Iowa is a Trap Game

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Concur with the majority...ludicrous to call Iowa a trap game, in the classic sense. Iowa is too good. Rivalry too big!

However, in the vintage thread rating our upcoming games...I did say Iowa was our toughest game of the four remaining at the time. Penn State we had several advantages: I don't think they totally respected us. Franklin seemed to validate that with game decisions. We were home. We were hungrier. Etc

Iowa is tough, it's a rivalry game in their stadium. We just came off a high of beating the number four team in the country. Everybody to at least some are talking about the Gophers in the Final Four. How do we handle all this notoriety?

We have to perform! I think we will but tough week for PJ. Focus boys! Iowa is good!
 
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Trophy games are never Trap games. What is anybody looking ahead to? We are learning to be successful - that hasn't earned us the right to look ahead. Floyd beckons.... Gotta come to play !!!
 

No one on this team is looking past Iowa...it's ****ing Iowa. Its not a trap game, but it is a hard game.

One thing that has me concerned, is that teams, traditionally in all sports after coming off such an emotional game, like the Gophers just had...tend to collapse in the next game. Hard to reach that peak of mental stability again. PJ knows how to get these kids prepared though, and they have already been through plenty of adversity this year, so I think their mental toughness is up for the challenge.
 

Plato said:
WI needed 250 yards from Taylor to win by two at home. IA is a tougher nut to crack than PSU and MN did not set the world on fire the second half against PSU.
It will take a better effort in IA than the PSU game, Ferenz is not Franklin.
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Can't take anything for granted, Iowa could 100% beat us and it is always tough to win on the road....

Having said that, if we play clean on offense Iowa does not have the offensive fire power to keep up with us. Wisconsin just proved you can run on Iowa and while the final score of that game was close, Wisconsin also led 21-6 going into the 4th quarter.

Our offense is playing at a different level right now. Penn State came into that game having shut down everyone they had played. Michigan managed 21 with a late flourish but outside of them nobody else had managed to score more then 13 points against Penn State. Our offense goes out and drops 31 and rolls up over 400 yards again. The offensive line has been doing an amazing job of keeping pressure off of Morgan and he has been making great decisions.

It is time to face the simple fact that our offense is really damn good. We can beat you on the ground and through the air. In the Big Ten the only other team that can truly say that is Ohio State. Iowa has a good defense, but if we don't turn the ball over we will score and our defense is good enough that if we get to 20 on offense, Iowa will have a real tough time beating us.

Fleck will have the team ready to go, they are focused in a way that you just don't see all that often from college teams. If we don't bring our A game Iowa can beat us but if we play the way we are capable of playing on offense in particular, we will be bring Floyd back home to Minneapolis where he belongs.
 

No, the trap game is Northwestern, which is bound to take its frustrations out on somebody - we would be the perfect choice, after two exhausting games against Penn St and Iowa, and perhaps looking ahead to Wisconsin. Iowa has always been regarded as one of the toughest games of the year, on the road, in a traditional rivalry and they have top talent and strong motivation - it will be a war. Penn St, Iowa and Wisconsin were the big boys of November - all to be feared. Northwestern was to be a respite, a day off - but that attitude, if elected by us, makes for a trap game. NW plays Massachusetts before us and that will restore some confidence.
 



Great Plains Gopher said:
No, the trap game is Northwestern, which is bound to take its frustrations out on somebody - we would be the perfect choice, after two exhausting games against Penn St and Iowa, and perhaps looking ahead to Wisconsin. Iowa has always been regarded as one of the toughest games of the year, on the road, in a traditional rivalry and they have top talent and strong motivation - it will be a war. Penn St, Iowa and Wisconsin were the big boys of November - all to be feared. Northwestern was to be a respite, a day off - but that attitude, if elected by us, makes for a trap game. NW plays Massachusetts before us and that will restore some confidence.
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I agree with the concept that if there is a trap game on the schedule it is Northwestern however I really don't think this team is susceptible to that kind of thing.

Part of what needs to change in our fanbase though is the idea that teams like Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin should be feared. They should be respected in the way all opponents should be respected but nobody should be feared. There is a common slogan in sports "respect all, fear none".

