At any rate, 1922 was quite a year for Hawkeyes football. Heck, I thought the concept was nuts in October.
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A year ago this week, Iowa blew a 17-point lead to Nebraska and dropped to 7-5 once again. And, best of all, he has yet to lose a game as a starter in hitting 61 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and three picks. I’ve never felt more confident in a QB to make a play somehow someway as I do with C.J Beathard. Iowa has passed for 2,310 yards.
“It just didn’t feel good”, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. Tevaun Smith has caught 24 passes for 433 yards and two touchdowns. They see a Defense that is 125 in passing yards given up per game at 305.5 yards per game. “Iowa has benefited from a deep group of running backs and improved receivers”.
Iowa won, 6-0. The Hawkeyes played just 12 men in the game. One of Nebraska’s biggest issues has been turnovers at a -10 on the year and losing the margin in eight of the last nine games.
To get to 12-0, Iowa might have to win another close game. Are the Hawkeyes wearing down defensively this season? Well, as much as you can take starch out of Ivy Leaguers. Even Iowa defensive end Drew Ott has petitioned for a medical redshirt due to a dislocated elbow and blown-out knee.
-DB Desmond King is stuck on eight interceptions but continues to lead the nation. Safety Jordan Lomax is third on the team in tackles with 71 this season.
Fisher made the first start of his career that day, emerging during preseason camp at the weakside linebacker position he has started at throughout the Hawkeyes’ 11-0 start.
Iowa hasn’t trailed in the fourth quarter all year long. It’s those “inches” you’ve heard Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio discuss. It’s why the Hawkeyes won’t likely flinch if they fall behind early, or if they’re down in the fourth quarter.
The team that pulled off the upset of Sparty in Lincoln?
Anyway, Iowa’s nest game in that ’22 season was back in Iowa City, where the Hawkeyes faced IL.
Specifically, Nebraska’s 39-38 win over Michigan State two weeks ago complicated the Spartans’ path to the Playoff. In 2009, Colorado fans didn’t share my concern about their change at offensive coordinator. In fact, I think sometimes you can be too conservative.
Junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong who says the Huskers are out to prove they are better than their record. And Hawkeye fans have replaced Buffy fans in hating these previews. But I don’t think I’m any more nervous about this game than I was against Indiana.
After that game, the College Football Playoff That Didn’t Exist selection committee voted Iowa fifth in its first set of rankings. Sometimes, if all goes well, a couple more. “We just have to put it all together and when we do, it shows”.
Beathard has thrown only three interceptions (against 13 touchdowns). But he’s earned Ferentz’s trust.
Jones had 87 yards rushing for the Boilermakers.
Coaches told him they wanted to see how he came back from the injury before they would consider offering him a scholarship. The next challenge for Iowa is a Black Friday battle for the Hy-Vee Heroes Game trophy and Ferentz isn’t fooled by Nebraska’s 5-6 record (3-4 in the Big Ten Conference). Who’s going to make the play when it matters most? “It starts with their offensive line”. He may be a high-round draft choice. 500 if it can knock off a second top-10 opponent in a month. Seven teams from the Big Ten have secured bowl eligibility so far this season and the full list of Big Ten postseason destinations can be found on pages 3 and 5.
Iowa’s 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end is ranked the No. 5 best tight end in the country by Pro Football Focus. Its loss to Iowa in 1922 took the starch out of the program. I’m not comparing other school’s out-of-conference schedule to Iowa’s, but at the same time, let’s all realize Iowa’s schedule is “as soft as Panera Bread”- (Colin Cowherd).
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“The season they’re having is pretty special …” he added. A converted cornerback, he is the leading returning tackler (92 last season) who’ll be a steady performer. An additional year of seasoning can only help him this season. Shifting to the other side of the ball, it might be tough for the Cornhuskers to keep up with Iowa’s defense in a few areas.
