BLACK FRIDAY!

Its Black Friday! The Heroes Game is upon us, and I have been anticipating this game since I first heard Nebraska was joining the Big Ten. It is on!!! This game may not be a huge rivalry yet, but in my opinion, it's well on its way. Apparently the Big Ten thinks so too, considering they immediately made this a trophy game and scheduled it for a national tv slot on Black Friday.


Anyways, to the game. Nebraska's offense WILL give Iowa headaches all day. Mobile quarterback in Taylor Martinez, and Rex Burkhead will make it even tougher to stop the offense. The Huskers generally cannot pass well, but their rushing attack is what has been and will always be their forte. To put it in perspective, Marcus Coker averages 117.9 yards per game, second in the Big Ten only to Montee Ball of Wisconsin. However, even with Coker, Nebraska's offense as a whole averages 76 more rushing yards than Iowa per game. That means Burkhead and Martinez, who work as a rushing tandem, can really control a game on the ground

Iowa's offense will focus solely around Marcus Coker today, since Mikail McCall and Jordan Canzeri have not made the trip to Lincoln. James Vandenberg will probably need to pass quite a bit today, and Marvin McNutt will probably be hard for the Blackshirt defense to handle. Vandenberg leads the conference in passing, so Nebraska will be challenged.

Just on  a sidenote, Nebraska has always been a team that inspires hatred, so Hawk fans should prepare for not only this game, but this whole future series. Prepare for a new rival. This will, I repeat, WILL be the most hated team by Hawkeye fans in a few years.

PREDICTION:

I am really on the fence for this one, but I gotta keep my pattern of picking Iowa in every game this year! Iowa pulls off the road win, 28-24! GO HAWKS!! BEAT NEBRASKA!!

Madness in Ames: Cyclones stun #2 Cowboys in Double-OT

Wow. I honestly don’t even believe that happened last night. It still seems like a dream to me. Last night was the best sporting event I have ever been to. A game that almost nobody thought Iowa State even had a chance at winning, and they somehow found a way to pull it off.

It wasn’t one or two people who won this game for Iowa State either. It was truly a combined team effort. The Iowa State defense picked off Heisman front-runner Brandon Weeden three times, forced two fumbles, and not to mention the special teams unit converting an unexpected onside kick to perfection.

Iowa State had many chances to take the lead in the game, but missed opportunities plagued the Cyclones throughout much of the first half.

Zach Guyer missed a field goal from 30 yards and Jared Barnett threw a pick-six in Oklahoma State territory, which gave the Cowboys the 7-0 advantage early on.

In the second quarter, Iowa State responded and Barnett found Darius Reynolds for a touchdown.
On the very next Oklahoma State possession, Weeden hit Justin Blackmon for his first and only touchdown of the night. After Quinn Sharp chipped in the extra points, the score was 17-7.

Turnovers and missed opportunities have been the biggest problems for Iowa State this season. These problems continued for the Cyclones in the first half of the game.

With the Cyclones trailing 17-7 at halftime, Paul Rhoads and his team were hanging in there with one of the best teams in the nation. In order to win the game, Iowa State needed to take advantage of every possession they were given in the second half and the Cowboys needed to make mistakes.

Things didn’t start well for Iowa State in the second half as Weeden drove the Cowboys down the field and connected with Tracy Moore for the 30-yard touchdown.

At this point, the Cyclones trailed by 17 points, their largest deficit of the night. The Cyclones needed an answer, and an answer they got.

Jarvis West returned the kickoff all the way back to the 50 yard line. A few rushes and a first down set up a 32 yards rushing touchdown for James White. A Guyer extra point put the Cyclones back within 10 points of the Cowboys.

As Grant Mahoney lined up to kick off, he attempted an onside kick and the Cyclones recovered it. But could the Cyclones take advantage of the opportunity?

Right off the bat, Barnett hit Albert Gary for a 31-yard completion, putting the Cyclones in scoring distance. A few plays later, Barnett took off running for a 19-yard gain, but fumbled the football a few feet from the sideline and the Cowboys recovered it. Another missed opportunity.

The defense stepped up big for Iowa State after the fumble, as Jake Knott popped the ball loose from Joseph Randle and was recovered by senior Leonard Johnson.

The offense was only able to manage a field goal, but it put the game within one score at 24-17.

The game would head to the 4th quarter. After an Iowa State punt, the Cowboys were driving when Leonard Johnson stepped in front of Justin Blackmon and picked off the pass. The Cyclones were unable to do anything with the turnover and had to punt.

The Cyclone defense would step up big once again and forced another Oklahoma State punt. This time, the Cyclones took advantage. Barnett drove the offense all the way down the field and hooked up with Albert Gary for the game-tying touchdown.

The Cowboys were once again stopped and forced to punt away. Iowa State was looking to take its first lead of the game, but Barnett’s pass was deflected and picked off by Alex Elkins.

Momentum was back in the hands of Oklahoma State. The Cyclone defense was able to hold the Cowboys to a 4th and 1 at the Iowa state 20-yard-line. Sharp came on to kick the 37-yard field goal and missed right.

The game would go to overtime, the second time for Iowa State this season. The Cyclones started on offense first, and on the first play Barnett found James White wide open along the right sideline for the 25-yard touchdown.

Oklahoma State answered with a touchdown tying the game again at 31-31, sending the game in to double overtime.

