Iowa visits Iowa State in the 59th meeting in the series. The Hawkeyes opened with a 34-7 win over Tennessee Tech and while an inexperienced defensive line played well coach Kirk Ferentz says they will get a much bigger challenge against the Cyclones. He says the Cyclones will outweigh them up front and he says he can’t forget 2007 when they ran the ball “down our throats.”
Iowa has dominated this series in recent years but Ferentz remembers when it was the Cyclones who had the upper hand. He says he knows what it is like on both sides. Ferentz says while they have won the last few years, they’ve had some tough days in Ames and he says they aren’t much fun.
Ferentz says mistakes have been a big part of lopsided wins by the Hawkeyes the past two years. He says going back to 2005 it was the other way around, where they turned it over 7 times and I.S.U. only turned it over twice.
Iowa has won the last three games of the series and the Cyclones hope to get that turned around. I.S.U. coach Paul Rhoads says it’s a big game with a rivalry, bragging rights, recruiting ramifications, but he says more importantly they’ve “been whipped” the last few years and noone likes that.
The Cyclones will need to execute better than the Hawkeyes, as Rhoads says they are sound and don’t make mistakes. He says the Hawkeyes play their game and play it very well. Rhoads says quarterback James Vandenberg looked good in Iowa’s victory over Tennessee Tech. He says he doesn’t see Vandenberg showing much drop off as the season goes along.
Iowa leads the all-time series 39-19.