The road to the Rose Bowl runs through Kinnick Stadium but Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is only concerned about this week’s matchup with 11th ranked Wisconsin. Eighth ranked Michigan State and number ten Ohio State also visit Kinnick Stadium meaning the Hawkeyes host three of the biggfest games remaining in the league race.
Ferentz says they are two games in and to him there is not conference race yet. He says he is only looking to Saturday’s game. The Badgers are 6-1 overall after taking down the top ranked Buckeyes 31-18 last week. Ferentz says they are a veteran football team with a good plan in place that was evidenced by their win over Ohio State.
Ferentz expects it to be a hard-fought game like the others in the series have been. It will also be the final game in the series until at least 2013. With Nebraska joining the Big Ten The Hawkeyes and Badgers will be in different divisions next year. He says before the announcements were made about the realignment, they knew it would be strange and different. Ferentz says they would probably says the same about another game is this series had continued and another had been dropped.
After preparing for the speed of Michigan last week the Hawks now get set to face Wisconsin’s size and power. Ferentz says it’s a big departure from last week and they have to try and make adjustments to the size and strength of Wisconsin. Ferentz says this series has been competitive on the field and on the recruiting trail.
He says they are in the same region and frequent the same territories and they both do well in their home states and battle in other states. Ferentz says the series was not competitive when he got there and they have been able to battle back and make it competitive.