Iowa has lost nine straight against Top 25 programs under Kirk Ferentz.
- Is Wisconsin really a Top 25 program in 2015?
Does that seem reasonable to suggest heading into the Big Ten opener @ Wisconsin?
Ferentz won head to head against Paul Chryst as head coaches, last season. Chryst has beat Ferentz as an OC at UW, and also has lost the last one in Madison, in 2009.
Q. How prepared do you think this (Wisconsin) team is for Big Ten play now that we're here?
COACH PAUL CHRYST: Ready or not, here it comes. On that note (Laughter).
The retention of DC Dave Aranda (who arrived in '13 with former coach Gary Anderson) was huge for the Paul Chryst era ... I am not sold on Chryst for long-term success at Wisconsin. Are you?
Both Barry Alvarez and Bret Bielema were defensive minded coaches. Historically, Wisconsin isn't a powerhouse in the Big Ten or during much of the Iowa-UW series. Iowa dominated the series in the 1970s and 1980s, before Barry Alvarez arrived.
Heck, in the Big Ten West, the Blackshirts may actually be in Madison, rather than Lincoln, these days, as the Blackshirts tradition goes back to Barry Alvarez's days as a Cornhusker.
The Home Team is 2-6, since 2005 in this series. Iowa won in 2005 and 2009 in Madison, under Kirk Ferentz. The 2007 game, was a 17-13 game, if I recall correctly. It was Iowa's Big Ten opener that season, as well.
Iowa's schedule in 2007 is very similar to the 2015 schedule. I prefer QB C.J. Beathard and this Hawkeye Bunch heading into the Big Ten play over the 2007 variety. Opportunity knocks for the 120th Big Ten season for the Hawkeyes!
OC Greg Davis is looking to go to 4-0 in Big Ten road openers at Iowa. C.J. Beathard is looking to remain undefeated as a starter. He will become 3-0 on the road and 6-0 as a starter with a win on Saturday in Madison. Will the Iowa offense get it done?
Is Drew Ott healthy and ready to maintain the containment on the edge?
Defense clearly wins championships. Wisconsin has shown this, as a consistent, solid program, with the three wins over the past five years against Iowa. The 2010 game was the infamous 31-30 game, Bret Bielema's last (in this series) as a Badgers head coach.
However, the 2013 and 2014 games were very difficult for Iowa to mount much of a defense or offense. But, Iowa has had issues in all three losses stopping the Wisconsin offense. Nothing like the 1999 game in Madison, during Kirk's first season, but trouble none the less.
Iowa has won 6 games during the Ferentz era, but the 3 game losing streak has mounted to 8 overall losses.
Like in Ames, in Iowa's last trophy game. Kirk Ferentz and company head to Madison with an opportunity to bring home another trophy, but more importantly, open 1-0 in the Big Ten.
Iowa will be facing a young RB at Wisconsin. Do they have the next Real Deal in Madison?
Freshman RB Taiwan Deal
On having a breakout game:
“It felt great. It kind of felt normal. I just kept running the ball. I didn’t really look at my stats. I just kept pounding the rock.”
On possibility of being the starter next week against Iowa:
“We don’t really look at that during the week. We just come out and practice. Me and Dare come out and practice. We compete against our defense, compete against each other, the scout team, things like that. We just come out and have fun and have a hard practice during the week. I appreciate Coach Chryst pushing us so hard on those grinder Tuesdays and things like that. When you get to the game, you can be confident in yourself because you put the work in during the week.”
The Chryst factor could aid the Hawkeyes in this B1G game?
Iowa is actually Alabama light and Nick Saban's Alabama team handled Wisconsin well in Arlington in the season opener. The Badgers had RB Corey Clement back then.
Welcome back #87 Jake Duzey to Iowa Football ...
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