Fleck's whole philosophy centers around treating all games the same, it is the whole crux of the 0-0 mantra. I know that is easier said then done but I really feel like this team has bought into that concept. They are having a blast on this journey but their sights are set on bigger and better things and they understand that the only way to get there is to keep on working. As soon as you get content or start thinking you have it made someone will knock you off.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I agree with the concept that if there is a trap game on the schedule it is Northwestern however I really don't think this team is susceptible to that kind of thing.

Part of what needs to change in our fanbase though is the idea that teams like Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin should be feared. They should be respected in the way all opponents should be respected but nobody should be feared. There is a common slogan in sports "respect all, fear none".

Fleck's whole philosophy centers around treating all games the same, it is the whole crux of the 0-0 mantra. I know that is easier said then done but I really feel like this team has bought into that concept. They are having a blast on this journey but their sights are set on bigger and better things and they understand that the only way to get there is to keep on working. As soon as you get content or start thinking you have it made someone will knock you off.
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These are young kids, they can buy in all they want, but after pounding Iowa and getting Floyd back, and with the Axe and BIG Championship game upcoming, looking past NW or not taking them as seriously is a real possibility no matter how much PJ says we're 0 and 0.
The newspapers will be saying how great they are, the national media will be saying even more great things. All teams have a down game, look at OSU last year as an example, and the NW game is ripe for a letdown. I still believe even if we play poorly we can win.
 




I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Gopher team as locked in as this one. I’ll be shocked if they don’t win out. No trap games, no letdowns. The seniors, Morgan, PJF aren’t going to allow it to happen.
 

I will cut him some slack, because he had us in the CFP.
 

Trap game or not...

Iowa is averaging 18 points offensively against Power 5 teams.
Their season high was 30 points against Rutgers.


Last year they beat us 48-31.
We had 4 INT's thrown in that game.
Daniel Faalele made his debut after half because we couldn't handle the DE on our right side.
Robb Smith was our DC.
We gave up 4-5 plays of 20 yards or more.
Zack Annexstad was our QB
TJ Hockenson plays for the Detroit Lions now.

Last year we had the 2nd most points scored on their defense with 31. Purdue was first with 36.

Our lowest points scored this year against Power 5 is 31 against Penn State. (otherwise 28 vs SDSU).

I don't think Iowa is going to drop more than 24 on us.
I don't see Iowa holding us to under 24.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Gopher team as locked in as this one. I’ll be shocked if they don’t win out. No trap games, no letdowns. The seniors, Morgan, PJF aren’t going to allow it to happen.
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The leadership on this team seems really strong. Morgan is basically a younger version of Fleck with a little less energy. And on defense you have guys like Carter, Winfield, and Barber who all come across as great leaders. I really don't think those guys will allow the team to lose focus.
 



Face The Facts said:
Trap game or not...

Iowa is averaging 18 points offensively against Power 5 teams.
Their season high was 30 points against Rutgers.


Last year they beat us 48-31.
We had 4 INT's thrown in that game.
Daniel Faalele made his debut after half because we couldn't handle the DE on our right side.
Robb Smith was our DC.
We gave up 4-5 plays of 20 yards or more.
Zack Annexstad was our QB
TJ Hockenson plays for the Detroit Lions now.

Last year we had the 2nd most points scored on their defense with 31. Purdue was first with 36.

Our lowest points scored this year against Power 5 is 31 against Penn State. (otherwise 28 vs SDSU).

I don't think Iowa is going to drop more than 24 on us.
I don't see Iowa holding us to under 24.
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I actually see this very similarly to you, as long as our offense continues to play they way they have been playing. Couple more fun stats from that game last year vs. today.

Last year we gave up 5 sacks to Iowa, through 6 Big Ten games we have given up a total of 6 sacks
Last year we threw 4 picks in that game, through 6 Big Ten games Morgan has thrown 2 INT. I can't even fathom him throwing 4 in a single game the way he is playing this year.

Don't think it will be easy but if we see anything close to the offensive success we had against Penn State we will score and our defense should do much better against Iowa then it did against Penn State, especially when you factor in that Martin will almost certainly be playing.

Road game, Rivalry Game, Any given Saturday.....all the usual caveats apply but if this team can keep on playing the way it has been since the Big Ten season started we will win this game.
 

Carter Coughlin has made it very, very clear that the team will not be flat for this particular game. We may lose this game but it will not be because the players are looking past it or behind it. The seniors will simply not permit that to happen.
 

If, if we beat Iowa we will be playing Northwestern for the Big Ten West title. If the guys can not get up for that game......
 

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