most successful program of any during that time.

 

[JayDeeSC]

Not going to over analyze that list, but it seems that FB vs. Minn in ‘02 and Wisky in ‘04 should be in there somewhere, since the “stakes” were an elusive conference championship.

Great point.

 

[JayDeeSC]

This post is specific to the past 25 years. Still, it appears there have been some national titles in that time. I don't follow wrestling but a quick google search comes in handy.

To be fair, we knew Iowa was going to win most of those championships before the teams even entered the arenas. For the most part, those championships were foregone conclusions. Plus, it is a different type of competition than a "game." Different kind of tension.

 

[TampaHawkFan]

To be fair, we knew Iowa was going to win most of those championships before the teams even entered the arenas. For the most part, those championships were foregone conclusions. Plus, it is a different type of competition than a "game." Different kind of tension.

Yeah I don't really even understand how the championships really even work, to be honest. If I'm not mistaken, they are earned at the player level rather than the TEAM winning it? Or something like that.

Gotta say, even though this Sweet 16 doesn't rank at the top in terms of the stakes, or really even all that close, Iowa men's hoops has always been my #1 passion, so I'm definitely pretty amped for this more than I've been for any game since probably at least 1999... Mostly just excited but there's also a little bit of nervous energy since it's been so long.

 

[herkyou2]

Personally i would have to have the Rose Bowl over both Orange Bowls. I know it was a blow out but coming off that close loss to MSU and growing up traditional B1G the Rose was always more important. Even after Iowa beat Minnesota the players had Rose's not Oranges lol...even though they ended up playing in the Orange.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I stuck to the past 25 years, and I excluded wrestling because it simply doesn't bring the national notoriety that the other sports do, including women's basketball thanks to Caitlin Clark. Certainly, though, wrestling has been the most successful program of any during that time.

Thanks for pointing out it was for the last 25 years.

Iowa v Michigan in '85 was like a playoff game for a Natty.

 

[JayDeeSC]

Thanks for pointing out it was for the last 25 years.

Iowa v Michigan in '85 was like a playoff game for a Natty.

No doubt.

 

[HawksRule25]