Last week was a rougher week from a prediction standpoint. But Russell came through with the best week:

WEEK 2

Russell Kennerly 15-10 .600
Jason Baier 17-12 .586
Humble Narrator 16-13 .552

OVERALL STANDINGS

Jason Baier 34-13 .723
Russell Kennerly 29-12 .707
Humble Narrator 30-17 .638

What is there to say about the Kansas State game? Iowa State made a huge improvement. Moving Miller to the middle linebacker made a huge difference. Cotton-Moya is the real deal. The hit he laid on Jake Waters to preserve the Cyclone lead was huge. But the defense still needs a ton of improvement, but it sure looks better when there is a Knott out there.

Jarvis West. So glad that they rediscovered him. Nealy should be the starting running back. Nothing against Wimberly, but Nealy is the bigger talent. Nealy should have been in there on that 3rd and 1. Richardson also looked really good.

We were close, but that doesn’t make me feel much better.

I’m not going to talk about the refs, but are we ever going to be the beneficiary of a terrible call? Are we always going to be the victim?

A couple things are worrisome though.

1. We haven’t scored in the 2nd half yet.
2. We haven’t forced a turnover yet.

I expect both of those things to change on Saturday.

THE ONLY GAME THAT MATTERS

Iowa State is already dominating this year’s Cy-Hawk Series. The Cyclone Women’s Soccer team whipped the Hawks last Friday.

Now we play them in real football.

Kansas State was a bigger, faster, stronger North Dakota State.

Iowa is a slower, less athletic Kansas State.

If Iowa State plays like they did against the Wildcats on Saturday, I don’t see how this game is even close.

I don’t see how Iowa will be able to move the ball against fast, athletic players like Mutcherson, Cotton-Moya, Tribune, Knott, and Morrissey.

I don’t know how a slow unathletic defense like Iowa’s defends guys like West, Bibbs, Lazzard, Nealy, Daley, Wimberly, and Montgomery.

If there best player plays or doesn’t play, it won’t change this outcome.

Iowa State 42 Iowa 7

OTHER CYCLONE STATE GAMES

UNI must be desperate for money. They are cashing 2 checks from FBS schools this year. If Hawaii counts as an FBS school. I’m not sure that they do.

UNI (0-1) clips Hawaii (0-2)

Drake, cashing a check to play a scholarship school.

Western Illinois (1-1) punishes Drake (1-1)

#1 Grand View has the week off.

TOP 25 MATCHUP

#6 Georgia (1-0) punks #24 South Carolina (1-1)

BIG 12 MATCHUPS

#8 Baylor humiliates Buffalo (1-1) FRIDAY GAME
West Virginia (1-1) by 21 over Maryland (2-0) – The difference between a Big 12 and a Big Ten team
Duke (2-0) crushes Kansas (1-0) – Who asked these schools to play in football?
Texas Tech (2-0) barely gets by Arkansas (1-1)
TCU (1-0) by 21 over Minnesota (2-0) – The difference between a Big 12 and a Big Ten team.
Oklahoma State (1-1) struggles to get by UTSA (1-1) Quick question: Who coaches UTSA?
Overrated #12 UCLA (2-0) gets by Texas’ JV (1-1)
#4 Oklahoma (2-0) by 15 over Tennessee (2-0), despite RMK asserting that they can ball.

BIG TEN GAME OF THE WEEK

Penn State (2-0) gives Rutgers (2-0) a rude introduction to the Big Ten

SEC GAME OF THE WEEK

Florida (1-0) over Kentucky (2-0)

PAC 12 GAME OF THE WEEK

Nevada (2-0) upsets Arizona (2-0)

ACC GAME OF THE WEEK

#21 Louisville (2-0) continues domination of ACC by whooping Virginia (1-1)

This conference is such a joke.

COACH MAC BOWL WATCH

I apologize for ever doubting Coach Mac. I won’t do it again. Last week he was so dominant that he ended the opposes coach’s career.

North Texas (1-1) pounds Louisiana Tech (1-1) THURSDAY GAME

NFL GAMES OF MODERATE INTEREST

Steelers (1-0) over Ravens (0-1) THURSDAY GAME
Dolphins (1-0) over Bills (1-0)
Titans (1-0) over Sir Interception and the Cowboys (0-1)
Falcons (1-0) over Bengals (1-0)
Seahawks (1-0) over Chargers
Packers (0-1) over Jets (1-0)
Broncos (1-0) humiliate Chiefs (0-1)
49ers (1-0) over the overhyped Bears (0-1)
Colts (0-1) over Eagles (1-0)

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

It kills me to say it, (not really, but just go with it) but it looks like the mighty Toreadors are pretty terrible. In the first week of the season they lost to a school that is so embarrassed by the town it is in that it goes by some completely made up name. Then in week 2 they got crushed, mercilessly, at home, during Pufferbilly Days by a town thats only claim to fame is a decent grill-your-own-steak restaurant and a school district filled with rich kids from Ames. Story County’s version of urban flight I guess.

What really kills me to say is that I just don’t see any way the Toreadors can go on the road and beat the #7 team in the state, even though that team has that most generic of nicknames.

Humboldt Wildcats (2-0) slam the Boone Toreadors (0-2)

Fort Dodge’s opponent has (while originalish… I guess…) nickname, it is so stupid that I have to pick against it.

Fort Dodge Dodgers (1-1) big over the Waterloo West Wahawks (0-2)

Audubon also plays a team from the Generic Nickname Top 5. #2 I do believe and the second time it has shown up in this prognostication list already:

Audubon Wheelers slip by the Griswold Tigers

As always, feel free to make your own picks in the COMMENTS section below.