The Cowboys were back on offense when Weeden’s pass was tipped by Jake Knott and intercepted by Ter’ran Benton for Iowa State. The Cyclones only needed a field goal for the win, but Rhoads put the ball in the hand of the team’s most reliable back, Jeff Woody. The play-call was the same every time, “Give the ball to Woody.” On the third attempt, Woody hit pay dirt and for the first time in school history the Iowa State Cyclones defeated a top-six team.

What a perfect way to send off the Cyclone seniors. It looks like the Cyclones will be going bowling for the second time in three years under CPR.

Unbelievable.

-MVW

Postgame press conference after Oklahoma State win

Paul Rhoads

Paul Rhoads Postgame Press Conference vs Oklahoma State by MattVanWinkle


Jeff Woody


Jeff Woody after OK State win by MattVanWinkle

IOWA STATE UPSETS OKLAHOMA STATE!

Our very own Matt Van Winkle was on the sidelines for the Iowa State win! Check out the awesome footage he got from the game.









"Paul Rhoads Post-Game Locker Room Celebration vs. Oklahoma State" courtesy isuvideo

PURDUUUUUE!

Hi Purdue, we're the Iowa Hawkeyes. Remember us? I know we haven't seen each other since 2008, but we had met 8 straight times before this 2 year break. I guess that's how the Big Ten scheduling cycle goes...until now! Now, we will be playing you guys every year. Hear that? Every year. Thanks to the highly intelligent executives in the Big Ten, we finally can preserve the heated rivalry that is the Iowa-Purdue game. That was the best idea since the Legends and Leaders naming. Try not to get too excited, or they might just add a another trophy on to this game too

.

Shonn Greene stiff arms a Purdue defender
in Iowa's 2008 win at Kinnick

So let's just get to the point; there's a lot at stake for both of us when we pay a visit to West Lafayette this Saturday. Purdue, it's been awhile since you represented the Big Ten in bowl season, but this year you've got a real shot. With a 5-5 record, you're a game away from bowl eligibility, which would be your first bowl season since 2007. On the other hand, the stakes are high for us Hawkeyes too; we have 6 wins, but we really need another one for some insurance before we head into Lincoln next week for our regular season finale with the Huskers.

We hear that your offense is pretty balanced this season. You average 170.3 yards a game on the ground, and 196 a game in the air. You rank 7th in the conference in both passing and rushing offense. You may have heard about Iowa's offensive attack this year, which puts up over 30 points and 387 yards a game.

However, rumor has it that your defense is a little shaky. You give up 390 total yards a game. We Hawk fans can totally relate to that, as our D gives up 398 a game. Expect both offenses to have their way with some of the weaker defenses in the Big Ten.

Your Boilermaker special teams could be an X-factor, as your kickoff returns are the best in the conference, averaging 27.4 yards per return. We too have an X-factor here at Iowa, and his name is Marcus Coker. Expect to hear his name a lot in Ross-Ade Stadium, considering your rush defense is terrible, and Coker averages 115.8 yards per game.

Overall, we are looking forward to this important cross-over match-up. We both need a win, so it should be a highly competitive effort by both teams. Who knows, maybe it will even have the intensity of a cross-over rivalry game!

-Sincerely, Iowa

P.S. Prediction- Iowa 35 Purdue 28 GO HAWKS!

Cyclone Podcast #4

Matt and Drew talk Iowa State Basketball vs Drake and preview Friday's game vs the #2 Oklahoma State Cowboys!

We Are Now On iTunes!!!

Check out and subscribe to our podcasts on iTunes!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/138miles/id481681076

What the Michigan win means for Iowa

Two weeks ago, the talk in Hawkeye Nation reflected a lack of confidence, frustration, and despair. Some  were writing off Iowa from bowl contention. Now, here we are, on this familiar roller coaster that is Iowa football, with a mood of resurgence. The Hawks are back! The statement win against Michigan last Saturday provided all kinds of hope for Hawkeye fans. Iowa's defense can step it up in big games. Marcus Coker is consistently shining, and developing as a top B1G running back. We're bowl eligible with 3 games still to prove ourselves. The Hawkeyes, headed by Kirk Ferentz, have turned it around.

B.J. Lowery celebrates after batting
down the final pass of the game
in Iowa's 24-16 win over Michigan

Iowa just did something that is common to the program over the years- appear to be down, but surprise everyone with a huge win. What a win it was on Saturday, as Iowa really looked encouraging. Here's what Iowa did well: 

• The defense held Denard Robinson in check for 3 quarters, and stymied him at the 3 yard line to end the game
• Marcus Coker is rolling, and his 140 yards on Saturday added to his case as the best running back in the conference
• The wealth was spread in the passing game; Vandenberg hit 5 different targets, including a TD to TE Brad Herman and a career high 9 receptions for Marvin McNutt
• Special teams looked very solid, which has been a problem in some games this season. Eric Guthrie had a great punt that was downed at the 1 by an athletic play by Shaun Prater. Mike Meyer also made a 42 yarder

Also, its worth mentioning that those American themed helmets were a nice touch the the honoring of  our veterans at Kinnick. With that 24-16 win, Iowa is now bowl eligible. Here's the lowdown on Iowa's remaining schedule.

Iowa is currently 6-3, 2nd in the Legends Division

LEGENDS DIVISION
	Conference		Division		Overall
	Record	%	Record	%	Record	%
Michigan State	4-1	.800	2-1	.667	7-2	.778
Iowa	3-2	.600	2-1	.667	6-3	.667
Nebraska	3-2	.600	2-1	.667	7-2	.778
Michigan	3-2	.600	2-2	.500	7-2	.778
Northwestern	2-4	.333	1-2	.333	4-5	.444
Minnesota	1-4	.200	1-3	.250	2-7	.222

Iowa still has to play MSU and Nebraska, so those two games are huge for deciding the final legends standings, and who goes to Indianapolis.

