For Huskers, Iowa just another game

Miles Inn which is dubbed the official Hawkeyes bar, was completely packed and full of energy during the Iowa versus Nebraska football game.

It’s time to ask the question. This is front and center in college football with Clemson, Alabama, Bedlam, Notre Dame-Stanford and The Game.

10-0 and 3rd-ranked Iowa is shooting for a berth in the national championship playoffs while the 5-6 Huskers are trying to guarantee themselves a bowl game. It has won with offense. “It is just an unbelievable accomplishment, an unbelievable effort by the players today”.

Iowa is not flashy.

The Hawkeyes offense struggled, compiling only 250 total yards and going 0-of-9 on third down conversions, but the team’s defense picked up the slack. The Hawkeyes didn’t convert a third down all day. “They weren’t the first choice at the dance and all that stuff, so I think there’s a little bit of a unique chemistry”. Canzeri also accounted for two of the Hawkeyes’ three offensive touchdowns, with the other coming off the arm of quarterback C.J. Beathard offers a rebuttal.

A torrential downpour turned the rematch of last season’s wild, point-a-minute TCU-Baylor game into a muddy stalemate and now the Big 12 will have a championship game after all. All we know is we line up and face a different opponent each week.

“Cost us the game”, Armstrong said.

“And, Desmond has just played super for us”.

Iowa players, including Nate Meier (34) and Dillon Kidd (16), celebrate with the Heroes Trophy after defeating Nebraska 28-20 in an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb., Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. That much is clear. Nebraska should’ve beaten BYU and IL. Both teams are just 6-5 against the spread on the season, but this game is almost a pick em for an unbeaten team playing against a sub-.500 squad in the season finale. I think they are going to be able to move the ball well enough to put up 30+ points on the board.

Oregon State (2-10, 0-9 Pac-12) trailed 31-7 at halftime but got within 31-21 in the third quarter. Iowa also played 10 games against Power Five competition, a rarity among the eight conference-game set of the ACC, Big Ten and SEC. It’s those “inches” you’ve heard Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio discuss. It’s why the Hawkeyes won’t likely flinch if they fall behind early, or if they’re down in the fourth quarter. They had some very hard losses. Don’t laugh. It could happen.

“My understanding is that we missed an adjustment”, said senior defensive end Jack Gangwish.

It’s more about the critics’ unwillingness to accept Iowa as a contender.

“If you watch our team and you like football and you like camaraderie and teammate, that’s what I like watching”, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. The interception was Armstrong’s fourth of the game, a career high.

Iowa running back Jordan Canzeri finished with 17 carries for 140 yards and two touchdowns Friday. Nebraska answered quickly with another score by Cross.

“We’re not going to quit”, Canzeri said, “no matter the circumstances that come our way”. “It’s about the teamwork and relationships”. This is the most impressive team the Hawkeyes have had in school history, and it’s led by a whole host of options in the running game, where Iowa can beat you with speed, power, elusiveness, and excellent receiving ability.