ESPN.com's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg dished out his September team and individual awards earlier this evening.
Rittenberg dubbed the Hawkeyes as the conference's team of the month. According to the blogger, Iowa's 21-10 win over then-No. 5 Penn State Sept. 26 threw the Hawks into the Big Ten title chase.
Unfortunately, Iowa was left out of the rest of the awards.
Was Michigan against Notre Dame really the best game of September in the Big Ten? I'm not saying Iowa-Penn State was better than Ohio State and USC, but I am saying it was a better game than Michigan-Notre Dame. I like defensive struggles, though. Maybe the only thing I disagreed with.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Ballard's big hit against Penn State
Watch Iowa DT Christian Ballard (46) nail Penn State's right tackle, Nerraw McCormack (72), on Pat Angerer's fourth quarter interception. It happens 2:00 into the highlights. It's in the top middle of the screen as Angerer streaks down the sideline at the bottom.
Injury updates for Arkansas State
Iowa star left tackle Bryan Bulaga has been medically cleared to play this weekend against Arkansas State, according to hawkeyesports.com.
The Hawks have been without the preseason All-American since their week one triumph over Northern Iowa due to a disclosed illness.
Redshirt freshman Riley Reiff has filled in admirably for Bulaga in his first three career starts. Reiff's experience could pay off down the road if Bulaga were to sit out again.
Senior tight end Tony Moeaki is still questionable.
The Hawks have been without the preseason All-American since their week one triumph over Northern Iowa due to a disclosed illness.
Redshirt freshman Riley Reiff has filled in admirably for Bulaga in his first three career starts. Reiff's experience could pay off down the road if Bulaga were to sit out again.
Senior tight end Tony Moeaki is still questionable.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
News and notes from week four
What a great game it was last night. The Hawks simply own Penn State. I get the feeling that the media will talk about how Penn State just wasn't themselves and Iowa will get zero credit for its performance - and that's fine, because the Hawks play better when they're disrespected, anyway. But before long, people are going to have to take notice of the Black-and-Gold.
Without further adieu, here's the breakdown of the game.
And the game ball goes to...: Adrian Clayborn. Clayborn's blocked punt turned touchdown return broke the game open for the Hawks in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Trailing 10-5, Clayborn burst through the left side of Penn State's o-line and stuffed the kick then proceeded to pick it up and rumble 35 yards untouched into the endzone. Momentum had evaded the Hawkeyes for most of the game, but Clayborn's big play broke open the flood gates on the Nits.
On top of the huge blocked kick-touchdown, Clayborn also racked up a pair of tackles and seemed to be playing, "let's meet at the quarterback," on every play with Broderick Binns. Daryll Clark - the Big Ten's so-called best overall quarterback - spent most of the game on the run or on the ground. The Big Ten Network said it best after the game, "if Daryll Clark never sees Iowa again, that will be just fine with him."
Tip of the cap: to the Hawkeyes' defense. Pat Angerer: stud (14 tackles, a deflected pass, a forced fumble and an INT). A.J. Edds: stud (six tackles and the game-ending INT). Karl Klug: stud (six tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery). Binns: stud (eight tackles, 2.5 TFL and a forced fumble). Clayborn: player of the game. Did I miss anyone?
Also to Ricky Stanzi. I've been picking on "pretty Ricky" so far this season because of his slow starts. No complaints here this week, Rick. You played like a champ in a hostile environment and your receivers dropped six passes.
Wag of the finger: to the Iowa receivers. I'll keep it short: CATCH! THE! BALL!
Final thoughts: the win vaulted Iowa to No. 13 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today Poll. Ferentz is 7-2 against Penn State, 4-1 at Beaver Stadium. The Hawks' defense is about as good as it gets. The second quarter saw the Hawks out-gain the Nits 124 to minus-6.
Next week: The Hawks host Arkansas State (1-2). Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa will meet the Red Wolves for the first time in school history. It will also be Iowa's first game against a team from the Sun Belt conference.
Without further adieu, here's the breakdown of the game.
And the game ball goes to...: Adrian Clayborn. Clayborn's blocked punt turned touchdown return broke the game open for the Hawks in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Trailing 10-5, Clayborn burst through the left side of Penn State's o-line and stuffed the kick then proceeded to pick it up and rumble 35 yards untouched into the endzone. Momentum had evaded the Hawkeyes for most of the game, but Clayborn's big play broke open the flood gates on the Nits.
On top of the huge blocked kick-touchdown, Clayborn also racked up a pair of tackles and seemed to be playing, "let's meet at the quarterback," on every play with Broderick Binns. Daryll Clark - the Big Ten's so-called best overall quarterback - spent most of the game on the run or on the ground. The Big Ten Network said it best after the game, "if Daryll Clark never sees Iowa again, that will be just fine with him."
