Long Time, No suck

With my offshore European betting connections drying up, and the Cyclones winning games, my betting is over. With Iowa, #4 in the BCS, 9-0, I can't focus too much on hating. Ended up a little bit of money, but with ludicrous lines with Iowa being underdogs vs Wisconsin and Michigan State a bowl trip is still in the works. As much as it pains me, I am now forced to cheer for Iowa State to win games. The computer polls take into account win-loss records of opponents, and a road win over 7-5 ISU looks much better than a road win over a 5-7 team. I'm also cheering for Arizona to win the Pac-10, for multiple reasons. First, Arizona beating Oregon and USC to close out the season makes Iowa's victory over them much stronger and helps our case to make the national championship game. Second, in the case that Iowa finishes undefeated and doesn't make the national championship, I think we have a much better chance of beating Arizona again than USC or Oregon. Third, although the Rose Bowl has Big 10/Pac 10 Tie-ins, they are less absolute than in the past, and an Iowa-Cincinnati, Iowa-TCU, or Iowa-Boise State battle of undefeateds gives Iowa a better case for a split championship with the winner of the Florida/Alabama vs Texas game. A second battle of unbeatens in the BCS would be a huge catalyst for changing the system more towards a playoff, and would speak strongly for the need for one more game.