Michigan completely dominated Northwestern, in a physical way, winning most of the 1 on 1 battles and 50/50 balls.
With the health of the team, is Iowa ready to play another physical ball game in the trenches or will the injuries and physical tow, of @ Wisconsin and Illinois, be a challenge on Saturday?
I am really looking forward to seeing how the tackles will play on both sides of the ball. We lost four good ones after last season, but the players who are here now, are really playing hard. We are missing two young tackles, but we have two new guys "next man in" or "next man ready" as KF says ...
James Daniels appears to be a great student of the game, and he has three interior lineman to lean on. Cole Croston isn't that far off the missing tackles in his versatile play in the line.
Iowa needs a business-like, game management, low turnover and mistake free game.
Northwestern will have a chip on their shoulders, with Iowa being in the so-called driver's seat, but they are also coming off back to back 5-7 seasons and Michigan basically did what Iowa last year did with Jake Rudock leading them, did ... Iowa had a fumble that lead to the short TD drive and a 48-7 game.
38-0 is more impressive, but Iowa isn't Michigan in the Big House. Northwestern wasn't tricked, they were simply out played. I do think Iowa would match up better against Michigan. The series is historically a good one.
Iowa rarely blows out Northwestern, since the 1995 transformation. Fry never beat a winning Wildcat team. Close games, like against Iowa State, rarely go well in this series, since the 1995 transformation of Northwestern.
The Iowa offense is banged up, but they certainly have more offense, than our 1981 variety, who destroyed an awful Northwestern team at Dyche Stadium 64-0. That was the B1G opener in 1981. When I say more offense, capable of leading the team during the game. We are not playing a 1981 Northwestern team.
The last time Iowa was 6-0 and heading to Northwestern was the 1985 team. Iowa went to 7-0. Iowa won 31-3. Again, Northwestern was +2 B1G games better than awful program back then. Ten years later, they would be an entirely different program.
The 2000 Iowa team knocked out Northwestern from the Big Ten title hunt on Senior Day. The first and only win Iowa has ever had against a winning Northwestern program in my life.
Drew Brees and Purdue went to the Rose Bowl, instead of the Wildcats in 2000. Iowa should have won a B1G game in 1999, Ferentz's first season, but replay wasn't a part of the game. A lot of close games over the years.
Iowa has won 3 out of the last 4, with the 2012 team (Fitzgerald's best) beating Iowa's worse team in the past 15 seasons, 28-17.
Last week, I clearly was concerned Iowa would be in a tight game against Illinois. To a degree, I think I was right, with my concerns with Illinois. They have improved in both the offensive and defensive lines, where games are played and won typically. From a skill standpoint, Wes Lunt is leading the Big Ten in passing, after two games. I believe the two WRs for Illinois are equal or better than any of the Wildcats. Running back may be equal by season's end, Justin Jackson was a stud last year as a freshman and the Vaughn kid at Illinois is playing well.
This week, if C.J. Beathard can be a game manager, like Jake Rudock (3-0 vs. Northwestern), I think Iowa should do well. Does he appear healthy enough to practice, prepare and go for Iowa?
I guess I will go with the 2000 score, which was at home, but Iowa's offense is better; ultimately, I think Iowa's defense and special teams could be better than Northwestern, as well. Defense is generally what wins this series.
The coaching staff has the players well prepared in 2015. So, is C.J. Beathard going to get enough reps in practice to keep the engine on the tracks ahead of an important bye week?
Timing and practice are important for the 11 man offensive unit. Will we see some Jon Parker or one of the other WRs in the jet sweep or misdirection?
Illinois and Northwestern ... just don't typically root for either of these B1G programs. The opportunity to spoil the 1995 Homecoming, especially those who also played on the sic 1996 team that spanked Iowa 40-16, despite the skill talent Iowa had. Of course, Iowa, like not long ago, had issues with a line coach in the program. Each time, it lead to a half decade of ugh!
It is ironic that Shaw, Banks, Dwight, Stanzi and Tate didn't fair well against Northwestern in 1995, 1996, 2005 & 2006, 2008 through 2010, respectively.
