Big Ten Battle Odds: (4) Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers

Iowa is not flashy.

Iowa picked off Tommy Armstrong Jr. four times, with defensive end Parker Hesse returning one 4 yards for the Hawkeyes’ fourth interception for a touchdown this season. The Hawkeyes did not convert a third down Friday in nine attempts. The Hawkeyes are getting solid play from QB C.J. Beathard offers a rebuttal.

At stake? A spot in the College Football Playoff, though not for the 5-6 Huskers, of course, who need a win to avoid the school’s third losing season since 1962. “That is not the way we want to go out and play, especially in our last regular-season game”. “And we’ve done just that so far”. The Hawkeyes have posted an 11-0 record to this point, the best in school history, and they will represent the West Division in the Big Ten title game next weekend in Indianapolis, but first they have to find a way to get past Nebraska.

Here’s what else is clear: A faction of the public believes that Iowa doesn’t belong.

While Hawkeye and Cornhusker fans have had thoughts on the two teams for years – in a nutshell, many don’t like the other team – the on-field rivalry has been taking place as an annual occurrence only since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011. They’ve got a good returner that is smart. The Hawkeyes also became the fourth team to win this season without converting a third down; they were 0 of 9.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz has 127 wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference, eighth all-time.

“At the same time”, the quarterback said, “when you do hear some of that stuff, it kind of lights your fire”. I told them, our windows in the coaches’ office face the weight room, and you see guys in there at 7 o’clock, 6:30 in the morning, working their ass off. Everybody’s in it, everybody’s doing whatever they can to get everybody prepared. “We just kind of continue to prove people wrong all season”. The Cornhuskers have won two straight including a big win over Michigan State, and they would like nothing more than to hand Iowa their first loss of the season. But if you’re a fan of Michigan State or Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma or Baylor, this game matters. “You know, something a little special makes the win feel really good”, said Nick Livermore, an Iowa football fan. Don’t laugh. It could happen.

“I would say that I think what we try to do, so that we don’t have to change all of a sudden…is we try to maintain a consistency in preparation”, Riley said this week.

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

“I’m going to only say we’re going to go win this game, and not even have to have that discussion right now”. Croston has a sound Hawkeye pedigree, as his father, Dave, was a starting lineman for three years for Iowa in the 1980s.

The Huskers finished with 433 yards, but those four interceptions were killers.

The adjectives tumbled out of the mouths of Nebraska coaches and players this week, the kind of words you’d like to hear about your own football team.

“We’re not going to quit”, Canzeri said, “no matter the circumstances that come our way”. “Its about the teamwork and relationships.

The Hawkeyes didn’t play a ideal football game, but Nebraska made it pretty easy for them to keep their flawless season intact. “It’s not overly dramatic, but the best way I can put it is this is a solid football team”.

Iowa has been a polarizing team as it climbed to No. 4 in the playoff rankings.

“Nooooo, never”, strong safety Miles Taylor said when asked if he’s ever been on a 12-0 team.