Northwestern @ Iowa preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2015 ) Iowa 40, Northwestern 10

Iowa looks to shake off two straight underwhelming performances and a crippling injury as it hosts Northwestern on Saturday in a critical Big Ten game for both teams. The Hawkeyes edged Rutgers 14-7 last week after getting upset by FCS member North Dakota State and leading receiver Matt VandeBerg is out indefinitely after suffering a foot injury in practice Monday.

“We’re trying to build a team,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters. “We’ve gone through a lot of things historically where the one commonality is we have never been a smooth, crisp team in September. I think October is coming, so it will be a good time to get in that gear.” The Hawkeyes will have to step up against a Northwestern team that comes in angry after dropping three of its first four games, including a 24-13 setback against Nebraska last week. The Wildcats have made too many mistakes on offense while scoring just 16.3 points per game and their defense gave up 556 yards last week at home, including 310 on the ground. “When we go to Iowa City, we have to perform,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters. “If we don’t go out with the right attitude and the right preparation, we will get crushed.”

TV: Noon ET, ESPNU. LINE: Iowa --13

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten): Sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson has had some good moments, throwing for 569 yards combined the last two weeks, but has tossed four interceptions as well. Junior Justin Jackson, coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, has 339 in four games to start 2016 and Thorson is next with just 41 while senior Austin Carr leads the Big Ten in receptions (26) and receiving yards (392) with three touchdowns. Junior linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (23 tackles), who was slowed by injury in preseason, leads the defense.

ABOUT IOWA (3-1, 1-0): Senior quarterback C.J. Beathard was hassled in the pocket often at Rutgers last week and sacked twice, completing just 12 passes, and will miss the improving VandeBerg (19 receptions, 284 yards). Senior tight end George Kittle, who was used more the last two weeks with seven catches for 166 yards, could be more important while sophomores Jerminic Smith and Jay Scheel take on bigger roles. The Hawkeyes must depend more on a solid ground attack, led by senior LeShun Daniels Jr. (301 yards, three TDs) and junior Akrum Wadley (274, four).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Hawkeyes can win their 10th straight Big Ten regular-season game, which would match their longest such streak since 2001-02.

2. Jackson needs 56 yards to become the fourth Northwestern player to rush for 3,000 in their career.

3. Wadley rushed for a career-best 204 yards in Iowa’s 40-10 victory over the Wildcats last year, its fourth win in the last five games of the series.

PREDICTION: Iowa 31, Northwestern 14