Iowa State @ Iowa preview
Kinnick Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2011 ) Iowa 41, Iowa State 44
One week after ending the nation’s longest winning streak, Iowa returns home Saturday to exact revenge on an Iowa State team that handed it a surprising triple-overtime loss last season in the highest-scoring game in the 59-game history of this series. After trailing for most of their season opener, the Hawkeyes rallied in the final minutes to defeat reigning Mid-American Conference champion Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in Chicago, putting an end to the Huskies’ eight-game winning streak behind sophomore Damon Bullock’s 150 rushing yards. The Cyclones also overcame adversity in their season opener, falling behind Tulsa 16-7 early before taking control of the game with 24 unanswered points.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET; Big Ten Network. LINE: Iowa -3.5
ABOUT IOWA STATE (1-0): Senior QB Steele Jantz, who threw for a career-high four touchdowns in last year’s 44-41 upset of Iowa, won a fall-camp competition and strengthened his grasp of the starting job by accounting for three touchdowns in the win over Tulsa. But perhaps the best story was the return of junior running back Shontrelle Johnson, who rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown despite not being cleared to play until July because of a career-threatening neck injury. Josh Lenz matched a career high with eight receptions in the opener while fellow senior wide receiver Chris Young caught seven passes, one more than he did all of last season.
ABOUT IOWA (1-0): Bullock’s 30 carries against Northern Illinois tripled the number of attempts he managed as a freshman playing behind Marcus Coker, although coach Kirk Ferentz stated earlier in the week he expects freshman running back Greg Garmon to receive more than the four carries he received against the Huskies. While the offense managed only 268 total yards under new coordinator Greg Davis, junior kicker Mike Meyer tied a career high with four field goals to keep the Hawkeyes around until Bullock delivered the go-ahead touchdown with just over two minutes remaining.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Iowa, which holds a 39-20 advantage in this series, has won 21 of the last 29 meetings, including the last four at Kinnick Stadium.
2. Iowa State is 16-1 under coach Paul Rhoads when holding opponents to less than 24 points, but 3-19 when it allows 24 or more.
3. The Hawkeyes are 55-12 over their last 67 games at Kinnick.
PREDICTION: Iowa 24, Iowa State 20