Week 3: Iowa vs. Arizona at Kinnick Stadium, ABC/ESPN2 @ 2:30 pm

It's Game Day Iowa style, with the University of Arizona, lead by two former Hawkeyes with head coach Mike Stoops and his defensive coordinator brother, Mark, headed back to their alma mater to face the '09 Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes and the Wildcats both enter Kinnick with 2-0 records.

(picture - Iowa's Tim Dwight vs. Arizona back in the '90s the last time the Wildcats visited Kinnick to face the Hawkeyes)

Iowa's offense

• Junior Ricky Stanzi has had two slow starts, will game 3 be a charm?
• Running backs Adam Robinson (rs-Fr.) and Brandon Wegher (true Fr.) appear 1-2 entering Week 3 ... will Jeff Brinson (rs-Fr.) see a couple more carries too?
• Iowa has a nice mix at WR and TE in '09 developing
• Does Iowa's offensive line lead the Big Ten in '09 - good test today
• PK Daniel Murray appears to be carrying the full load this year

Iowa's defense

• The defensive line will be tested by U of A's run game, which DC Norm Parker often finds a way to take away, whether it be PSU in '09 or other programs making their way to Kinnick
• The linebackers are looking forward to this one, absent a spread flare for a change
• The secondary loves to pick the ball lately ... will it continue today?
• Iowa's punter Ryan Donahue is one of the best weapons in Black & Gold

Key's to the game

1. Control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football
2. Win the turnover game
3. Get on the Wildcats early, which points to both Stanzi and the run defense

Prediction:

#20 Iowa 24
Arizona 20

Final thoughts: The U of A are 0-4 in OOC games on the road under coach Mike Stoops, now in his 6Th season in Tucson. This will be Wildcats' sophomore Matt Scott's first road test as a starter. Junior RB Nic Grigsby enters the game #2 in the nation in rushing, but the Wildcats best offensive player, TE junior Rob Gronkowski, is projected out. He has missed all three game thus far and this could be the first game that his absence is really missed. This should be a classic Big Ten-Pac Ten match up, like last week's USC @ Ohio State, this should be a close game at the end. Special teams could play a big role down the stretch. The Hawkeyes hold on and win @ Kinnick by less than a touchdown.

peace