Iowa can stay on top of the Big Ten West Division with a win against Northwestern.
By Danny Payne | [email protected]
Before No. 20 Northwestern ran into a buzz saw last week against now-No. 13 Michigan, this week’s Iowa-Northwestern game could have been the deciding game in the Big Ten West.
Less than a week ago, this contest, set for 11 a.m. at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois (ABC/ESPN2), could have featured two undefeated, top-20 teams. But after the Wolverines shut out the Wildcats Oct. 10, No. 17 Iowa is in prime position in the West; it’s the only team without a conference loss in the division.
“All you have to do is look at their body of work, and every other game they have played, they have looked really good,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “They have looked good in their Big Ten games, and they have looked good against Duke and Stanford, two really good teams.
“That one, almost throw the film out. Michigan is playing really well right now, and they were clicking on all cylinders the other day.”
Yes, as Ferentz noted, this should be a good matchup. Every team has a miserable game now and again, and Iowa has to make sure it’s not Saturday. Although they’ll be hampered by injuries, the Hawkeyes would have wins over the Wildcats, currently second in the West, as well as third-place Wisconsin and Illinois. Minnesota also owns a share of third place, and the Hawkeyes are scheduled to take on the Gophers at Kinnick on Nov. 14.
Assuming both teams show up, Saturday won’t be easy for either side. Northwestern boasts the No. 3 scoring defense in the Big Ten, giving up only 12.2 points per game. Iowa, on the other hand, allows 16.2, good for fifth in the league.
“They’re a really good team; they have a good defense, good linebackers,” quarterback C.J. Beathard said. “The secondary, they’re kind of like us in the things they do defensively.”
While Northwestern’s defense gives up only 138.2 yards per game — second in the Big Ten behind Michigan (115.5) — head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s crew is expected to be without one of its starting cornerbacks, Matthew Harris. Harris left the game against Michigan after suffering bone fractures in his face.
Harris is tied for second in the conference with 3 interceptions.
On the other side of the ball, running back Justin Jackson leads the way. Jackson, a sophomore, is fourth in the Big Ten behind Iowa’s Jordan Canzeri with 110.2 yards per contest. Despite the good yardage, he’s only managed 1 touchdown.
While they’ll have to break thorough a solid defense and do well against Jackson and Company, Iowa sees this game as one that’s in its control. Should they manage to do everything they need to, there isn’t any reason for the Hawks not to own a 7-0 mark walking off the field Saturday afternoon, with a the chance for a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game in its reach.
“It’s not so much anything different mentally,” defensive end Parker Hesse said. “Probably just the same things we’ve been doing, we have to do better. We have to do more, we have to do better as the season goes on.”
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