Here's the remaining schedule....

11/12/11	vs. Michigan State (FW, FA, S) *	Iowa City, IA	11:01 AM
11/19/11	at Purdue *	West Lafayette, IN	11:00 AM
11/25/11	at Nebraska *	Lincoln, NE	11:00 AM

Obviously, best case scenario is Indianapolis, but even if the Hawks win 2, they are in good shape for a bowl game. With 8 wins (5 in conference), the Hawkeyes can set themselves up for an Insight or Gator Bowl appearance. With 7 wins, the picture is a little more blurry, and Iowa could end up in Houston or Dallas for the bowl game. 

Of course, the Hawks will be shooting for 3 of 3 in their final regular season games. It's hard to believe that Iowa still controls its Rose Bowl fate after listening to the chatter around the program after the Minnesota loss. One thing you can expect is that it will be a heck of a ride throughout November. 

*Also, check out the site tomorrow for our Friday Podcast on the upcoming game against Michigan State. 

-IS

Podcast: Kansas Postgame and Look Ahead

Matt and Drew discuss the win against Kansas last week and look at the schedule ahead for the Cyclones.

Pregame Podcast

Minnesota reax, Friday post part 1

This season, the parity in the Big Ten has been a real theme. No team has established themselves as the top dog, and that was made evident last weekend. Wisconsin, the original favorite, lost their second straight to a reviving Ohio State team. Michigan State, who had the biggest wins of any Big Ten team, was man-handled by Nebraska, who is now on fire after getting smoked by the Badgers earlier in the season. Unfortunately for Hawkeye fans, the most obvious example of parity came in Minneapolis, when the energized Golden Gophers pulled off the Big Ten upset of the season so far. Minnesota had only 1 win coming into the game, and shocked everyone in Big Ten country.

Iowa's second straight loss to Minnesota drew some very harsh reaction from the media and fans alike. Just listening to the post-game radio show was painful; callers were demanding that the Hawks clear house, including suggestions of firing Kirk Ferentz (I'll share my opinions in a bit). People were labeling this a "down year," and questioning the talent (or lack thereof) on this season's Hawkeye team. Comparisons to the 2007 team and their loss to Western Michigan were very popular.

Yes, Iowa's loss was BAD- probably the worst since that 2007 W. Michigan loss at home. The fact is, Iowa should have won. 252 rushing yards for Marcus Coker, but only 21 points? 2 missed FGs, and missing out on red zone opportunities? Is this the same Hawkeye offense that put up a combined 86 points the last 2 weeks?


Even though there are problems-some of them very big- remember these very important words: DON'T COUNT OUT THE HAWKEYES.

Kirk Ferentz is 89-60 at Iowa,
and has recorded 8 winning
seasons in 12 years

Iowa plays 2 more critical games at home. They have beaten Michigan and MSU the last 2 seasons, so we know it can happen. Iowa is undefeated at home this season. The team will be hungry, and the Kinnick crowd will be desperate. Here's some facts that show there's still hope; in 2005, Iowa won their last 2 critical Big Ten games to become bowl eligible and get up to 7 wins. In 2007, Iowa salvaged a .500 season by winning their final 3 Big Ten games. In 2008, Iowa was 5-4, but won their last 4 games to get to 9 wins. My point is this: Iowa has been down before, and has battled back to turn a potential failure into a winning season with a bowl appearance. Iowa has won critical games that they shouldn't have, and I trust Kirk Ferentz to get his team to battle through tough times to get to a bowl.

Remember this?

Kirk Ferentz has received a ton of criticism this week, and Hawkeye fans need to watch what they say about their coach. Anybody remember the fact that we won a BCS bowl just 2 years ago? What about the 3 straight bowl wins? The 8 winning seasons out of 12? That's called success my friends. Let's remember, this is Iowa we are talking about, not Notre Dame, Alabama, Michigan, or Oklahoma. There was a time when Iowa was a joke of a football school, and when Ferentz took over, the program was searching for a revival after Hayden Fry left a vastly improved program. Coach Ferentz has perpetuated a winning attitude at Iowa, and has made a tradition of winning. Iowa fans have to realize that what Ferentz has done is incredible, and we can't let a bad loss or two diminish what he's done. Have some hope Hawk fans, this season is not over! There are 4 more games, and you can bet Kirk Ferentz will have his team in a position to win every one of them.



-IS

Clones embarrass Red Raiders

What a crazy weekend in college football! Arguably the best week of the season. Maybe I'm just being bias because of what Iowa State did to Texas Tech last night.

The Cyclones dominated every aspect of the game and didn't trail for one second. I don't even remember the last time that has happened. Jared Barnet, the baby-faced freshman, got his first career start in his home state. He and the entire team put on a show for Cyclone nation. State came in to the game with a 4-game losing streak, the first time that has happened during the Paul Rhoads era.

Offensively and defensively, the Cyclones came to play for the first time since the UCONN game. Let's take a look at the offensive numbers.

