Game To Watch: #10 Iowa at #9 Iowa State: September 11, 2021
Iowa and Iowa State will square off in a match-up of in-state rivals in Ames on Saturday at 4:30 EST. Iowa’s defense dominated against Indiana, leading the way to a 34 – 6 win last week. Meanwhile, the Cyclones were without star TE Charlie Kolar and had to fight their way to a 16 – 10 win over Northern Iowa. Both teams have high hopes this season and will attempt to build on their season opening win.
Recent History
Iowa is 45 – 22 against Iowa State all time. The Hawkeyes have dominated recently, winning five in a row in the series. That streak continued in 2019, when Iowa pulled out a hard fought 18 – 17 win in Ames. The Cyclones last win against Iowa was in 2014 when they went to Iowa City and won 20 – 17.
Top 25 Players
Iowa
| Player | Rank |
|---|---|
| Tyler Goodson | #20 RB |
| Sam LaPorta | #19 TE |
| Tyler Linderbaum | #1 G/C |
| Cody Ince | #17 G/C |
| Riley Moss | #25 CB |
| Jack Koerner | #23 S |
Iowa Hawkeyes Gear
Iowa State
| Player | Rank |
|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | #7 QB |
| Breece Hall | #1 RB |
| Xavier Hutchinson | #21 WR |
| Charlie Kolar | #1 TE |
| Trevor Downing | #24 G/C |
| Will McDonald | #10 DE |
| Mike Rose | #1 LB |
| Anthony Johnson | #24 CB |
| Greg Eisworth | #3 S |
| Isheem Young | #12 S |
Iowa State Cyclones Gear
What To Watch For…
Can Breece Hall Get Going Against the Iowa Defense?
Iowa State’s running game struggled week one, but Breece Hall is a great back and if history is any indicator he will be tough to contain for long. He ran for over 1,500 yards a year ago and scored 21 touchdowns for the Cyclones. Hall was held under 100 yards in the season opener, a number he only failed to reach three times in 12 games last season. Iowa’s run defense was excellent against Indiana, allowing just 77 yards on 31 carries. Of course, Indiana does not have the powerful running game that Iowa State is expected to bring to the table. This will be a bigger test for Iowa’s new look defensive line. The Cyclones need Breece Hall to set the tone for their offense, but Iowa’s defense will do their best to keep him in check again this week.
Can Iowa’s Offense Find Consistency?
Iowa dominated Indiana in their opener, but the offense was sporadic. Tyler Goodson broke a 56 yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the game, but Iowa’s offense didn’t gain much yardage after that. Spencer Petras only completed 13 of 27 passes and averaged just 5.4 yards per attempt. Goodson ran for 99 yards, though 56 of them came on one play. Iowa averaged 4.7 yards per play against Indiana and without their defense scoring 14 points would not have had such an impressive win. Iowa State didn’t score much against Northern Iowa but their defense allowed just ten points. Iowa State allowed 45 rushing yards and 1.7 yards per carry last week. They were also able to create turnovers, intercepting two passes. With an experienced and proven defense, Iowa State has the personnel to carry over that strong performance. Iowa is facing a tough defense but they will have to be more consistent on offense to put pressure on Iowa State.
Will Iowa Force Turnovers Against Brock Purdy?
The Hawkeyes made Michael Penix uncomfortable in week 1, intercepting three passes in the game. Riley Moss returned two of them for touchdown, creating momentum that Indiana could not overcome. Iowa’s defense is returning plenty of talent in the back seven and proved they can make big plays against good competition. Brock Purdy has led the Iowa State program to new heights during his tenure as the starting quarterback, but when the Cyclones have struggled recently, Purdy has committed far too many turnovers. Purdy threw five of his nine interceptions in Iowa State’s three losses during the 2020 season. For Iowa State to reach their potential this season, their quarterback has to limit his mistakes in tough games. Iowa will look for a repeat performance of week one, rattling another top QB and forcing mistakes that they can capitalize on.
Prediction
Rivalry games have a way of bringing out the best in both teams. Iowa is going to be physical and attempt to impose their will on the game. Iowa State has the defense to keep Iowa’s offense in check, but will struggle to be consistent against the Hawkeyes’ defense. Purdy will have to limit the turnovers, but he is capable of making more explosive plays than Spencer Petras, which will be the difference in a tight game. Iowa State 23 Iowa 21.
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Iowa Beats Iowa State image taken by Phil Roeder is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
