Iowa @ Northwestern preview
Ryan Field
Last Meeting ( Nov 7, 2009 ) Northwestern 17, Iowa 10
Iowa wants to avoid a repeat of the same upset scenario against Northwestern that tripped up the Hawkeyes a year ago. That’s when Iowa was ranked No. 4 in the BCS rankings, only to lose to Northwestern 17-10 and fall out of consideration for a national championship.
The stakes aren’t quite as high this season - Iowa is No. 13 this year - but another loss could potentially knock coach Kirk Ferentz’s team out of a shot for the Big Ten championship.
Iowa (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) leads the series 46-22-3, but Northwestern (6-3, 2-3) has won the last two meetings.
"Not to discredit Northwestern, but in this series it starts with us," Ferentz said. "In 2006, we showed up like fat cats, and they showed up like hungry cats and just nailed us (21-7). We deserved it. The last two years, we didn't protect the football very well."
Iowa must find some way to deal with Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa, a junior who can punish opponents with his feet and arm. Persa leads the team with 469 yards rushing. He ranks No. 1 in the nation for completion percentage (73.4 percent) and has a chance to break the conference record of 67.8 percent that’s stood since 1993.
Persa has two big-time receiving threats in Jeremy Elbert (48 catches, 7 TDs) and Drake Dunsmore, who has 28 catches and needs only 62 yards to reach 1,000 for his career.
Iowa counters with its own outstanding quarterback. Ricky Stanzi has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 2,212 yards and 20 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He’s thrown at least one touchdown pass in his last 18 games and ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency (175.13) and third in passing yards (245.8 per game).
Stanzi’s favorite target is Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, who ranks first at Iowa in career receptions and receiving yards. This season he’s caught 36 balls for 569 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes may have the advantage on defense, thanks to defensive end Adrian Clayborn and defensive back Brett Greenwood. Clayborn is second on the team with 54 tackles and has helped Iowa rank fifth in the nation in rushing defense (85.2 yards) and sixth in scoring defense (14.3). Greenwood leads the Big Ten with four interceptions and has 11 for his career.
Northwestern will have to tighten up its tackling to have a chance against Iowa. The Wildcats missed 27 tackles, which led to 35 points and 528 total yards allowed, in last week’s loss to Penn State. Linebacker Quentin Dale, one of four seniors who will be playing their final home game at Ryan Field, has 207 career tackles.