For Iowa fans, Michigan State is synonymous with the 2015 Big Ten Championship game.
The fans remember the Spartans’ demoralizing 22-play, 82-yard final drive that meticulously picked the Hawkeyes apart.
They had a similar feeling last week, after No. 4 Penn State barely took the Hawkeyes down in Kinnick on the final play of the game.
But after all of the heartbreak, there’s only one way for Iowa to go: forward.
“[The 2015 Big Ten Championship] feels like it was 10 years ago. It literally does, it’s so far back. That one’s ancient history. Really, Saturday night is kind of the same way at this point,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We’ve got to move on and worry about what’s in front of us. It’s a big challenge.”
After suffering the loss to the Nittany Lions, Iowa knows it can hang with any team in the conference.
Despite giving up almost 600 yards, the Hawkeye defense held one of the best offenses in the country to just 19 points, with only 2 touchdowns.
Neither Saquon Barkley nor Trace McSorely were necessarily contained, but Iowa held its own in the battle.
However, keeping key players from having big games will be important on Saturday.
While Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke hasn’t put up huge numbers in the passing game, he has been consistent and efficient, throwing for 751 yards and 6 touchdowns through three games.
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What makes Lewerke a dangerous player, though, is the constant threat of his making plays with his legs.
Lewerke leads the Spartans in rushing yards, racking up 206 yards to go along with 2 touchdowns on the ground, including a 61-yard score in the win against Western Michigan
Returning from the 2015 game is running back LJ Scott, who muscled his way into the end zone with under 40 seconds left in 2015 to end Iowa’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
To go along with Scott’s 186 yards and a touchdown, the Spartans also have two running backs who have toted the rock more than 20 times this season in Gerald Holmes and Madre London, giving them a committee of backs to choose from.
“For the defensive line, our job is to take care of that inside stuff, take care of the downhill runs,” defensive end Parker Hesse said. “By doing that, make them one dimensional. Force them to those outside plays or force them to pass the ball. It’s just going to make it easier on our defense as a whole.”
To keep up with the depth of Michigan State’s ground game, the Hawkeyes will need to get their offense going again.
Against Penn State, Iowa ran for a season-low 82 yards after averaging 180 yards in the three previous games.
The Hawkeyes also threw for its second-lowest total of the season against the Nittany Lions, totaling 191 yards through the air.
Thanks to the defense holding Penn State and creating turnovers, Iowa scored points when it had a short field.
Improving on offense and staying consistent on defense will play a big role if the Hawkeyes want to pick up their first Big Ten win of the season.