Iowa hosts Iowa State in the 62nd meeting in the series. The Cyclones are 0-2 but Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz expects to face the team that nearly beat Kansas State and not the one that dropped a lopsided encounter to North Dakota State. He says the two games were night and day different and the Cyclones have a history of getting better.
Iowa ditched the running game in a come from behind win over Ball State and Ferentz says the Hawkeyes would like to be more balanced. He says they will try to do whatever it takes to win. Since Iowa State end Iowa’s 15 game winning streak in 1998 the series has been more competitive and Ferentz expects nothing different on Saturday.
Iowa State would like to run the ball better but must find a way to block Iowa’s defensive line. “The front four is a great concern, but the entire defense is a concern for us,” Cyclone coach Paul Rhoads says. Rhoads says the defense is known for being sound and he says the Iowa offense will want to be physical.
Rhoads says Iowa quarterback Jake Ruddock showed how much he has improved by leading Iowa’s comeback victory last week. Iowa leads the all-time series 40-21 and the Hawkeyes have won four of the last six games.