A New Season

     Today's starts a new season, the Big Ten season starts now. The games we played before today don't mean anything now. It is all about our Big Ten record that will get us into some of the bigger bowls. Heck if we win the Big Ten we go to the Rose Bowl regardless of our overall record.
Today Iowa plays the Minnesota Gophers, a team with a tough defense, good offense, and a team that has beaten Iowa the past three years. There is fire in the hearts if many Iowa players after last weeks last second loss to Central Michigan University. After a game like that, the team, the university, and the fans are lost. Game plans ruined, expectations lashed, and hope beginning to crumble, Iowa needs a win today.
     With running back Jordan Canzeri back in the back field as well as Iowa's go to man, mark Weismann I would hope that Iowa's offense coordinator Greg Davis would use that to Iowa's advantage and pull out some trickery with with this offense. Weisman has carried the team on his back the past few weeks. After running back Damon Bullock went down and has yet to return to game action, Iowa turned to Weisman. Weisman has rushed for 338 yards with 6 touchdowns on the season.
     The Hawkeye receivers have made a huge improvement since week one, but there is still some to go. They have improved upon dropped passes. They amount of dropped passes in week one was ridiculous and very very frustrating. Week two was an improvement, and last week they looked like a new corps. I expect to see the receivers get down field and beat the gopher defenders by a step or two downfield.
     If Iowa holds the Gopher offense to 14 points and is able to win the turn over battle there is a good chance Iowa will win. However it's not that easy. Hawkeye quarterback James Vandenburg must be on his A game today. He must be on target to his wide receivers, and he must bring leadership to the offense. Although are running game is now dominant, we need to establish the passing game. If we do that, then Iowa can look to open up the play action, which is I my opinion, one of Iowa's greatest go to plays. My prediction for this game is Iowa 24 Minnesota 10. (WC 398)