Northwestern spotted Iowa 14 points and still won. The score was close, but that game could have been really ugly. This team looks to be among Iowa's worst under Ferentz in terms of talent in the trenches. That typically does not bode well for Iowa.After sleeping on the lost to NW to me the most obvious problem is inexperience at QB. Adding to the problems Iowa did not get their spring practices in before the pandemic shutdown it. Both units are struggling to learn to work together and I am sure the coaches are having to audition some players in game time situations. It is not like Iowa was beaten like a drum by Purdue or Northwestern. Turnovers has been it biggest foe to date. For the offense to get better Petras has to play smarter and learn to be calm. His confidence has to be real low after Saturday.
PSU will be fine even though they are - 0-2 they're good
Minny had no defense, none. But they might outscore some teams and the D will improve
Nebraska, they expected to lose to OSU, and it was merciful that thy dodged Wisconsin. They'll be OK now
Michigan... I duno, that was completely unexpected...not so much that they turned in a stinker, but that Sparty was good enough.
Iowa's problems are interior. Practice won't fix whats wrong with Iowa.
Iowa will have to go 0-5 before a QB switch is even considered.Not sure why Minny's D will improve but Iowa's O won't. Neither is good and unlikely to improve much.
PSU is really missing having a playmaker at QB.
The Michigan game was weird. Michigan State is terrible but I guess it is a rivalry game.
Kansas State got trucked by a crappy West Virginia team. It was just a weird weekend in general for college football.
With that said if Iowa doesn't make a switch at QB they'll be lucky to win a game. These first two games were Iowa's easiest games and they blew both of them.
If EVER there was a time to catch Sparty this is it. It will be Tuesday or Wednesday before they get their heads out of the clouds, and its going to be hard for them to take an 0-2 team seriously after having just upset their biggest rival.
Northwestern spotted Iowa 14 points and still won. The score was close, but that game could have been really ugly. This team looks to be among Iowa's worst under Ferentz in terms of talent in the trenches. That typically does not bode well for Iowa.
14 points with 50 minutes to go is nothing in modern college football, except the hawks forgot to score in the 2nd half. That 3rd qtr offensive playcalling and execution with the wind behind their back was terrible. I knew to about 95% chance NW would beat them in the 4th qtr.
Funny thing is the hawks actually moved the ball decent at times into the wind both of those qtrs,
I think that despite Ramsey's and Fitz's brave talk, 21-0 would have finished jNW. Petras had Beyer crossing the back of the end zone with the route Noah Fant made so famous. Didn't quite have the time to set his feet and led him halfway to Davenport.When we had to settle for a FG to make it 17-0, I texted my buddy that it was over. I had a bad feeling at that point that it was 95% likely we would lose. It was reminiscent of the 2010 game in Evanston. Windy as hell, the offense could move it a little bit and then would stall, 'cats just played their game.
Yep, 21 would have been a dagger. But the stop gave them a lot of momentum and confidence.I think that despite Ramsey's and Fitz's brave talk, 21-0 would have finished jNW.
More important, Fitz knew it. He told the sideline reporter coming out of the halftime locker room that they would win. He was right.14 points with 50 minutes to go is nothing in modern college football, except the hawks forgot to score in the 2nd half. That 3rd qtr offensive playcalling and execution with the wind behind their back was terrible. I knew to about 95% chance NW would beat them in the 4th qtr.
Funny thing is the hawks actually moved the ball decent at times into the wind both of those qtrs,
Michigan I would say is far and away the largest of them all anyway.I would say Michigan, Minnesota, and Penn State are bigger disappointments but Iowa and Nebraska are right there.