Nebraska’s offense is certainly capable of scoring enough just as long as they don’t give it away.
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A year after winning the Big Ten West, Iowa is a bit down at 7-4 on the season.
It is halftime time in Iowa City and Nebraska trails Iowa 20-3 after 30 minutes of play, here are some notes and takeaways from the first half of play.
Last year, when the two teams played in Lincoln, Armstrong threw four interceptions. Minnesota is still alive to share the Big Ten title, but would need to beat Wisconsin and have the Huskers fall to MI, creating a three-way tie at 17-3. That’s their only defeat in 11 games this season.
If Minnesota and Iowa both win, it produces a four-way tie in the West with all owning a 6-3 record.
“It seems like a really great natural rivalry that will just do nothing but grow and become bigger and bigger”, Nebraska coach Mike Riley said.
That has created productive balance in the Cornhuskers’ attack this season.
This is a big challenge for an Iowa defense that probably has to hold Nebraska to around half of its 28-points-per-game average to have a shot at victory. Backup Ryker Fyfe broke his non-throwing wrist after helping Nebraska beat Maryland 28-7 in Armstrong’s absence.
Nebraska tied the match at 14 on a serving error by the Gophers’ Alexis Hart, and then again at 15 with a block by Mikaela Foecke and Amber Rolfzen. He sat out last week as Nebraska dispatched Maryland in its home finale. The Badgers ran up 423 yards against Iowa, springing six plays that gained 20 or more.
When they are playing to their full potential like they have been over the last two games, there may not be a better running back duo in the country than Akrum Wadley and LeShun Daniels.
“It’s tough for the fat boys”, Nebraska 300-pound defensive tackle Kevin Maurice joked on Monday “It’s our favorite holiday”. Armstrong has been nursing a hamstring injury for more than a week. However, this season, Gerry isn’t alone when it comes to defending on the backend, as the emergence of both Kieron and Aaron Williams has gone on to pay some serious dividends for the Cornhuskers defense, as they now sit at number eight nationally in regards to forcing interceptions. He’s much more unsafe against Iowa if he can run and then you hesitate to bring much of a rush.
What was most surprising, and likely disturbing to NU fans, is how the Huskers were gashed on the ground by a Hawkeye offense that frankly had been anything but explosive all season. Molly Haggerty leads the team with 303 kills, followed by Haleigh Nelson (235), Lauryn Gillis (222) and Romana Kriskova (219).
Behind a punishing performance by a relentless defensive line and an unflinching offensive line, the Hawkeyes put on an end-of-season showcase that lit up the Black Friday sky and allowed its seniors to leave Kinnick Stadium with smiles as wide as the state’s border. Aside from better bowl game positioning, they can move to 8-4 and that looks much more respectable than what the outlook once was.
Iowa has had an up and down season. Minnesota brought the game within a couple points multiple times.
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The Cornhuskers won the first two games against Iowa after joining the Big Ten, too, including a 13-7 decision at Kinnick Stadium to clinch the program’s first and so far only trip to the league title game.