The Cyclone offense only committed one turnover the entire game on a James White fumble on the Texas Tech 1 yard line. Barnett had a solid game. Once again, he looked very comfortable with the offense. Some of his passes were behind receivers, but for the most part he was on the money. His favorite receiver has been Josh Lenz, who passed "Money" Reynolds for most receptions. Reynolds has only recorded 3 receptions for 41 yards in the past three games. I think Barnett needs to get Reynolds more involved with the offense, because he is going to need more options when they play Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

The team had a combined 368 yards rushing in the game! Nearly three players with over 100 yards. The Cyclones will be without Duran Hollis next week who went out with an injury. Not before he burned the Tech D on a 71-yard rushing TD.

Props to senior DB Ter'Ran Benton who had his first career interception last night. Jeremy Reeves also had his first INT of the season. For a Cyclone defense who has struggled this season, this game was a huge confidence booster.

Barnett won his first game as a starter yesterday

The Cyclones improved to 4-4 on the season and also got their first conference win. Conference wins in the Big 12 are hard to come by this year. I mean Tech beat Oklahoma in Norman last week. Does that mean I think the Cyclones will win against the Sooners on November 26th. No way. But is there a chance. Absolutely!

I said yesterday when I was on the KASI Cyclone Tailgate Show that I would not have faith in Jared Barnett as the Iowa State QB until he showed me he can play a consistent game without any mental mistakes. He showed me that yesterday. But how long will it last? Cyclone fans were saying the same thing about Steele at the start of the season.

Here is what I know. Iowa State has two Quarterbacks we know "can" be quality starters. And that is a good feeling.

Go State!

Time to win back the pig!

Tomorrow, when Iowa takes the field at TCF Bank Stadium to take on Minnesota, the two teams will be playing for more than a Big Ten victory. The classic Floyd of Rosedale pig trophy is on the line in Minneapolis!

This is definitely one of the coolest trophies in sports! The classic pig trophy is awarded each year to the winner of this game. Minnesota currently holds the trophy after an upset of Iowa last season. Minnesota also holds the all time lead in the series (40-34-2)

When I first saw this trophy as a kid, two questions came to mind; who thought of a pig trophy, and how did it acquire its name?

I'll attempt at answering these questions with the help of some facts from Wikipedia (yes, it's not a "reputable source," but it's right). 

The Story of the Floyd of Rosedale (with help from Wikipedia):

It all started back in 1934, with the Minnesota football team engaging in yet another incident of racist behavior (Iowa State fans will remember the Jack Trice story). Iowa running back Ozzie Simmons, who was black, was the victim of some nasty cheap hits by the Gophers, who won the game handily. There was definitely some tension among The University of Iowa and its fans, because the next season, Minnesota head coach Bernie Bierman received threatening letters from Iowa fans who were still ticked off about the previous year's occurrences. Iowa Governor Clyde Herring said that if the refs stood for any foul play, the Iowa fans would not. This statement incited many Minnesotans, who took the statement as a threat for a riot. Bierman suggested that Minnesota stop playing against Iowa. 

Here is where the pig comes in: the morning of the game, Minnesota governor Floyd Olson sent this telegram to Governor Herring; 

"Minnesota folks are excited about your statement about the Iowa crowd lynching the Minnesota football team. I have assured them that you are a law abiding gentleman only trying to get our goat...I will bet you a Minnesota prize hog against an Iowa prize hog that Minnesota wins."

The Floyd of Rosedale trophy

Iowa fans learned of this before the game, and they settled down to watch a clean game between the two teams, which the Gophers won 13-6, and Ozzie Simmons was treated fairly. 

After the game, Iowa had to hold its end of the bet, so Governor Herring found a pig from Rosedale Farms, which was close to Fort Dodge, Iowa. Herring delivered it to Governor Olson, and the Floyd of Rosedale was born. The original Floyd of Rosedale died a few years later, which led to the creation of a bronze pig statue by St. Paul sculptor Charles Brioscho. That trophy has been used ever since.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, back to the game!

Iowa is definitely the favorite in this season's game, but that means absolutely nothing. Recall last season, when a highly talented Hawkeye team was taken down in Minneapolis by the lowly 2010 Gophers (3-9 on the year). This is a history filled Big Ten rivalry game, and both teams will come out fighting. 

Minnesota has one of the worst defenses in the conference, and has the worst offense in the B1G. They are arguably one of the worst teams in FBS. The Gophers rank 113th out of 120 FBS teams in total yards on offense. Minnesota averages a measly 17.4 ppg and allows 35.9 a game. So, on average, Minnesota loses 40-17. That is terrible.

Expect the final score of the game to be close to that average of 40-17. James Vandenberg has proven that he can pick apart weak defenses, and the Gophers definitely fall into that category. The Big 3 (Vandenberg, Marcus Coker, and Marvin McNutt) should be expected to explode on the Gopher defense. Coker has some added motivation after fumbling the ball on what could have been Iowa's game winning drive against Minnesota last season. 

Minnesota QB MarQueis Gray
averages 73 rush yards per game

The biggest concern for Iowa will be stopping MarQueis Gray. He is a mobile QB, and an athletic talent. His passing stats are subpar (124.5 yards/game, 48.7 completion percentage), but he can run, and that skill can hurt the Hawkeyes. Gray is 7th in the B1G in rushing, and averages 73 yards/game. If Iowa can contain Gray, there isn't much else to deal with. 

Prediction:

Iowa-38 Minnesota-20

Iowa should put up big numbers on offense, but they still have to prove that they can do it on the road. Vandenberg and the Hawkeye offense will pull through. This game needs to be the game when Iowa's defense gets it together. The defense, as pointed out in this Des Moines Register article today, has been terrible at stopping opponents on third down. With this Big Ten road game, Iowa's defense needs to prove that it can put together a solid game. I still think they'll struggle a bit, but hold the Gophers under 3 TDs. Iowa brings home the pig!!