Here's to payback this week in Ryan Field, formerly Dyche Stadium. Happy Homecoming hopefully in Chicago for the Hawkeyes!
peace
With the health of the team, is Iowa ready to play another physical ball game in the trenches or will the injuries and physical tow, of @ Wisconsin and Illinois, be a challenge on Saturday?
I am really looking forward to seeing how the tackles will play on both sides of the ball. We lost four good ones after last season, but the players who are here now, are really playing hard. We are missing two young tackles, but we have two new guys "next man in" or "next man ready" as KF says ...
James Daniels appears to be a great student of the game, and he has three interior lineman to lean on. Cole Croston isn't that far off the missing tackles in his versatile play in the line.
Iowa needs a business-like, game management, low turnover and mistake free game.
Northwestern will have a chip on their shoulders, with Iowa being in the so-called driver's seat, but they are also coming off back to back 5-7 seasons and Michigan basically did what Iowa last year did with Jake Rudock leading them, did ... Iowa had a fumble that lead to the short TD drive and a 48-7 game.
38-0 is more impressive, but Iowa isn't Michigan in the Big House. Northwestern wasn't tricked, they were simply out played. I do think Iowa would match up better against Michigan. The series is historically a good one.
Iowa rarely blows out Northwestern, since the 1995 transformation. Fry never beat a winning Wildcat team. Close games, like against Iowa State, rarely go well in this series, since the 1995 transformation of Northwestern.
The Iowa offense is banged up, but they certainly have more offense, than our 1981 variety, who destroyed an awful Northwestern team at Dyche Stadium 64-0. That was the B1G opener in 1981. When I say more offense, capable of leading the team during the game. We are not playing a 1981 Northwestern team.
The last time Iowa was 6-0 and heading to Northwestern was the 1985 team. Iowa went to 7-0. Iowa won 31-3. Again, Northwestern was +2 B1G games better than awful program back then. Ten years later, they would be an entirely different program.
The 2000 Iowa team knocked out Northwestern from the Big Ten title hunt on Senior Day. The first and only win Iowa has ever had against a winning Northwestern program in my life.
Drew Brees and Purdue went to the Rose Bowl, instead of the Wildcats in 2000. Iowa should have won a B1G game in 1999, Ferentz's first season, but replay wasn't a part of the game. A lot of close games over the years.
Iowa has won 3 out of the last 4, with the 2012 team (Fitzgerald's best) beating Iowa's worse team in the past 15 seasons, 28-17.
Last week, I clearly was concerned Iowa would be in a tight game against Illinois. To a degree, I think I was right, with my concerns with Illinois. They have improved in both the offensive and defensive lines, where games are played and won typically. From a skill standpoint, Wes Lunt is leading the Big Ten in passing, after two games. I believe the two WRs for Illinois are equal or better than any of the Wildcats. Running back may be equal by season's end, Justin Jackson was a stud last year as a freshman and the Vaughn kid at Illinois is playing well.
This week, if C.J. Beathard can be a game manager, like Jake Rudock (3-0 vs. Northwestern), I think Iowa should do well. Does he appear healthy enough to practice, prepare and go for Iowa?
I guess I will go with the 2000 score, which was at home, but Iowa's offense is better; ultimately, I think Iowa's defense and special teams could be better than Northwestern, as well. Defense is generally what wins this series.
The coaching staff has the players well prepared in 2015. So, is C.J. Beathard going to get enough reps in practice to keep the engine on the tracks ahead of an important bye week?
Timing and practice are important for the 11 man offensive unit. Will we see some Jon Parker or one of the other WRs in the jet sweep or misdirection?
Illinois and Northwestern ... just don't typically root for either of these B1G programs. The opportunity to spoil the 1995 Homecoming, especially those who also played on the sic 1996 team that spanked Iowa 40-16, despite the skill talent Iowa had. Of course, Iowa, like not long ago, had issues with a line coach in the program. Each time, it lead to a half decade of ugh!
It is ironic that Shaw, Banks, Dwight, Stanzi and Tate didn't fair well against Northwestern in 1995, 1996, 2005 & 2006, 2008 through 2010, respectively.
Here's to payback this week in Ryan Field, formerly Dyche Stadium. Happy Homecoming hopefully in Chicago for the Hawkeyes!
peace