Tip of the cap: to the Hawkeyes' defense. Pat Angerer: stud (14 tackles, a deflected pass, a forced fumble and an INT). A.J. Edds: stud (six tackles and the game-ending INT). Karl Klug: stud (six tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a fumble recovery). Binns: stud (eight tackles, 2.5 TFL and a forced fumble). Clayborn: player of the game. Did I miss anyone?
Also to Ricky Stanzi. I've been picking on "pretty Ricky" so far this season because of his slow starts. No complaints here this week, Rick. You played like a champ in a hostile environment and your receivers dropped six passes.
Wag of the finger: to the Iowa receivers. I'll keep it short: CATCH! THE! BALL!
Final thoughts: the win vaulted Iowa to No. 13 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today Poll. Ferentz is 7-2 against Penn State, 4-1 at Beaver Stadium. The Hawks' defense is about as good as it gets. The second quarter saw the Hawks out-gain the Nits 124 to minus-6.
Next week: The Hawks host Arkansas State (1-2). Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa will meet the Red Wolves for the first time in school history. It will also be Iowa's first game against a team from the Sun Belt conference.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Iowa vs. Penn State Pre-Game
Iowa (3-0) vs. No. 5 Penn State (3-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Beaver Stadium
TV/Radio: ABC, Big Ten Network, AM 800 KXIC
Line: Penn State, +10 (espn.com)
What to watch for
Penn State has a revenge factor on the unbeaten Hawkeyes after Iowa sniped the Nittany Lions last year in Kinnick Stadium, 24-23. The game has garnered national attention, attracting ESPN's College GameDay and a prime-time kick off on ABC. The Penn State students have declared the game a "white-out."
Key Stats
Kirk Ferentz is 6-2 against Penn State, 3-1 at Beaver Stadium. The only starting QB to lose a game in Happy Valley will likely forever remain nameless in and around Iowa City (Jake Christensen). In Iowa's three wins over the Nits, two have come in over time. The other came on a 6-4 defensive struggle in 2005.
The consensus in the college football community is that Penn State at home is a lock, particularly with revenge on their minds. The ESPN.com message boards have been calling for a blow out by the Nits, but Iowa rarely gets blown out because of their stifling defense. The Hawks lead the Big Ten with six interceptions, four by sophomore safety Tyler Sash.
The ground game is going to be the decider for both teams. There is, however, no distinct difference between Iowa's running game and Penn State's.
Iowa's leading rusher redshirt freshman Adam Robinson, has rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries in the Hawks' three wins.
Penn State's Evan Royster has 236 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries. 134 of those yards, however, came last week against lowly Temple.
If Iowa controls the line of scrimmage, they win.
Prediction
The weather is sure to play a part in the outcome of this game. With temperatures in the mid-50s and a 70 percent chance of rain, I'm thinking it's going to be a low scoring affair. In sloppy, nasty games, the defense wins every time and Iowa has the better defense. The Hawks overcome some early mental errors, the defense keeps it close and Daniel Murray smites the Nits again, this time in their house.
Iowa 17, Penn State 16
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Beaver Stadium
TV/Radio: ABC, Big Ten Network, AM 800 KXIC
Line: Penn State, +10 (espn.com)
What to watch for
Penn State has a revenge factor on the unbeaten Hawkeyes after Iowa sniped the Nittany Lions last year in Kinnick Stadium, 24-23. The game has garnered national attention, attracting ESPN's College GameDay and a prime-time kick off on ABC. The Penn State students have declared the game a "white-out."
Key Stats
Kirk Ferentz is 6-2 against Penn State, 3-1 at Beaver Stadium. The only starting QB to lose a game in Happy Valley will likely forever remain nameless in and around Iowa City (Jake Christensen). In Iowa's three wins over the Nits, two have come in over time. The other came on a 6-4 defensive struggle in 2005.
The consensus in the college football community is that Penn State at home is a lock, particularly with revenge on their minds. The ESPN.com message boards have been calling for a blow out by the Nits, but Iowa rarely gets blown out because of their stifling defense. The Hawks lead the Big Ten with six interceptions, four by sophomore safety Tyler Sash.
The ground game is going to be the decider for both teams. There is, however, no distinct difference between Iowa's running game and Penn State's.
Iowa's leading rusher redshirt freshman Adam Robinson, has rushed for 233 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries in the Hawks' three wins.
Penn State's Evan Royster has 236 yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries. 134 of those yards, however, came last week against lowly Temple.
If Iowa controls the line of scrimmage, they win.
