Spotlight game: No. 7 Iowa at Michigan State

Fri, Oct 23, 2009

NCAA-FB

Place: East Lansing, Mich.
Time: 7 p.m. Saturday
TV: Big Ten Network
Line: Pick ‘em

Three reasons Iowa will win

Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn is becoming a terror off the edge for opposing quarterbacks.Iowa DE Adrian Clayborn is becoming a terror off the edge for opposing quarterbacks.

1. Turnover karma: The Hawkeyes enter the game plus-11 in turnover margin, and their 22 takeaways rank first among BCS schools. Ball control issues have beset Michigan State all season, leaving it minus-4 in the same department. The coaching refrain of “win the turnover battle” sure favors Iowa, even on the road. MSU QB Kirk Cousins has proven interception-prone against good teams (remember the last drive at Notre Dame), and the Hawks average better than two picks per game.

2. D-line playmakers: Iowa brought back eight starters on defense this year, but the departed included defensive tackles Mitch King and Matt Kroul. As always, though, the Hawkeyes managed to fill the holes with little drop-off. Karl Klug and Christian Ballard have held up against the run, and Adrian Clayborn and Broderick Binns look like stars-in-the-making at end (and on special teams, in Clayborn’s case). Iowa needs those guys in the MSU backfield Saturday night.

3. Road warriors: Maybe the best thing that could happen to the Hawkeyes is to fall behind 10-0 early. Penn State and Wisconsin placed Iowa in such …

Read more from the original source

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks

More Related Posts:

  1. Spotlight game: No. 15 Iowa at No. 10 Ohio State Place: Columbus, Ohio Time: 3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday TV: ABC Line: Ohio State by 16.5...
  2. Spotlight game: Iowa at No. 5 Penn State Daryll Clark blames himself for last year’s loss to Iowa. Iowa (3-0) at No. 5...
  3. Spotlight Game: No. 13 Penn State at Michigan Place: Ann Arbor, Mich. Time: 3:30 p.m. ET TV: ABC Line: Penn State by 4...
  4. Iowa Shuts Down Arizona It was a measure of revenge for the Big Ten this afternoon in Iowa City...
  5. Spotlight game: No. 3 USC at No. 8 Ohio State Time: 8 p.m. ET Place: Columbus, Ohio Line: USC by 7 Three reasons USC will...

Leave a Reply