jesterapparel
Well-Known Member
Penn State has allowed 3 passing touchdowns all season.
Not to shabby.
Not to shabby.
Is Iowa-Penn State Most Important Game for 2011 Season?
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
uofihawkInation
Well-Known Member
Against a team which relies solely on the run, Alabama. A team which has no real quarterback as of yet, Indiana. And the other 3 teams they played? Indiana State, Temple, and Eastern Michigan.
jesterapparel
Well-Known Member
Penn State has givin up an average of 12 points a game. That includes 27 points to Alabama. They kept Alamaba to 160 passing yards. I think Vegas sees this as Iowa playing into Penn States strengths.
Section136
Well-Known Member
Not a huge surprise considering Penn State has played Alabama, Eastern Michigan and Temple who rank #11, #10 and #16 nationally respectively in rushing yards per game. Not going to have a lot passing touchdowns that way.
They have also played Indiana State and Indiana, who havent exactly set the college football world on fire this year.
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Yes I can go along with this...also against Bama, PSU had its best defensive player available (Mauti) and its top CB...neither will play vs Iowa.
jesterapparel
Well-Known Member
Still impressive for the defense. However, they have lost a couple of people. I think Iowa wins. Just don't see Vandy goin all Pitt on Penn State.
hawkstats1979
Well-Known Member
Rittenberg has a 12-10 game. I don't think the Iowa O is bad enough to be held to 10, and I certainly don't think the Iowa D--especially safeties--will be good enough to hold PSU to four field goals. O/U is 44/45-ish, which I think is still low. I'm thinking something like a 31-27 type game.
HaydenHawk56
Well-Known Member
It is a key game for sure. However, Iowa in the past has had a tendency to play up and down to its competition. That is why games against Indiana, Minny, and Northwestern still linger in the wind......and can still leave doubt.
On paper and tradition it should be Iowa's greatest challenge (on the road in the Big 10), but Iowa has struggled against the likes of the above mentioned. They already stubbed their toes against the clowns (another tomato can). Maybe Iowa's best barometer for success is how they handle the teams they are suppose to beat.
On paper and tradition it should be Iowa's greatest challenge (on the road in the Big 10), but Iowa has struggled against the likes of the above mentioned. They already stubbed their toes against the clowns (another tomato can). Maybe Iowa's best barometer for success is how they handle the teams they are suppose to beat.
trj
Well-Known Member
I am on board with this for a lot of reasons.
As for PSU, if they score more than 17 they will win, if they do not Iowa will win. I realize that is a deep, well thought out analysis
......Imo, the game hinges on the PSU O or the lack thereof.how could those games be important right now? so you want to lose every game except those two. This game is the most important for confidence reasons so that they can win later in the season.
Great article, and a lot of great post here.
I agree that a win in Happy Valley could be a spring-board to a 9 win season (or even better) - but next week against Northwestern is even bigger, and has more weight to it. I believe this mostly because losing on the road in front of a loud 100K is more understandable than losing in Kinnick. Just as important: Northwestern is in Iowa's division, and Penn State is not.
I agree that a win in Happy Valley could be a spring-board to a 9 win season (or even better) - but next week against Northwestern is even bigger, and has more weight to it. I believe this mostly because losing on the road in front of a loud 100K is more understandable than losing in Kinnick. Just as important: Northwestern is in Iowa's division, and Penn State is not.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
Great article Jon. I think this week somehow defines the team going forward. The measuring stick just went up with Penn State in Happy Valley. Like you, I think the offense will be fine, but the defense still has unanswered questions that need to be resolved...pass rush, elimination of big plays.
Interesting comments on the running game and your expectation that Penn State may be effective on the ground against us. I'd venture to say we saw a very good running team in Pitt and I'm thinking better than Penn State. Graham certainly compares to Redd and is a better receiver. I just don't think they will be able to run on us consistently. Pitt offensive line was bigger than Penn State and had the advantage of spreading us out a little.
I'm more concerned about Paterno handing the reins to McGROIN and he goes all postal on us because we can't get in his face. The Penn State team may rally around him for finally getting the nod and they try to prove something and gain confidence.
We need to hit whomever is playing QB and get them out of a comfort zone. Nothing new there.
Interesting comments on the running game and your expectation that Penn State may be effective on the ground against us. I'd venture to say we saw a very good running team in Pitt and I'm thinking better than Penn State. Graham certainly compares to Redd and is a better receiver. I just don't think they will be able to run on us consistently. Pitt offensive line was bigger than Penn State and had the advantage of spreading us out a little.
I'm more concerned about Paterno handing the reins to McGROIN and he goes all postal on us because we can't get in his face. The Penn State team may rally around him for finally getting the nod and they try to prove something and gain confidence.
We need to hit whomever is playing QB and get them out of a comfort zone. Nothing new there.
