Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Cy-Hawk Trophy Game this Saturday at Kinnick: Iowa vs. Iowa State



"It's been a great series. It's been one of those series where both teams
have been very competitive. They have had some excellent football teams; I think
they have an excellent football team this year, so we are going to have to be at
our best."
- Iowa's Kirk Ferentz



Complete Coach Ferentz Transcript (Sept. 7) - pdf
Iowa head coach addresses the media for the upcoming Iowa-Iowa State game...

The University of Iowa beat Iowa State 35-3 in last year's game in Ames. The Cyclones turned the ball over seven times (five interceptions, two fumbles) in last season's game. Some interesting stats from last year's game...


  • Iowa gave up 190 yards rushing, with a 5.6 average per carry

  • Iowa ran for 191 yards themselves and averaged 5.5 yards per carry

  • Iowa won the turnover margin with a +4

  • Iowa had more than 123 yards offense than Iowa State last year

The 2010 game at Kinnick Stadium should be a good match up. The keys to the game:


  • Controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, for example the Iowa D-Line vs. ISU O-Line

  • Turnover margin - last year's game was a perfect example, much like the '03 win for Iowa

  • Special teams - in 2007 game ISU didn't score a TD, but won on 5 field goals (15-13)

  • Big Plays 15+ yards

  • Consistency - who improves the most from Week 1 to Week 2

  • Iowa has held Iowa State to 14 quarters without allowing a touchdown in this series

Both Iowa and Iowa State appear healthy entering the 2010 match up. Iowa State is coming into the game with a two game winning streak, having won the Insight Bowl in 2009 over Minnesota 14-13 and the opening season win 27-10 over Northern Illinois last Thursday.

The University of Iowa enters the game with a three game win steak with wins over Minnesota 12-0, vs. Georgia Tech 24-14 in the Orange Bowl last year and the opening season game at Kinnick over Eastern Illinois 37-7. Game notes - pdf for Week 2 game vs. Iowa State.

Iowa State returns 8 offensive and 4 defensive starters from last year, along with junior PK Grant Mahoney from Marion and the Cyclones return specialist. The Cyclones did lose the punting services of Mike Brandtner to graduation. Coach Paul Rhoads enters his second season in Ames as head coach. He had previously been on former Cyclone head coach Dan McCarney's staff, but left for Pitt, then Auburn to become a defensive coordinator. Players to watch:

  • Senior QB #4 Austen Arnaud and reserve sophomore QB #11 Jerome Tiller

  • Senior RB #33 Alexander Robinson - ran for over 100 yards vs. Iowa in '09

  • Senior WR #83 Jake Williams is the top returning receiver for the Cyclones from '09

  • Other WRs that will contribute are junior #8 Darius Darks, junior #7 Darius Reynolds and junior #2 Sedrick Williams

  • Senior TE #88 Collin Franklin brings experience and steps up as the #1 TE for Cyclones

  • Four returning starters back on the O-Line lead by senior C #63 Ben Lamaak from Cedar Rapids and junior LT #72 Kelechi Osemele

  • Senior SS #1 David Sims is the top returning tackler and will be back from suspension

  • Junior CB #23 Leonard Johnson is another returning starter, along with senior undersized DE #29 Rashawn Parker and senior DT #85 Bailey Johnson, who played NG in '09

#4 Iowa should beat Iowa State on Saturday. But, we have seen Iowa State pull the upset over Iowa. ISU upset Iowa in '07, the Cyclones last win, 15-13 in Ames. ISU's last win in Iowa City was one of the most exciting games in the series, that resumed in 1977, when ISU beat Iowa 36-31 in the 2002 game at Kinnick.

This is the 58Th meeting in the series and Iowa leads the series 38-19. Our Pick: #4 Iowa Hawkeyes 30, Iowa State 17 on Saturday at Kinnick. It will take a solid game in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams.

peace

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