By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa junior linebacker Anthony Hitchens recorded a team-high 15 tackles on Saturday in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime win over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa senior quarterback James Vandenberg completed 19 of 36 pass attempts Saturday for 134 yards and tossed one interception in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime victory over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa senior defensive end Joe Gaglione had 11 tackles and recorded a sack in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime win over Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz addressed the media in a postgame press conference following the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime victory over Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The win was Ferentz’s 100th as Iowa’s coach and the Hawkeyes are now 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa senior cornerback Greg Castillo recorded five tackles and hauled in an interception that preserved the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime win over Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa junior kicker Mike Meyer made four field goal attempts of 23, 28, 27 and 42 yards on Saturday in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime victory over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa sophomore wide receiver Kevonte Martin-Manley finished with six catches for 42 yards receiving on Saturday in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime win over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Iowa senior wide receiver Keenan Davis hauled in six catches for 65 yards receiving in the Hawkeyes’ 19-16 double overtime victory over Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
To get you all ready for Saturday’s game between Iowa and Michigan State, I put together a list of things you ought to know before these two face off at Spartan Stadium.
At the end, I’ll provide what I think are three keys to an Iowa victory.
Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-0) at Michigan State Spartans (4-2, 1-1)
Spartan Stadium; East Lansing, Mich.
Oct. 13, 2012
11 a.m. Central
TV: ESPN (Dave Pasch, Brian Griese, Jenn Brown)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin, Ed Podolak, Rob Brooks)
Weather: 58 degrees, thunderstorms
Brendan’s Three Keys to the Game:
1. Short passing on first and second down
If Iowa’s going to have any chance of moving the ball successfully on Michigan State’s defense, it needs to be able to pick up positive yardage on first and second down so it can avoid third-and-longs. One thing that might prove effective here is the short passing game. For one, it could allow quarterback James Vandenberg to get into a rhythm and two, the Spartans were susceptible to screens early on against Indiana last weekend. Add in the fact that rain is expected in the forecast, and short passing could essentially be a second layer of a running game for the Hawkeyes.
2. No long runs from Bell
Le’Veon Bell is going to get a boatload of carries Saturday. Michigan State is going to want to run the football and have success doing so. If Iowa’s defense can limit the number of long runs Bell breaks off and hold him to say a 2-3 yard average per carry, then pressure will be placed on Michigan State’s passing game, which is missing a key piece this week in tight end Dion Sims. Limit Bell’s production and Iowa has a chance. Allow him to break off multiple 15-20 yard runs or longer, and the Hawkeyes are going to be in trouble.
3. Come out sharp from the start
To the Hawkeyes’ credit, they have scored on their opening possession in every game thus far in 2012. That needs to continue Saturday if they’re going to leave East Lansing victorious. Last year, Michigan State came out swinging at the start and Iowa wasn’t able to counter. With this being Iowa’s first true road game this season, the Hawkeyes can’t afford to fall behind early on, or what’s going to happen is the offense will be limited in what it does, which would also lead to the defense wearing out late in the game. Iowa has to be able to come out swinging from the start and be consistent with whatever does work for it early on.
By Brendan Stiles
HawkeyeDrive.com
Every Thursday during the 2012 football season, HawkeyeDrive.com will feature “Talkin’ Hawks,” a podcast to get you ready for the Hawkeyes’ upcoming game and other college football action.
This week, we preview Iowa’s game on Oct. 13 against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich. Former Iowa defensive back Chris Rowell joins me to provide insight on the Hawkeyes and share his thoughts on all the games featured in this week’s HawkeyeDrive.com Pick ‘Em. Rowell will be a part of the podcast every week all season long.
Joining as a guest this week in the podcast’s middle segment is Joe Rexrode, who covers Michigan State for the Detroit Free Press. This week’s edition is approximately 82 minutes long, so enjoy:
Talkin’ Hawks podcast (Iowa at Michigan State)
Twitter handles:
HawkeyeDrive.com – @HawkeyeDrive
Brendan Stiles – @thebstiles
Chris Rowell – @Crowell34
Joe Rexrode – @joerexrode
*Intro sound byte credit to my former Daily Iowan colleague Ryan Young for putting that together.