***Iowa Pregame Thread***

I feel a lot better this year than previous years. We played a lackluster, slow game against ND before Iowa last year and the offense got off to a slow start against Iowa. First play against SD this year is a 60 yard pass and then a score within 2 minutes. The team kept going insane and pulled out 55 points despite throwing backups in midway through the third quarter. Iowa is horrible at passing again and their defense didn’t look as good as normal in week one. Hoping we can finally beat Iowa at home.
What is most impressive to me about the last 6 QT's of play is the level of execution. Against USD we had only 1 possession that didn't end up in points which was the last play where we knelt on the 1yd line

Doesn't matter who you play for your offense to not make a single drive killing mistake is next level stuff. How many times in the past has the offense shot themselves on the foot with a penalty or a dropped pass?

I feel the limiting factor of past Matt Campbell's teams were their execution level not the talent.
 
I think we underperformed during the Brock Purdy / Breece Hall years and probably should have won a couple of those.

Even a bit before that: the OT loss in 2017 was just because of a huge defensive breakdown on one play. 2019 (the storm delay game) was just weird; take away the weather issues and I think ISU wins by two scores. Even 2021, when Iowa won by 10, it was just a matter of three or four plays going upside down.
 
The keys to this game stays the same every year, avoid turnovers, we make them and set them up for easy points, while they do not turn the ball over. Last season was the first TO for the squawks in a number of years. 2nd they will want to drag us down to their level, play ball control and grind it out. We should not get caught up in trying to beat them at their game. Air the ball out early and often, loved the first play yesterday, you want to stack the box, then we are throwing it over the top. They are starting an entire new LB group and lost the better players on the back end. Roll Becht out, get him to the side and work the sidelines and down the field. Do that the first half and then come back and run on them the 2nd. Pass to run the ball.
On defense crowd the LOS and force their new QB to beat us, hit him early and often if possible, do not allow them to lean on us and pound us with the run. Take their running game away and should win easily. Finally get points when we can get them, get ahead early and make them play catchup.
 
Somehow I feel that gronowski is going to come out looking night and day better and Vander zee will be back. I'm probably just traumatized though.
 
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Personally, if we don’t turn it over and don’t make the big special teams error, I don’t think this will be all that close. But that is always the case.
 
Had this debate with some Hawkeye friends earlier this morning and said Rocco Becht is a top 5-10 QB in the country and they laughed me off. Im not talking about pro potential or recruiting rankings. In terms of winning college football games THIS year, are there 10 other QBs you would prefer to have?

If he comes back next year, I think there is a chance he could be considered a top 2 or 3 QB in the game. The vast majority of that offense is back next year as well.
Well I can assure you , he is no Granowski.
 
Personally, if we don’t turn it over and don’t make the big special teams error, I don’t think this will be all that close. But that is always the case.
Turning it over and/or giving up a big special teams play has been deadly when we also seem to play super tight trying to avoid said turnover or special teams play. I mean, let’s not get silly, but if the score for each side is < 21, it’s Iowa’s game. Make them try to keep up. Don’t let them grind it out and see who makes a mistake first.

I think Campbell and Mouser trust Rocco enough to open it up right out of the gate. The goal should be to put up 30+ points, I don’t think Iowa can hang that on our D even if we gift them a TD or a short field once or twice.
 
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oh yeah him and Kirk are up to something, talking about how happy they were to be 1-0, smiling ear to ear. They got a tricky plan up their sleeve.
You know they are going stress our young safeties every play they can. I think we need to expect a blow play or two. The question is can Granowski hit the throws. I find it hard to believe he is as bad as it looked Saturday. If he is, we win by two scores. If he is as good as his stats, it'll be a hum dinger.
Vanderzee will 100% not be back
But that WR is electric I hear.

I am talking 9v Duracell electric!
 
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I feel like no matter how bad uofi qb/offense is they always dial up at least one successful deep pa against us in this series.
 
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Year after year I see this comment and I don’t understand it. Is it just a way to belittle Iowa?

It’s their Super Bowl but not ours? We’re above that? They don’t care as much about the rest of their games after week 2?

It’s an intense non-con rivalry- both sides want to win. Both sides really, really want to win, but it’s non-conference and very early season. I guess there are potential playoff implications, but how is it a Super Bowl in week 2?
It goes back to Danny Mac ISU/Iowa Brad Banks Rose bowl days.

Uofi fans would accuse ISU of treating this game more important than the likes of ‘96-01 Nebraska, OU, and Texas

Uofi Failing to see that were much more at Iowa’s levels than historic blue bloods and that our sos was typically tougher than theirs.

This got more pronounced when big 12 went round robin and Iowa got big10 west

You’re absolutely right. Is it petty a way to mock our rival? Yes. But it’s using their own words against them
 

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