Red Zone will be Key in this Game.

[Auger]

Both Stanford and Iowa are very similar teams. Stanford like Iowa loves to chew up the clock and have long drives and win the field position battle. Stanford avg's 35 minutes of O, Iowa 31 minutes. Both run and pass for right around 200yds a game of balanced offense with a slight edge to Stanford in both categories. However Stanford gives up 147yds on the ground a game which will help Iowa (Iowa should be able to get 200 + yds on the ground). Both teams will drive on the other and both should get 4 to 6 Red Zone opportunitys in this game,. This area of the game will be key.

Stanford has scored on 52 of their 59 (88%) chances in the red zone this year. They have scored 40 TD's in those chances for a 68% TD red zone efficiency. Iowa has scored on 45 of 52 (87%) of their chances in the red zone and have scored 35 TD's for a 67% TD efficiency. Both teams are very high in scoring TD's in the red zone.

On D teams have socred 40 times on 45 (89%) chances against Stanford. However they have only given up 21 TD's for a 47% TD rate in the red zone. Iowa has given up 27 scores in 33 chances but also have given up a low rate of TD's with only 17TD's for a 52% rate. Both D's are among the best in the nation at preventing touchdowns in the red zone.

So both teams are great at converting in the red zone with high TD rates but both D's can be lockdown in the red zone. Stanford has the edge in the kicking game. Their kicker has a leg on him and converts at a 89% rate.

 

[Auger]

Three of the top B1G Rush defenses for the most part shut down three of the PACs top Rush offenses. So I like how the conferences match up in those categories.

 

[Auger]

I like the fact that MSU was able to shut down Oregon's run game and Oregon ran all over Stanford. Of course this means little but that could be a good sign.