By Ryan Rodriguez
Now at 8-0, the Iowa football team will head to Bloomington this weekend to take on Indiana as the Hawkeyes’ bid for a 12-0 season moves into its final act.
So far, Iowa has escaped unscathed each week, but will that trend continue in this week? A closer look at the numbers provides a good idea of what to expect Saturday.
Total offense — Indiana 467 yards per game, Iowa 405.1 yards per game
The numbers speak for themselves, but these are two teams that really like to move the ball, and more importantly, like to put points on the board.
Injuries to and fatigue for Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard and some turnover on the Hawkeye offensive line have caused the Hawkeye passing game to go a bit stale in recent weeks, but with the emergence of three — four when Jordan Canzeri comes back — finally healthy and capable options out of the backfield, the Iowa offense has lived on.
Indiana running back Jordan Howard isn’t any slouch, either, currently sitting second in the conference in total rushing yards behind only Ezekiel Elliott of Ohio State.
Add in a capable passer in Nate Sudfeld, and there is a recipe for some big-time offensive plays on both sides in this one.
Third down conversions — Iowa 43.5 percent, Indiana 37 percent
With so many dynamic offensive weapons on both teams, keeping the other offense off of the field as much as possible will be paramount.
Time of possession, and by extension, third-down conversions, are huge factors in executing the game plan. And luckily for the Hawks, they’ve got a real advantage over the Hoosiers.
The Hawkeyes have been one of the Big Ten’s best teams at extending drives and taking advantage of third-down opportunities, converting at a clip that’s less than a percentage point behind No. 3 Wisconsin.
If Beathard’s mobility is compromised in a meaningful way again this week, it could prove costly. Then again, LeShun Daniels Jr. is a pretty darn good short-yardage back should the situation arise.
Turnover Margin: Iowa plus-10, Indiana plus-6
Another one that goes hand-in-hand with time of possession but applies to the other side of the ball in turnover margin, in which both Indiana and Iowa have excelled this year.
True, Iowa has played some pretty mistake-prone teams recently (looking at you, Maryland), but nevertheless, the Hawk defense seems to always be right there when the game is on the line.
Desmond King alone has had his share of game-changing picks, including his 88-yard pick-6 against Maryland.
How the like of King, Greg Mabin, and Jordan Lomax fare against a quarterback such as Sudfeld, who has given up just 4 picks all year, should be one of the game’s more entertaining chess matches.
Red-Zone Efficiency: Indiana 90.9 percent, Iowa 83.3 percent
One of the few areas in which Iowa’s offense has been just average, oddly enough, is red-zone efficiency. That said, calling it a problem, or even a huge issue, is a tad misleading just based on the numbers.
All things considered, these two are similarly matched in four-down territory.
Iowa and Indiana have actually converted the exact same number of red-zone appearances this season (30), although the Hoosiers have had three more opportunities.
What’s more, Iowa has converted 23 of those trips into touchdowns and seven into field goals, compared with 22 and eight from Indiana. Which team makes the most efficient use of its red-zone trips should come out on top.
