Season Opener - SEMO !!!

We are off and running with another football season. Campbell has struggled in September in his tenure with Iowa State. However, this year we finally find out who to blame. Is this a Campbell preparedness issue or is this a Jamie Pollard scheduling issue? SEMO (Southeast Missouri State) is a different type of opener that Iowa State has faced in the past. UNI, Louisiana, and our good friends on the other side of Iowa, all led to season opening losses for the Cyclones. 

SEMO has a solid runner who returns this year from a 1,000 yd rushing season last year. SEMO also has a senior heavy defense. But make no mistake, Jamie Pollard scheduled what should be an easy warm up test for the Turkey Jerky next week in Iowa City.  Although, Iowa State has come out of the blocks in the past with close one score games. Commish Prediction 1: Iowa State handles this one like George Clooney on the singles circuit, cool and quiet. Let’s hope we avoid a Charlie Sheen singles scene that keeps us on the edge of our seat with high drama. 

There are a couple of big questions. Question 1: Is left-handed slinger Hunter Dekker the real deal? Commish Prediction 2: Yes, yes, and yes. Is he Brock Purdy? No. We can’t expect him to pick up where Purdy left off, but the production shouldn’t fall much.

Question 2: Is Jirel Brock in the same ballpark as Breece Hall? Commish Prediction 3: No. Campbell has traditionally stocked the shelves in the running back room with future NFL players. Campbell likes to go with the safe bet early and give his younger backs time to develop and step in for multiple years in the backfield, in October. Commish Prediction 4: Brock starts the September games and a new name jumps to the forefront in October.

Question 3: How good is Xavier Hutchinson going to be this year? The answer starts with how well Dekker and Hutchinson gel. Is it the quarterback who makes the receiver or the receiver who makes the quarterback. Commish Prediction 5: Receiver makes the quarterback look like a veteran (at least for the SEMO game). 

Question 4: Who will step up and be the lead man on the defense? Another staple of Iowa State Campbell-led teams is a linebacker who plugs the middle and logs double digit tackles like an NBA basketball player. Commish Prediction 6: Someone will – I don’t know who that is. Iowa State has slowly been building toward Running Back and Linebacker University under Campbell. This year will be no different. 

Final Prediction: Iowa State wins this game. First half, ISU will go into the locker room with a close, tight score. The Cyclones finish the 4th quarter with a double-digit victory. Stock the Busch Light and enjoy a couple cold ones during the game.  Forever True!