Iowa

Every team should feel like they have a shot at winning games against other Legends division teams, especially when playing at home. Every Legends team has weaknesses, even Nebraska and Michigan. Those two probably have the most talent, but based on their play so far neither Nebraska or Michigan is going to sweep through the division.

Gophers should feel good about your team. This is clearly Kill's best team. Iowa is an afterthought in many folks' minds after going 4-8 last year, that's understandable. This Iowa team is ahead of last year's team, no doubt. Is that enough to win at Minnesota Saturday? Not sure.

A completely reasonable post from a possible Hawkeye fan? Wow. :)
 



A completely reasonable post from a possible Hawkeye fan? Wow. :)

Don't get me wrong I'll be saying plenty of disparaging things to my TV screen toward the Gophers during the game on Saturday. As it should be.

But no one can really know much of how this game Saturday is going to come out. Northern Illinois appears to be okay. Are they as good as last year? Probably not. Iowa had every opportunity to win that game and couldn't do it. Winning at Iowa State is usually a good harbinger for Iowa (Iowa previously won there in 2003 and 2009, and both of those seasons were very good). But Iowa State may simply be awful this year.

Gophers have done what they should do against their schedule. Both teams will be facing their best physical challenge to date. Not a big secret about what either team will try to do - line up and run it and see if the opponent can stop it. If neither team gets a big lead we could see this one get done in under 3 hours with all of the running and lack of clock stoppage.

Looking forward to the start of B1G season.
 

Weisman has put up solid, but not great numbers so far against weak competition.

He was the number 3 rusher in the country going into last weekend, where he only carried the ball 10 times for 43 yards due to the complete blowout created by Iowa's special teams and defense. He is still the #6 rusher in the nation, even including that sub-par outing. He has 3 of the top 30 rushing performances in the history of Iowa football, one of which was last year against the Gophers and another coming in Week 2 this year when he put up 180 yards on 30 carries. He has only been Iowa's #1 tailback for 8 games total in his career at this point. Underestimate him at your own peril.
 


He was the number 3 rusher in the country going into last weekend, where he only carried the ball 10 times for 43 yards due to the complete blowout created by Iowa's special teams and defense. He is still the #6 rusher in the nation, even including that sub-par outing. He has 3 of the top 30 rushing performances in the history of Iowa football, one of which was last year against the Gophers and another coming in Week 2 this year when he put up 180 yards on 30 carries. He has only been Iowa's #1 tailback for 8 games total in his career at this point. Underestimate him at your own peril.

I usually factor in average per rush when I look at numbers. He's a guy that grinds for yards. Nothing wrong with that. But that doesn't make him great in my mind.

Since you like to look at numbers, how about this:

- He's had 10 games where he's had at least 10 carries in his career. Only 4 times has he averaged 5.0 yards a carry or higher.
- Of the top 9 rushers in the Big Ten so far, only one averages less than 6.2 yards a carry. That would be Weisman at 4.9.
- Of the top 50 rushers in the country, he is ranked 43rd in yards per carry.

I stand by my opinion. He's a big back and a grinder. He very well may gash the Gophers defense once again. Stopping him will be very critical on Saturday. But, in my opinion, he's been a solid, but not great back so far.
 

Iowa is not good. A closer look at not just who they played, but who those teams played, and the results are not very flattering. Even their loss, to Northern Illinois; NIU is barely a shadow of the team from last year. They struggled with Eastern Illinois and Idaho. Iowa State is absolutely horrendous this year.

A loss this Saturday would be devastating. Period.

We said this last year about Iowa nearly word for word & what happened? We have to stop thinking Iowa is garbage... they're not great but they have a decent run game & a a decent passing game. Should they stuff our running game lord knows how our passing game will even look if we have to strictly resort to it...
 

A bye helps when your team is beat up. If you are playing well and generally healthy, that week off can lead to some rust. Michigan is not playing real well right now, so who knows what the time off will mean for the Walmart Wolverines? First things first, take Herky down. I am already pumped and can't sleep. Good thing the Great Outdoors is on HBOF. "If I can get a dessert down him, you think you can throw in some Paul Bunyan hats for the kids?"

LOL unbeknownst to this thread, I just popped this movie in the DVD player the other day! "Look at the size of the maggots on that meat!"
 

CBS Sports currently has the U ranked as the 54th best team in the nation...Iowa is 59. Should be a helluva game. FYI-Illinois is 49th. WTF?
 




I hate those SOBs with every fiber of my being. I hate Wiscy, but I despise Iowa. My blood is already boiling. This is a BFD and I don't want a letdown. Go out, take care of business and suddenly you're sitting at 5-0, meaning that game at Michigan has the chance to be a program-changer. You don't have a great chance to win in Ann Arbor, but sometimes a chance is all you need. I know, I know, one game at a time. BEAT IOWA!

Best Shirts I even saw said "Ann Arbor is a Wh#$RE" I never fail to get a kick out of those.

I'm looking past our opponent this week so that the Gophers can focus on this week. Solidarity.
 

Don't get me wrong I'll be saying plenty of disparaging things to my TV screen toward the Gophers during the game on Saturday. As it should be.

But no one can really know much of how this game Saturday is going to come out. Northern Illinois appears to be okay. Are they as good as last year? Probably not. Iowa had every opportunity to win that game and couldn't do it. Winning at Iowa State is usually a good harbinger for Iowa (Iowa previously won there in 2003 and 2009, and both of those seasons were very good). But Iowa State may simply be awful this year.

Gophers have done what they should do against their schedule. Both teams will be facing their best physical challenge to date. Not a big secret about what either team will try to do - line up and run it and see if the opponent can stop it. If neither team gets a big lead we could see this one get done in under 3 hours with all of the running and lack of clock stoppage.

Looking forward to the start of B1G season.

I hear you there. It will certainly be a fun game to watch on Saturday.
 




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