Go Hawks!! 

-IS

Hawks get 2nd straight, McNutt breaks record

After the last two nail-biting contests against Indiana, Hawkeye fans finally enjoyed an easy win. Iowa took care of business against Indiana, dominating the Hoosier defense by putting up 45 points and 456 total yards of offense. It was great to see Marvin McNutt shatter the all time Hawkeye touchdown record by catching not one, but three TDs in the first half! Marcus Coker again eclipsed the 100 yard mark, going for 140 on the day. Coker is putting up BIG numbers this season, averaging 102 yards per game. With Minnesota on the slate for Saturday, expect those performances to continue.



Marvin McNutt caught the second of his 3 TDs on a fade
route in the first half of Iowa's 45-24 win against Indiana

There are still some concerns for Iowa, particularly on defense. They gave up 495 yards of offense to Northwestern a week ago, and allowed the Hoosier offense to gain 414 total  yards. The Hawks could get away with that against two of the Big Ten's worst, but that kind of play on defense probably won't lead to wins against the best Big Ten teams. Michigan and Nebraska have high powered offenses that could dominate Iowa's defense, and Michigan State has offensive experience too. It's tough to rely on your offense to win Big Ten games, so the defense will have to step it up if Iowa wants to have any shot at a comeback in the Legends division.
Iowa's offense has been stellar since the terrible Penn State performance. Keep in mind, though, the defenses the Hawks have played are two of the conference's worst, and Minnesota's is terrible as well. The good news is that the Hawkeyes can put up serious points when they outmatch their opponent. The bad news; the defenses only get tougher after the Minnesota game.

Iowa has a chance to really get on a roll this weekend. A win would be the Hawkeyes' 3rd straight, and would officially make Iowa bowl eligible. It's on the road in a trophy game, so it is not a guaranteed win. Iowa lost last year in an embarrassing upset at Minnesota. Hopefully the Hawks can use the Minnesota game to gain some serious momentum heading into the showdown with Michigan at Kinnick.

Fun Facts:

-Marvin McNutt: 6 receptions for 184 yards and 3 TDs. Dominate much?

-Tom Donatell started at linebacker again, recording 6 solo tackles

-A.J. Derby is officially switching to linebacker, and had playing time on special teams vs. Indiana, recording 1 tackle

-Neither Iowa or Indiana turned the ball over

 Go Hawks!
-IS

Cyclones look to Barnett to end skid

(16) Barnett has taken over as the starting
 QB for the Cyclones replacing (2) Jantz 

I don't even know where to start. The season so far has been a disappointment. It's hard to believe that four weeks ago, the Cyclones were on the cusp of being nationally ranked in the Top 25.

After Iowa State won its first three games of the season, they have since dropped the past four and the road doesn't get any easier. The Big 12 is arguably one of the best conferences in the FBS with 6 out of the 10 team in the Top 25. The Cyclones have consistently struggled offensively and the defense has been good but, not good enough to stop the high powered attacks of Baylor, Texas, Missouri, and Texas A&M.

The biggest story coming out of Ames this week is that Jared Barnett, a redshirt freshman, will be Iowa State's starting quarterback against Tech on Saturday. Head Coach Paul Rhoads made the announcement after the A&M game. Barnett replaced Steele Jantz after the second possession of last Saturday's game. Jantz threw a pick on the first play of the game and a three-and-out on the second possession.

Barnett finished the day completing 16 of 36 passes and led the team in rushing with 66 yards. He looked very confident against the 17th best team in the country. Rhoads praised Barnett's ability to read the zone defense A&M presented on Saturday. CPR also said that Barnett is familiar with the Iowa State offense, because played under a similar system in high school. Barnett did not turn the ball over once during the game, something that Jantz had been struggling with this season.

At the start of the season, Rhoads said Barnett was very impressive during the preseason. Ultimately Jantz was the favorite and it appeared Rhoads was a genius after the 3-0 start. I wonder how many people have unliked the Facebook group, "Steele Jantz for Heisman"?

Barnett in. Jantz out...for now at least.

Look for the ISU vs Texas Tech Preview on Friday.

-MVW

Indiana Preview

After playing what was the Big Ten's worst defense last week, Iowa gets to do it again! Indiana has now moved down to the bottom of the B1G defense rankings. They give up 436.1 yards per game and have allowed 24 TDs this season, the most in the conference. So the pregame matchup is similar to last week; a strong Iowa offense versus the conference's worst defense.

 Indiana is also similar to last weeks Northwestern offense, though not quite as threatening. The Hoosiers score a relatively low amount of points compared to the rest of the B1G, but they put up a lot of yards. They run a spread offense that averages 357.1 yards per game. Iowa had trouble with the spread attack led by Ben Chappell last season, and escaped an upset in Bloomington thanks to Demarlo Belcher's dropped TD pass late in the 4th.

DeMarlo Belcher dropped the potential game winner a year ago

Iowa will have to hold Indiana's offense this season, and the defense needs to prove themselves after giving up nearly 500 total yards last week. It is not clear yet whether injured linebacker Tyler Nielsen will be ready to go. James Morris returned to practice this week. Hopefully they can both return to full health soon. Their injuries have caused Norm Parker to get creative, playing safety Tom Donatell at linebacker last week. There have also been rumors popping up again about A.J. Derby playing linebacker, although Head Coach Kirk Ferentz always seems to deflect that proposal.