It is an important game,no doubt. But, I have picked Iowa to lose this game,and still run off the next 6 before losing to Nebraksa,but still winning the Legends,so I do not think it is a death blow to our season or hopes for winning the Legends.
Iowa has to take care of business at home,beat Minny and PU on the road,and ease into Indy to face Wisky.
Now, an upset win over PSU saturday certainly would be helpful,and give the Hawks that margin for error.
Next week is more important...home game in the division.
I have PSU winning by 17-16 or 17- 14...I do not have them covering.
PSU's defense is arguably the best in the league,along with MSU.
I agree that it is gong to be a fascinating game,from a fan's standpoint.
Iowa has to take care of business at home,beat Minny and PU on the road,and ease into Indy to face Wisky.
Now, an upset win over PSU saturday certainly would be helpful,and give the Hawks that margin for error.
Next week is more important...home game in the division.
I have PSU winning by 17-16 or 17- 14...I do not have them covering.
PSU's defense is arguably the best in the league,along with MSU.
I agree that it is gong to be a fascinating game,from a fan's standpoint.
briankaldenberg
Well-Known Member
I think @ home against NW is the biggest and most pivotal. We can beat Penn State and then lose to NW and everyone will be on panic alert and so will our Legends title hopes.
We can beat Penn State and beat NW and then we're back in the Top 25 and the program is sailing in the right direction. We'd be a serious contender for the Legends.
We lose at Penn State and then the NW game becomes almost a must win... for possibly even bowl eligibility purposes and the program is in panic mode and you can probably kiss the legends goodbye.
We can beat Penn State and beat NW and then we're back in the Top 25 and the program is sailing in the right direction. We'd be a serious contender for the Legends.
We lose at Penn State and then the NW game becomes almost a must win... for possibly even bowl eligibility purposes and the program is in panic mode and you can probably kiss the legends goodbye.
storminspank
Justin VanLaere
I agree. Especially considering the Cats have been our Daddy as of late. I hope Ferentz has the Hawks ready in that one and Iowa smokes them.
This is by no way the most important game of the season. This is not a division game. Those are more important.
A young team on the road coming off a bye with key pieces of the team probably not quite ready to step back into major roles yet?
Come on. Not even close to most important game.
A young team on the road coming off a bye with key pieces of the team probably not quite ready to step back into major roles yet?
Come on. Not even close to most important game.
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
I think that Iowa can do more passing with Canzeri in than Jon seems to think.
The thing is that if Canzeri is in and we choose to pass ... we can also do more roll-outs ... and do more things to move/roll the pocket. That is typically a good way to diffuse a rush ... thereby compensating for a RB who might not be quite as effective at blocking. Bootlegs are always an option too. And, of course, there are the "quick-hitters" as Jon mentioned ... and the screen pass too.
When you combine the above options with the fact that Canzeri will likely be more effective for us running the counters than Coker ... that allows for the O to still have plenty of variety. While it might be easier to get a bead on the passing game when Canzeri is in ... we'll likely be harder to pin down in the running game.
The thing is that if Canzeri is in and we choose to pass ... we can also do more roll-outs ... and do more things to move/roll the pocket. That is typically a good way to diffuse a rush ... thereby compensating for a RB who might not be quite as effective at blocking. Bootlegs are always an option too. And, of course, there are the "quick-hitters" as Jon mentioned ... and the screen pass too.
When you combine the above options with the fact that Canzeri will likely be more effective for us running the counters than Coker ... that allows for the O to still have plenty of variety. While it might be easier to get a bead on the passing game when Canzeri is in ... we'll likely be harder to pin down in the running game.
homerHAWKeye777
Well-Known Member
Also, I know that a lot of Hawk fans are "drinking the kool-aide" ... and I also expect that a bunch of fans are reading too much into PSU's struggles against Indiana.
While I could definitely see the Hawks win by a 10 point margin ... I can also VERY EASILY see the Hawks lose by a score too.
You have to remember, this is only our 2nd road game of the year ... and Vandenberg didn't look so hot in our last game on the road.
Due to the road-game factor, I'm sticking with my long-held view that the Hawks lose by 3 points.
However, I will say that I'd be absolutely shocked if the Hawks lose by more than a score ... however, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks won by more than a score.
While I could definitely see the Hawks win by a 10 point margin ... I can also VERY EASILY see the Hawks lose by a score too.
You have to remember, this is only our 2nd road game of the year ... and Vandenberg didn't look so hot in our last game on the road.
Due to the road-game factor, I'm sticking with my long-held view that the Hawks lose by 3 points.
However, I will say that I'd be absolutely shocked if the Hawks lose by more than a score ... however, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks won by more than a score.
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
It's a big one to get us going, first game of Big, road test, another game to establish our offense, it's big. Lets get it.
HawkeyeMHA
Well-Known Member
Our two streaks (beating PSU year after year and losing to NWU year after year) the next two weeks. Interesting two games. I think these two will tell us a lot.
