Iowa -1.5 v Penn State

[SeattleHawkeye]

i see where you're coming from, but i disagree. i think their first few games aren't what they are now. we'll see though. they were in a huge funk to start the year, now it looks like they've found out what they are and doing just that. finally finding their identity. can't necessarily say the same about us.

I'm w/ you on this one. PSU uses their short, controlled passing game w/ a power-running based ground game and a fairly standard, typical, hard-nosed PSU D that includes some talented LB's. I think their coach has them very much playing like a pro team (at least offensively) and he's done a fantastic job using what talents his team has. Have to give credit to a coach who adjusts what he's doing to his personnel (and that isn't meant as a slight towards the IA staff, but simply a little praise for BOB choosing to undertake an absolutely horrible situation and doing surprisingly well). Very much looking forward to Sat. night to see what the Hawks can do, as PSU is playing well, but definitely beatable.

 

[HawkeyeDenis]

Wiesman has more yards than the Penn State team has. McGloin's completion percentage is 4 points better than JVB's. I wouldn't overrate PSU's offense. Their defense is decent, but they are not nearly as good as MSU.

In their last four games PSU has beat Navy, Temple, Illinois and Northwestern. Hardly a tough schedule. Their last loss was to Virginia (now 2-5) Don't know what you guys are looking at in respect to PSU.The only quality win was Northwestern, and NW has one of the worst D's in the conference. The luster is off their impressive offense now that conference play has started.

 

[wolffey]

Jon thanks for makeing the site free unlike rivals.com. Go Hawks.

 

[dee27]

-3 at 5dimes

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

PSU does not run a spread heavy, fast paced offense so they match well against our defense. I think Iowa wins this one in front of the 70K plus that will be packing Kinnick under the lights.

 

[Travisam]

1.5? wow, there must be a lot of iowa bettors out there.

Is it bettors or betters? Serious question btw.

 

[whammer33024]

forgive me for being unaware of what kind of offense temple, ohio and virginia run...but PSU has not faced an offense like iowa's which will continue to pound the ball down your throat for 60 minutes. i saw MSU start to get gassed by the end of the game and i see PSU being even worse in this sense

 

[DP5555]

forgive me for being unaware of what kind of offense temple, ohio and virginia run...but PSU has not faced an offense like iowa's which will continue to pound the ball down your throat for 60 minutes. i saw MSU start to get gassed by the end of the game and i see PSU being even worse in this sense

This. Thank you for mentioning the play at the line of scrimmage. Iowa's offensive line is really getting after it. The defensive line has shown vast improvement since week one. I think the line play combined with Weisman's breakout running ability has been the difference between the bad losses and the good wins. The scary thing is JVB is yet to execute the passing attack effectively. If he gets his game figured out then this could be one interesting season.

 

[storminspank]

It's moved to -3 pretty much everywhere.
Bookmaker has it up to -3.5 now.

 

[jesterapparel]

Ken Miller of KXNO just tweeted that. He also works for Cantor Gaming. Kinnick is a 5 or 6 point stadium.

Jon you are wrong. Kinnick is 4 points and the pink locker room is 2 points

 

[stevoskin]

They know their stuff , but Kinnick is not what it once was.

7:00 start coming off of a big win at MSU. Kinnick will be loud this Saturday.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

7:00 start coming off of a big win at MSU. Kinnick will be loud this Saturday.

I agree, MSU was a sloppy win, but a win nonetheless. I think MSU was a game many had written off as unwinnable. So coming off of that, the crowd will be into it early. If the team gives the crowd something to cheer for, the place will probably go nuts.

 

[greenhawk]

I'm not buying on Penn State yet. They look a lot like Iowa, except that I'd argue that Iowa has shown more with wins against Minnesota and at Michigan State. PSU had a nice win against Northwestern at home and they beat an Illinois team on the road that will be lucky to win four games. Otherwise it's home wins against Navy and Temple, a home loss to a good Ohio team and a road loss to a bad Virginia team. If Iowa plays like they've been playing they will be the best defense PSU's faced this year by a good margin.

Of course that doesn't mean we can't (and won't) lose. I just am not yet convinced that Penn State is more like the team that beat Northwestern than they are like the team that lost to Virgina.

Exactly, now Penn St. will be fired up because they can be a spoiler here, but I don't think they have faced a passing defense (Iowa 28th nationally) quite like ours. I also think it is a huge advantage that they cannot kick field goals routinely. Penn St. defense is okkk, but they are not quite as good as last year. Kinnick will be rocking too.

 

[ICHawk24]

Its gonna suck to see PSU go for it on 4th down about five times.

 

[bcl20]

Its gonna suck to see PSU go for it on 4th down about five times.

Not when we stop them.