Notes for Saturday:

-Indiana has two QBs with significant playing time this season. Edward Wright-Baker is the typical starter, and has the best stats between the two. Wright-Baker is also a threat on the ground.

-Marvin McNutt is one TD catch away from breaking the Iowa record for all-time receiving TDs.

-Indiana's running back, Stephen Houston is coming off a huge day against Wisconsin, in which he rushed for 135

-DeMarlo Belcher will be looking for revenge against the Hawks after dropping the potential game winning TD in last season's meeting. Belcher is 3 receptions away from becoming Indiana's all time receptions leader.

-This is Iowa's first game against new Hoosier head coach Kevin Wilson.

-The homecoming game at Kinnick Stadium is expected to be a sellout.

Prediction:

Iowa 38, Indiana 21

Iowa should put up a lot of points against a very weak defense, especially now that they have been rejuvenated after a big game last Saturday. Expect Marcus Coker to continue putting up fantastic numbers (averaging 96 yards per game), and James Vandenberg will have a big day. I expect Indiana to put up a few scores, but Iowa's defense will again do enough to get the win at home.

Here are some good Hawkeye reads from this week:

Keenan Davis has become a playmaker
http://hawkcentral.com/2011/10/19/keenan-davis-emerges-as-another-hawkeye-threat/

Hawkeye players have hidden talents
http://hawkcentral.com/2011/10/20/did-you-know-mcnutts-a-valet-kirksey-a-drummer-bigach-a-future-doc/

Prater upset with himself over blown coverage
http://hawkcentral.com/2011/10/18/notebook-praters-blown-coverage-shameful/

Brandon Wegher arrested
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-ia-wegherarrest,0,5038504.story

GO HAWKS!!
-IS

The streak is snapped

Finally! It's about time Iowa defeated Northwestern! The 3 game losing streak against the Wildcats was snapped on an exciting stage that was created in historic Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night. This video about sums it up:

Great environment to be a part of! Kinnick pulls through again, showing why it has some of the best fans in the B1G, and in the nation.

Now, back to the game. Plenty of big moments to go around, but Marcus Coker definitely deserves major credit after rushing for 127 yards on 22 carries. He helped establish the run for an Iowa offense that had their way with the worst defense in the Big Ten. James Vandenberg also had a nice performance (14-22 224 yards, 2TDs, 1 INT), along with his receiving corps. Keenan Davis broke 100 yards receiving (109) and Marvin McNutt tied the school record for all time receiving touchdowns. As expected, Iowa's offense had a nice bounce back game against a bad defense.

Tanner Miller picked off Dan Persa and ran it back 98
yards for a touchdown.

The surprising stat of the game is this- Northwestern racked up 495 yards of total offense! How did they manage to lose? Yes, the Wildcats gave up 41 points, but the Hawkeye D deserves some credit. Though the defense was porous at times, they came up with some big defensive plays that have been absent much of  the year. The 98 yard interception return by Tanner Miller clearly stands out, but Broderick Binns deserves major credit on that play for forcing a bad throw out of Dan Persa in the red zone. Dom Alvis had some big stuffs as shifty QB Kane Coulter tried to turn the corner while rushing. James Morris was out with an injury, but Iowa still held when it mattered. Here are some key stats for Iowa's Defense:

Yards allowed: 495 (153 rush, 342 pass)
Sacks: 3 (Binns, Mike Daniels, and Steve Bigach)
Tackles for Loss: 8
Turnovers: 1 INT, 1 Forced Fumble

Despite giving up tons of yardage to the high octane NU offense, Iowa's defense showed big signs of improvement, especially by making big plays when it counted.

Great game by the Hawks to improve to 1-1 in the Big Ten and 4-2 overall. Here's the Legends standings after this week:

LEGENDS DIVISION
	Conference		Division		Overall
	Record	%	Record	%	Record	%
Michigan State	2-0	1.000	1-0	1.000	5-1	.833
Michigan	2-1	.667	2-1	.667	6-1	.857
Nebraska	1-1	.500	0-0	.000	5-1	.833
Iowa	1-1	.500	1-0	1.000	4-2	.667
Northwestern	0-3	.000	0-2	.000	2-4	.333
Minnesota	0-2	.000	0-1	.000	1-5	.167

Go Hawks!

Iowa State vs Missouri Preview

What a difference just two games can make. Two weeks ago, Cyclone fans were proud to say their team was 3-0. Now after two conference losses to Texas and Baylor, Iowa State finds themselves 3-2 and looking for its first conference win of the young season.

James Franklin is dangerous on the
ground with 5 rushing TDs

Tomorrow the Cyclones head down to Columbia to play Missouri. The Tigers are facing problems of their own with a 2-3 overall record, and like the Cyclones, 0-2 in the Big 12. This is not a team to sleep on though. All of their games have been close, including a 38-28 loss to Oklahoma in Norman.

Missouri has lost back-to-back games against the Sooners and Kansas State last week. Let's take a closer look at this team. James Franklin is the starting QB for the Tigers. Through the air, his number are not that impressive; only completing just under 60% of his passes. Where he can be dangerous is on the ground. He leads the team in carries with 83 for 306 yards, and 5 TDs.

Another interesting stat to point out about this Mizzou offense is their receivers' yards/catch. Their top three receivers average over 10 yards every reception, meaning they are not afraid to throw the deep ball.

I think the player to watch this game will be T.J. Moe who has 26 receptions on the season for 317 yards.

