That UNI team had some big game and big atmosphere experience, to go along with their solid line play and veteran QB. They also had pride on the line playing about 90 miles down the road from their own campus against the big dog in the state. Couple that with a flat Iowa team, and you had a recipe for Hawkeye disaster, which we nearly saw.
This EIU team, on the other hand has been in some big atmospheres (Penn State last year), but not really any big games (not a playoff caliber team like UNI was). They also don't have the in-state pride factor going for them like UNI did, and they're breaking in a new QB. They can (and will, IMO) be shaken early. A 3 and out capped by a sack, a fumble, an INT, a blocked kick, or a homerun from Stanzi to DJK. Any of these things happening early on will shatter their confidence and open the floodgates, and I fully expect to see one or more of them happen en route to a comfortable Iowa win.
