Hawkeyes wary of Gopher game
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Michigan. Michigan State.
Oh, and by the way?
Minnesota.
Today’s Iowa football forecast calls for calm — before consecutive Saturdays of a Michigan storm.
The Hawkeyes’ 2:30 p.m. game against the Gophers (1-6, 0-3 Big Ten) at TCF Bank Stadium is a tuneup for next Saturday’s game against 17th-ranked Michigan, and then against No. 9 Michigan State on Nov. 12.
Both Michigan teams come to Kinnick Stadium, and that two-week grind will determine if Iowa is a legitimate contender to represent the Legends Division in the first Big Ten Conference title game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis.
But first, this word from one-day-at-a-time players.
“Look at our road schedule recently,” safety Jordan Bernstine cautioned. “We’ve got some work to do in that respect.”
The Hawkeyes have lost four games in a row since winning at Indiana 18-13 last Nov. 6, and the drought includes a 27-24 setback at Minnesota.
“We came out flat and they capitalized on our mistakes,” defensive end Broderick Binns said.
The nothing-to-lose Gophers, who already had fired coach Tim Brewster at midseason, blitzed. They tackled the ball. They successfully executed an onside kick in the first quarter.
“Any time you’re backed into a corner, you’re going to shoot all the bullets in the gun,” Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg said. “It was a tough day that we still remember.”
That includes tailback Marcus Coker, who fumbled away Iowa’s comeback hopes on the first play following a Minnesota touchdown with 4½ minutes to play.
“We just didn’t come out ready to play for some reason, and that can’t happen again,” Coker said. “We’ve got to be ready, and I mean ready right from the beginning of the game.”
That loss likely knocked Iowa out of its sixth January bowl game under Ferentz, and into the Dec. 28 Insight Bowl game against Missouri that the Hawkeyes won 27-24.
“My guess is (Minnesota) probably practiced a lot better than we did, although our practices weren’t bad that week,” Ferentz recalled. “For the 60 minutes the game went on, they beat us in every phase possible, including coaching.
“Once the game started, it clearly looked like we weren’t interested in competing.”
Minnesota was in the bottom half of most national statistical categories before last season’s game. Ditto today.
The Gophers are No. 112 in offense, No. 110 in scoring, No. 109 in offense and 100th in total defense.
Need more?
Minnesota has been outscored 103-3 during first halves against its three Big Ten Conference opponents — Michigan, Purdue and Nebraska.
Still, Iowa players vow a repeat of 2010 won’t happen.
“Maybe we felt entitled a little last year,” Binns said. “We can’t do that ever again.”
Category: Iowa Hawkeyes Football
What has happened to Norm’s defense? Tackles missed or made after tailback or receiver or QB has passed the first down marker. Losing to a team like MN is truly pathetic.
PT Hawk
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