Iowa vs. Iowa State College Football Pick with Analysis
9/10/11
The Iowa vs. Iowa State series is one which has seen it’s share of close Games over the years with Iowa State taking 5 straight from 1998 to 2002 and winning as recently as 2007. Iowa is a 7 point road favorite over Iowa State this week after sleepwalking through Tennessee Tech 35-7 in week 1. Meanwhile, Iowa State had it’s hands full barely getting by North Iowa, 20-19.
While the series has seen close Games, that last two don’t fall into that category as Iowa won 35-7 and 35-3. Iowa runs some pretty simply, mechanical schemes under head coach Kirk Ferentz but it’s a system that just plain works for Iowa. Each year they plug new bodies into the system and seem to come up with similar results each time. After winning 11 Games in 2009, the Hawkeyes slipped to 8-5 last year but the losses were close ones which could have gone either way, iNCluding a 20-17 loss to Ohio State.
While Iowa has been consistent, iNConsistent would best describe Iowa State. Last season they were plastered by Oklahoma and Utah and even lost to Colorado 34-14. Yet, they somehow managed to take Nebraska to OT before losing by a point and also beat Texas and Texas Tech.
Over that last several years that trend holds true for both programs. Iowa the model of consisteNCy, rarely dominated by another team, always in the Game. Iowa State on the other hand steps up to the plate every now and then and delivers a performance against a top team worth taking note of, only to fall back into mediocrity the following week.
Hard to predict when that A-1 Game will be for a team like the Cyclones. Heck, could be this week. But based on the overall play and talent levels of these two teams over the last several years, we have to back the Hawkeyes here laying just a touchdown. No Key Release, not even a strong opinion, but the side we’d take if we HAD to make a choice. Iowa -7