The Iowa Hawkeyes are Big 10 West Champs

Posted by Iowa Chill on

The Iowa Hawkeyes are Big 10 West champions for the first time since 2015. 

Thanks to a thrilling comeback win over a tough (3-9) Nebraska Cornhuskers team on Thanksgiving and a Minnesota Golden Gophers upset over (8-4) Wisconsin, the #15 ranked Hawkeyes will play the #2 ranked Michigan Wolverines Saturday, December fourth for a chance to win their first outright Big 10 title since 2004. 

“Our team has shown tremendous determination during this special season. We’re proud to be West Division champions and look forward to taking the field in Indianapolis Saturday night.”

-Head Coach Kirk Ferentz

(Lucas Oil Stadium: Indianapolis, Indiana)

Saturday Night’s Big 10 battle will kick off at 7pm CST in Indianapolis. 

What can we expect from our beloved Hawkeyes? 

The 2021 season has been a whirlwind. After a hot 6-0 start led heavily by strong defensive play, the Hawkeyes dropped two games in a row to Purdue and Wisconsin. The team battled offensive struggle and injuries to key players including cornerback Riley Moss and starting quarterback Spencer Petras, still managing an undefeated month of November. 

Traditionally pessimistic Hawkeye fans will tell you that we don’t stand a chance against a Wolverines team that for all intents and purposes “manhandled” the previous Big 10 favorite Ohio State Buckeyes. 

Others, like myself, can’t help but say “how cool is it that we get a chance to prove the nation wrong?”. In all my years of fandom, one thing holds true about the Hawkeyes: we relish a chance to be an underdog and take down the heavy favorite. 

Current Game Lines: 

Michigan -11

O/U: 43.5

Keys to the Game

  • Controlling field position
  • Winning the turnover +/-
  • Play call variety on first down to create manageable third down yardage

The Hawkeyes rank 121st nationally in offensive yards per play resulting in frequent third and long yardage situations. They rank #1 in the nation in defensive interceptions. Forcing turnovers and flipping field position will be a necessity to the Hawkeyes scoring points and coming away with a victory. 

“In Heaven there is no beer, that’s why we drink it here!”

Bryce Bortscheller

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