DI football reporters Danny Payne and Charlie Green list four things No. 5 Iowa must do in order to beat Purdue.

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Good morning from Kinnick Stadium. It’s a snowy one here, but the field is basically clear (sadly). Here are our exams. Check out our predictions here.

Be a team of sherpas

Iowa City got a solid amount of snow last night, and while the field is clean, the stands are not. If we get any more snow or some starts to blow around, it could be tough for both teams. Iowa has done a good job through adversity this season, so doing the same thing Nov. 21 is paramount.

Grade: A. Weather was barely a factor, but Iowa was fine with the little bit of disruption it created.

Run, run, run

Purdue is dead last in the Big Ten against the run; its opponents average 209.6 yards per game. Iowa, as we know, has been great on the ground recently, so that can’t change today. A good job controlling the game’s clock should put Purdue out easy.

Grade: C. Not the best day for the Iowa rushing game. Yards weren’t there, touchdowns were.

Get pressure

Purdue ranks first in the Big Ten in passing attempts, and if it can’t get the running game going, expect the team to air it out yet again on Nov. 21. The best way for the Hawkeyes to counter that is with consistent pressure from the front four. Even if they don’t pile up a lot of sacks, disruption alone will be enough.

Grade: D. The Hawkeyes had one sack, but Purdue’s backup quarterback looked like a well-polished starter behind solid protection all afternoon.

Caution when throwing

If there’s one impressive unit the Boilermakers sport, it’s their secondary. Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard will be advised to attack them with caution, because forcing takeaways is one way the Boilermakers can make this one interesting.

Grade: A. Beathard threw no picks on the afternoon and was careful when taking shots down the field.