Last Saturday, the Cyclone defense did a pretty good job of containing Baylor's Robert Griffin III. A few calls didn't go ISU's way and a huge turnover in the red zone killed them. But what we did see was a great opening quarter out of Jantz and the Cyclone offense.

#20 Jake Knott has lead the
Cyclone defense this year

James White has emerged as the new starting running back for Iowa State. Shontrelle Johnson has been battling a neck injury the past few weeks. White has been very impressive this season and has no doubt earned the starting role. He is much more physical than Johnson up the middle and has great speed once he gets to the outside. White will be a crucial part of this team for this game and for the rest of the season.

Iowa State's turnover ratio is still awful, but they are still finding ways to stay in games. Jake Knott is a huge reason for that. He has been an animal on defense. He leads the team with 59 total tackles. His lateral quickness is unbelievable. He and the ISU defense gave Griffin III some problems and I think they will need to do the same against Franklin.

I think ISU pulls off the tough road test.

Prediction: 
Iowa State  23
Missouri      17

The game is tomorrow at 1pm CT and can only be viewed on the Clone Zone on Cyclones.com. It is $8.95 for a one-month subscription. Or you can listen to J-Walt call the game on New Rock 105.1 or 1430 KASI.

-MVW

Can Iowa end their struggles against Northwestern?

Three seasons have passed since Iowa has won against Northwestern. The thorn in Iowa's side has managed to take down favored Iowa teams from '08 to '10, including the bitter 2009 loss, which ended the Hawkeyes then perfect season. Hawkeye great Ricky Stanzi failed to beat the Wildcats in 3 tries. Northwestern has won 5 out of the last 6, and won 3 straight in Kinnick Stadium. 

So, is it safe to say that Iowa has motivation for this weekend? As if coming off an embarrassing Big Ten loss wasn't enough, the recent struggles against Northwestern increase the importance of Saturday night's game in Kinnick. The atmosphere is sure to be electric on Saturday night, as the Black and Gold Game features two Big Ten teams in desperate need of a conference win. The pressure is on for both teams, who had much potential coming into the 2011 season. 

Northwestern is particularly desperate, and on a three game losing streak. Their season started off on the wrong foot with star QB Dan Persa sitting out while still healing from an achilles tendon rupture, which occurred against Iowa last season. Their B1G season started off even worse, going 0-2 against Illinois and Michigan. Northwestern is hungry for a win, and are looking to Iowa continue to be a regular W on their schedule.

Each team faces a crossroads in their season with this prime time match-up on the Big Ten Network on Saturday night. A win keeps hopes alive and well, but a loss could drop the team to the depths of the Big Ten. Here are the current Legends Division standings:

LEGENDS DIVISION
	Conference		Division		Overall
	Record	%	Record	%	Record	%
Michigan	2-0	1.000	2-0	1.000	6-0	1.000
Michigan State	1-0	1.000	0-0	.000	4-1	.800
Nebraska	1-1	.500	0-0	.000	5-1	.833
Iowa	0-1	.000	0-0	.000	3-2	.600
Northwestern	0-2	.000	0-1	.000	2-3	.400
Minnesota	0-2	.000	0-1	.000	1-5	.167

Iowa and Northwestern are caught in the mediocrity of the standings, and a win this week will indicate which direction the two teams are headed in this division for the rest of the year. The middle/upper tier of the standings? Or the basement with Minnesota, which is just about as cold as the Gophers home state this time of year. Tomorrow's game will be a good indicator of where both Iowa and Northwestern are headed for.

Here's the scoop on Northwestern; Their defense is a mess, and their offense is not as good as it was projected-yet.

Northwestern's D ranks among the worst in the Big Ten, which will give Iowa a chance to regain some confidence after an anemic performance against Penn State. Northwestern gives up 439.4 yards of offense per game (worst in the B1G), and 27.8 points per game (11th in the B1G). They have allowed a combined 80 points in 2 Big Ten games. With that being said, James Vandenberg should be licking his chops, as Iowa's passing offense, which is currently 3rd in the conference, will be operating against the worst passing defense in the Big Ten . 

Northwestern QB Dan Persa
had his way against the
Hawkeyes last season en
route to a 21-17 N'western win

Meanwhile, the Wildcat offense has not lived up to its potential. Their passing offense, which was highly touted in the pre-season, is 8th in the conference. Keep in mind that quarterback Dan Persa sat out 2 games. Since returning, he has a passer rating of 157.5, which would be 3rd in the Big Ten (though he's only played 3 games). He has 4 TDs in the 3 games he's played. Persa is still a force in the Big Ten, and he showed his stuff against Iowa last season, passing for 318 yards and 2 TDs, including the game winner late in the 4th quarter. Persa tore up Iowa's secondary last season, and this year he faces a less experienced Hawekeye defense. 

Expect some fireworks from each offense this game. Two high powered passing attacks going up against out-matched defenses. Of the two, Iowa's defense has more turnover potential, and is probably the defense who pulls through for their team tomorrow night. 

Prediction:

Iowa 27, Northwestern 24

This will be a very interesting game to watch, and with the crowd being jacked up for the night game in Kinnick, the Hawkeyes will pull through for their first Big Ten win of 2011. Northwestern's awful defense will allow for the Hawkeyes to get back on their feet. Vandenberg is poised for a big game, and don't rule out Marcus Coker as a factor. He currently averages 90.8 yards per game. Persa should have a good night, but the Hawkeye defense will hold him just enough to allow a win. 

