Can Iowa run on Indiana in Bloomington on Saturday or is Iowa facing Pitt or Wisconsin lite?
The key to this games lies in two area; one, our secondary is our weakness. No one has run the ball effectively against IU until they exploit a very inexperienced but talented backfield. UI must pass the ball if they want to run. Our front seven on defense are pretty good. So are the linebackers. It's all about stopping third and long and that's where IU has gotten the into trouble and seen the game fall apart. The bye was perfect for IU to get offensive players healed and the secondary coached up.
Indiana is 4-4, but 0-4 in the B1G East ...
Second, Iowa has not seen an offense like ours. Few have. When at strength, they can hit you in so many ways, and perhaps the best back in the country when not hurt. He punishes defenses, flat puts the hurt on them. Watch the tape and see how many would be tacklers get blown backwards on their butts. By the fourth quarter guys are missing him on purpose. There is receiver talent and TE talent, speed and power. IU goes at least three deep in RB but Redding is dinged up so they may dig deeper into a talented pool of young backs like Majette. The kicking game, minus last game on soggy field, is a real strong point for IU.
I still think UI has the edge, but don't think this won't be a war. Should be great game for all. -
IUHarselCo
Please note, Iowa has 2 of the Top rushers in Big Ten play. Jordan Howard was a key rusher in the four game streak, but he has been banged up in Big Ten play and he is not among the Top 10 in Big Ten games. #2 running back in all games.
Nate Sudfeld is the best or one of the best pure passers in the Big Ten. He is 0-2 against Iowa as a starter, losing in 2010 and 2014. The game in Bloomington was in 2010. Could he make it three's a charm?
Last Year's Iowa-IU Highlights from returning players:
RB Jonathan Parker rushed for a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter. It was Parker's first career touchdown, and a career-long rush.
LB Bo Bower recorded his second career interception.
QB C.J. Beathard ran for 20 yards on 3rd-and-9 on the final play of the third quarter. It was a career long rush for Beathard.
CB Desmond King recorded his first career interception in the first quarter. King returned the interceptions 35 yards for a touchdown. Iowa has returned an interception for a touchdown in each of the last seven years, 12 of the last 14 seasons, and 12 of 16 seasons under Kirk Ferentz.
DE Nate Meier recorded a career-high 10 tackles, including a career-best four solo stops
FS Jordan Lomax intercepted a pass in the end zone on Indiana's final possession (1:16 in the fourth quarter). It was his first career interception.
Both King and Lomax had similar days this past Saturday against Maryland.
K Marshall Koehn was perfect on six PAT attempts. He recorded a touchback on 5-of-7 kickoffs.
Head coach Kirk Ferentz has won 5 of last 6 against Indiana.
