As Kirk Ferentz shared today, after his 100th B1G Football win in his 22 year HC career at Iowa, Northwestern was just a couple players away from being a better team last year. He didn't say it, but in the West it often appears it is a game of inches.
Quarterback play breeds champions and contenders in Big Ten Football Football, period. Ohio State and Indiana clearly have solid QBs. Peyton Ramsey has experience and found a good new home in the West. Unlike Northwestern, the other teams around the B1G West simply lacked experience in key areas. Further, in the West like the East, you better have a defense, which clearly Penn State doesn't in 20/20.
Northwestern has beat Wisconsin 4 out the last 7 seasons, since the B1G West begun. Iowa enjoyed 2015, but the road has been bumpy otherwise with Northwestern and Wisconsin. And, the Wildcats are clearly in driver's seat for their second B1G West title in three years. Congratulations to Pat Fitzgerald's team.
Iowa's next three opponents will all be gunning for Iowa. Nebraska on Black Friday is a rivalry game, and the Hawkeyes don't likely want to let this one get close. We all remember 2014, and the game that looked good for Iowa, only to watch it slip away in OT. Penn State entered the 4th Qtr. with some momentum only to witness the Iowa defense step up and take care of business today.
As Daviyon Nixon shared post game, we can expect Nebraska to bring their best game to Kinnick on Friday!