Also:

*Marvin McNutt still 1 TD catch away from tying the Iowa record. Saturday night would be a great stage for him to accomplish this feat

*The crowd will participate in the striped colors for the Black and Gold game, which should look great. Also, the planned crowd interaction during and after the National Anthem will surely look great!

*Looking ahead to Basketball? The Hawkeye basketball team had media day yesterday. Check out this Des Moines Register article for a preseason look at the Hawks

Go Hawks!

-IS

Saturday was ugly, but the season is still young

Well Hawk fans, THAT was discouraging. Just when it looked as if the Hawks had steadied the ship, they play one of the worst games of Hawkeye football in recent memory. No touchdowns for the first time since '07. Only 169 passing yards, a measly 84 rushing yards on 30 attempts, and 3 turnovers. The Penn State defense was as good as advertised, stifling Iowa all afternoon. PSU's offense put on a sub par performance as their red zone struggles continued. They managed to score 3 out of 4 red zone visits, but only had one touchdown in those four tries.

Silas Redd had a huge game against Iowa,
rushing for 142 yards on  28 carries

Iowa's biggest issue on defense was stopping the run. They held Penn State's mediocre QB duo to 164 passing yards, but they gave up 231 total rushing yards, and 142 of those went to Silas Redd. As I mentioned in my last post, Silas Redd was a potential rushing threat to Iowa, and he definitely ran wild on Saturday. Take a look at Penn State's only touchdown drive, and you will see how poor Iowa's defense was at stopping the run.

Psu	1-10	at Iowa49	PENN STATE drive start at 14:12.
Psu	1-10	at Iowa49	Redd, Silas rush for 5 yards to the IOWA44 (Kirksey, C.).
Psu	2-5	at Iowa44	Redd, Silas rush for 8 yards to the IOWA36, 1ST DOWN PSU (Binns, B.).
Psu	1-10	at Iowa36	Redd, Silas rush for 7 yards to the IOWA29 (Morris, James;Bernstine, J.).
Psu	2-3	at Iowa29	Suhey, Joe rush for 6 yards to the IOWA23, 1ST DOWN PSU (Morris, James).
Psu	1-10	at Iowa23	Dukes, Curtis rush for 5 yards to the IOWA18 (Nielsen, Tyler).
Psu	2-5	at Iowa18	PENALTY PSU holding 10 yards to the IOWA28.
Psu	2-15	at Iowa28	Dukes, Curtis rush for 11 yards to the IOWA17 (Miller, Tanner).
Psu	3-4	at Iowa17	Dukes, Curtis rush for 4 yards to the IOWA13, 1ST DOWN PSU (Daniel, Lebron).
Psu	1-10	at Iowa13	Suhey, Joe rush for 1 yard to the IOWA12 (Binns, B.).
Psu	2-9	at Iowa12	Redd, Silas rush for 4 yards to the IOWA8 (Daniel, Lebron).
Psu	3-5	at Iowa08	Redd, Silas rush for 6 yards to the IOWA2, 1ST DOWN PSU (Morris, James).
Psu	1-G	at Iowa02	McGloin, Matt pass complete to Haplea, Kevin for 2 yards to the IOWA0, TOUCHDOWN, clock 08:08.
			Fera, Anthony kick attempt good.
			Penn State 13, Iowa Hawkeyes 3

Every play of the drive was a rush except for the touchdown on the final play. Penn State ran the ball 11 straight times, gaining 41 out of the drive's 49 yards simply by pounding Iowa's rush defense. That is not what Iowa defense is known for, and they definitely will be working to fix that in the weeks ahead. Lineman Adam Gettis definitely thinks Iowa will improve. Keep in mind, there are even better rushing attacks in the Big Ten.

James Vandenberg's stats took a hit. He remains 2nd in the Big Ten in Passing Average per Game, but dropped to 5th in passing efficiency. Despite the slight dip in stats, Vandenberg is still is a premiere passer in the league. Saturday's loss provided a good road test for a progressing quarterback in his first full season. Marcus Coker was productive, going for 77 yards on 18 attempts. Marvin McNutt led Iowa receivers with 4 for 73.

Overall, this loss for the Hawks is discouraging, but there is still plenty of season left. A road loss in a tough environment is bound to happen, especially with Iowa's inexperienced defense. Penn State has a pretty good team this year, so there's nothing to be ashamed of here. Iowa still has a ton of potential for this season. Look at the schedule ahead of us in the next 3 weeks:

10/15	vs. Northwestern	6:00 CT
10/22	vs. Indiana	11:00 CT
10/29	at Minnesota	TBA

If Iowa can finally beat their kryptonite of Northwestern, they can add to the winning streak with 2 straight games against two of the Big Ten's worst. Iowa really needs to take advantage of these next three games, and start a winning streak in Big Ten play. A 3-1 B1G record (2-0 Legends) would be a morale booster for players and fans going into the Michigan game.


Quick Hits:

• There is an AWESOME plan in store for crowd involvement in Kinnick Stadium this Saturday. Look for it around the time of the National Anthem...
• Brad Rogers has finally made his way back to the playing field after dealing with a heart ailment http://hawkcentral.com/2011/10/10/comeback-trail-turns-surreal-for-brad-rogers/
• Here's Adam Rittenberg's mid-season report for Iowa http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/35367/midseason-review-iowa-3
• You can win Iowa MBB season tickets and other prizes this Saturday at 12:30 in Carver Hawkeye Arena. Take a break from tailgating to stop by and watch Head Coach Fran McCaffery and the Hawkeye basketball team.