“There’s a lot of things that you get done with the game and you’re like, ‘Man, you need to clean this up and that up.’ But I like the physical nature”. Can Ogunbowale and Deal remain this effective when the quality of opponents ramp up? “I think it’s exciting that now we get a chance to prove in the Big Ten that we can be as good of a rushing team as we were previous year”.
Advertisement
There’s no time like the present.
An alliterative look at the keys to the game for Iowa at Wisconsin.
Iowa has looked more impressive thus far, and has the clear advantage at quarterback. Canzeri can make a statement with a big game on the road against the Badgers. “That’s what I like when you play against a team like Iowa”. It also is the healthiest of the contenders. Why Iowa Will Win The Wisconsin running game has been cute over the last three weeks, but now it’s in trouble. Offensive tackle, usually a position of strength, is suspect. After visiting Iowa City, he developed an immediate love for the coaches, players and the campus. The defense has remained strong despite a siege of injuries to the vaunted secondary.
Junior setter Lauren Carlini is drawing on that experience from her freshman season when the Badgers tied for fourth place in the Big Ten with a 12-8 record and ended up playing for the national championship.
“Between then and when I actually ran it, I had about 30 minutes to chew over the fact I was about to become a ball carrier in this huge game”, Nortman said with a laugh on Thursday.
At WR Alex Erickson has been the primary target of the attack with a team-high 23 receptions for 320 yards (13.9 yards per attempt) and a TD. Thankfully, there is no Gordon this year, and Wisconsin’s big-play potential has gone way down. The Huskers get Iowa, Northwestern and UW at home. Wisconsin’s offense is ripe to get shut down to a dead stop, but the defense will save the day. The Badgers have only five plays of 30 more or yards (tie-106th) and one play of 40 or more yards (tie-117th). The Badgers have possession of the trophy following their 26-24 win last November in Kinnick Stadium.
As opposed to a year ago, when the two teams played in the second-to-last week of the regular season, this will be the Big Ten opener for both clubs, serving as a potential tone setter for what each hopes is a run to Indianapolis. It has Michigan and Penn State in tough crossover games and struggled to put away Ball State last week. It hasn’t allowed a touchdown on the ground yet. Stave is improved and the inexperienced tailbacks show promise.
For now, Beathard wants to keep winning, and this Saturday’s game against the Badgers in Madison could go a long way in deciding the division champion.
Advertisement
This year, though, coach Paul Chryst had to change the plan on the fly with Corey Clement out at least another month after sports hernia surgery. The defense couldn’t stand up to Alabama’s power running game and hasn’t faced Big Ten-level competition since.
