Our View: It’s a magical time for Midwest sports

Our View

Recently, it has been a good thing to be a sports fan in the Midwest. The Cubs are winning, the Hawkeyes are undefeated and the Packers look unbeatable.

The Cubs are still in the playoffs searching for their first World Series win since 1908, which was over a century ago. After a hard fought series win against their divisional rivals, the Cardinals, the Cubs will be looking to play either the Dodgers or the Mets in the National League Championship Series (NLCS), which begins this Saturday. A win in the seven-game series could have the Cubs going to their first World Series since 1945.

The Hawkeyes have also been performing extraordinarily well and are looking to surpass the 2009 Orange Bowl-winning team. This is largely due to their well-balanced attack and a solid defense that allows only 16 points per game. The Hawkeyes have dreams of winning the Big Ten and finishing the season undefeated, but before any of that can happen, the Hawkeyes have a massive test. On Saturday, the 17th-ranked Hawkeyes will play their Big Ten rivals in the 20th-ranked Northwestern Wildcats. This game is the Hawkeyes’ last game before a relatively easy schedule with the likes of Maryland, Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue and Nebraska. If the Hawkeyes can beat Northwestern, they have a good chance at going 12-0, which would lead to a chance to win the Big Ten, which would then put the Hawkeyes in a playoff spot for the National Championship game.

In addition to the Hawks, the Green Bay Packers are also undefeated in the NFL. This year, the Packers have yet another chance at winning the Super Bowl, and this is without star wide receiver Jordy Nelson. Even though Aaron Rodgers has been faltering a bit in recent games, the Packers defense has saved the team on many occasions, showing signs of a balanced team in terms of offense and defense. This reflects in the statistics as well, with both units being ranked in the top 10 in the league. With a relatively challenging schedule, however, the Packers may have to improve for a chance to remain undefeated.

With these three teams poised to go deep into the post-season, it truly is a magical time for being a sports fan in the Midwest, but the teams won’t be able to do this without the fans’ continued support.