No. 15 Iowa heads into Saturday afternoon’s trip to Minnesota with Floyd on the line and five straight wins at Huntington Bank Stadium already in its pocket.
The Hawkeyes are back from their bye week and walking into a rivalry that has had plenty of twists this season. Minnesota, coached by PJ Fleck, owns a ranked win over Washington but also comes in off a loss to Purdue two weeks ago. This meeting will be the 120th in the series.
For Iowa, the formula starts on offense. The Hawkeyes have moved the ball well this year and shown real growth as the season has gone on, but one frustrating trend remains: the opening drive has not ended in a touchdown.
Iowa has gotten points, just not the kind that change the temperature of a game right away. With Jeremy Hecklinski stepping in as the starting quarterback this week, an early score would go a long way for him and for the offense as a whole.
It also helps that his first career touchdown came against Minnesota last year.
Discipline should matter just as much. Minnesota has been flagged 34 times for 322 yards through six games, an average of 5.67 penalties and about 54 yards a game.
Iowa has had its own issues too, with 31 penalties for 260 yards in its first six games. In a rivalry that tends to run hot, both sides need to clean things up.
For the Hawkeyes, avoiding pre-snap mistakes on the road is especially important if they want to find a rhythm and keep it.
Then there’s the defense, where Iowa may have a chance to tilt the game. Phil Parker has never been shy about dialing up pressure, and this matchup gives him reason to do it again.
Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey is not especially mobile, and he won’t have a full-strength offensive line in front of him. That opens a door for Iowa to get after him, force mistakes and maybe even keep the pick six streak alive for another season.
If the Hawkeyes can make Minnesota uncomfortable early, they can take away some of the energy the Gophers might be chasing after the Purdue loss. Iowa has plenty to like in this one, and with Minnesota dealing with injuries, the Hawkeyes have a path to bringing Floyd of Rosedale back to Iowa City.
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The matchup also puts the offense under a bright spotlight, with Jeremy Hecklinski stepping in as the starting quarterback and Iowa looking to pair his play with a steadier running game. Minnesotas defense has made life difficult up front, allowing only four sacks this season, so the Hawkeyes may have to win this one by forcing turnovers and grinding out field position in a game that figures to be decided by which side can stay cleaner on the margins. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces A Rivalry Test That Could Shape Its Season Push
After a week off, Iowa heads into one of the Big Tens most familiar measuring sticks, a trip to Minneapolis to meet Minnesota for the Floyd of Rosedale. The Hawkeyes are carrying the better momentum on paper, with betting markets making them a nearly touchdown favorite for a game at Huntington Bank Stadium that could say plenty about where this season is headed.
Weather could put an extra wrinkle into an already physical rivalry, especially if it limits what either side can do through the air. However this one plays out, the matchup brings together two teams that know each other well and a coaching history that tends to make these annual meetings more than just another spot on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]