Prediction
The weather is sure to play a part in the outcome of this game. With temperatures in the mid-50s and a 70 percent chance of rain, I'm thinking it's going to be a low scoring affair. In sloppy, nasty games, the defense wins every time and Iowa has the better defense. The Hawks overcome some early mental errors, the defense keeps it close and Daniel Murray smites the Nits again, this time in their house.
Iowa 17, Penn State 16
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Injury updates
Kirk Ferentz announced this week on his radio show left tackle Bryan Bulaga will not play this weekend at Penn State.
Senior tight end Tony Moeaki and junior wide out Derrell Johnson-Koulianos are still questionable, according to Ferentz.
On the Nittany Lions' injury front, linebacker Sean Lee is not expected to play according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Adam Robinson is slated as the starting running back for the Hawkeyes. Robinson rushed for a career-high 101 yards and two touchdowns last week in Iowa's 27-17 win over Arizona.
Senior tight end Tony Moeaki and junior wide out Derrell Johnson-Koulianos are still questionable, according to Ferentz.
On the Nittany Lions' injury front, linebacker Sean Lee is not expected to play according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Adam Robinson is slated as the starting running back for the Hawkeyes. Robinson rushed for a career-high 101 yards and two touchdowns last week in Iowa's 27-17 win over Arizona.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hawkeye students showing yellow streak
So far this week, just from walking around on campus, it appears the general consensus among Iowa students is that the Hawks are wandering blindly into a, “Lion’s den,” so to speak. And the likelihood of the football team coming out of Beaver Stadium on Saturday night victorious is non-existent.
"Oh man, Penn State is going to be so pissed from last year," and, "they're going to be out for blood after what happened last year."
A word to the wise:
Forget about what happened last year. Coach Ferentz and the football team have. Do you think they're sitting around watching last year's game film, patting each other on the back while sipping brandy and smoking cigars like a bunch of good ol' boys? I don't think so.
I would venture to guess that the Hawks are probably hitting it pretty hard this week on the practice field and in the weight room.
The will to seek revenge is stronger than the action of actually getting revenge. Vengeance is driven by anger and hostility. Anger makes it hard to concentrate on the task at hand. Penn State has this notion of revenge going for them, yes. But how far will it actually take them?
Captain Kirk is 6-2 as Iowa's head coach against the Nittany Lions. His only loss at Beaver Stadium came in 2007 when an unnamed quarterback (Jake Christensen) led an ineffective offense into a death trap. And as excited as the Nittany Lions are at a chance to prove last year's upset in Iowa City was a fluke, the Hawkeyes are probably equally, if not more excited to get on that field Saturday to prove just the opposite is true.
Why?
Because they know what's at stake. A 4-0 record, a win against a top-five team, a game in front of a national audience. But perhaps most importantly, Iowa will be playing to get respect. This is such a huge match-up that ESPN chose to send College GameDay to Happy Valley rather than to Blacksburg, Vir., for the annual Miami-Virginia Tech showdown, a match-up of two ranked teams.
Believe me, the Hawkeyes know what the magnitude of what they're up against. Have some confidence in your team, Hawk fans!
"Oh man, Penn State is going to be so pissed from last year," and, "they're going to be out for blood after what happened last year."
A word to the wise:
Forget about what happened last year. Coach Ferentz and the football team have. Do you think they're sitting around watching last year's game film, patting each other on the back while sipping brandy and smoking cigars like a bunch of good ol' boys? I don't think so.
I would venture to guess that the Hawks are probably hitting it pretty hard this week on the practice field and in the weight room.
The will to seek revenge is stronger than the action of actually getting revenge. Vengeance is driven by anger and hostility. Anger makes it hard to concentrate on the task at hand. Penn State has this notion of revenge going for them, yes. But how far will it actually take them?
Captain Kirk is 6-2 as Iowa's head coach against the Nittany Lions. His only loss at Beaver Stadium came in 2007 when an unnamed quarterback (Jake Christensen) led an ineffective offense into a death trap. And as excited as the Nittany Lions are at a chance to prove last year's upset in Iowa City was a fluke, the Hawkeyes are probably equally, if not more excited to get on that field Saturday to prove just the opposite is true.
Why?
Because they know what's at stake. A 4-0 record, a win against a top-five team, a game in front of a national audience. But perhaps most importantly, Iowa will be playing to get respect. This is such a huge match-up that ESPN chose to send College GameDay to Happy Valley rather than to Blacksburg, Vir., for the annual Miami-Virginia Tech showdown, a match-up of two ranked teams.
Believe me, the Hawkeyes know what the magnitude of what they're up against. Have some confidence in your team, Hawk fans!
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