What should the Oregon Ducks expect from Iowa Hawkeyes offense?

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For the most part, up until this point of the season, the Oregon Ducks have not been met with many weeks where the pressure ramps up, and fans feel the nerves creep in days in advance of a game. The trip to Happy Valley for a white-out vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions certainly qualifies, and hosting the Indiana Hoosiers in Eugene was worth getting amped up for. Still, outside of those two games, the Ducks' schedule has been manageable, to put it mildly.

That changes going forward, with three games against ranked teams in the next four weeks. It all starts with a trip to Iowa City this weekend for a game against the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes.

This will be one of the most challenging remaining games on Oregon's schedule, and a matchup that many fans have had circled since the start of the season. So what can we expect to see from this Kirk Ferentz team, and in particular, what type of challenges will they present? Let's dive in.

What do the Iowa Hawkeyes do well on offense?

When you think of Iowa, an explosive offense certainly isn't something that comes to mind. With South Dakota State transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski stepping in under center this year, there were expectations for production to pick up, but that hasn't quite come to fruition. The Hawkeyes have a solid rushing offense, averaging 167.4 yards per game, which ranks 47th in the nation. That's great compared to their passing offense, which ranks 129th in the nation, with just 144.7 yards per game.

Iowa's style of football is, and always has been, rough and physical in the trenches, grinding out yards and keeping things on the ground. That hasn't changed this season.

Who are the top players to know about?

QB Mark Gronowski

Mark Gronowski struggles throwing the ball (just four pass touchdowns and four interceptions), but he's extremely dangerous when using his legs — especially in the red zone. It's not an understatement to say that he may require a spy the entire game, as he's prone to not even looking downfield before tucking and running. He's not a burner, but Gronowski uses his 6-foot-2, 235-pound fullback-like frame to plow through defenders.

RB Kamari Moulton

While Kamari Moulton does pound the ball in between the tackles plenty, his true play style is contrary to the ultra-physical nature of the Hawkeyes. The 5-foot-9, 205-pounder has excellent agility and foot speed, running away from defenders when given the opportunity. The issue is that he hasn't had many instances of that due to playcalls, but Moulton is one to watch that could break a big run if a big hole opens up.

Are the Oregon Ducks built to stop Iowa?

This is going to be one of the toughest tests for Oregon's defense this year, with Iowa's strength going against one of the Ducks' weaknesses. The Hawkeyes run the ball well, and Oregon's rushing defense is the weakest of all units, though they aren't bad by any means. This will be a physical game where Oregon's linebackers are going to need to step up and fill gaps in the running game. If they are on their game, the Ducks should have no problem holding Iowa to 14-17 points.

What should we expect on Saturday?

Again, this is going to be a very physical game that is won in the trenches. Iowa is going to try and hold onto the ball and limit Oregon's possessions, hoping to keep the ball out of Dante Moore's hands. I have no concern that the Ducks will be able to shut down any passing attack that the Hawkeyes may try, but they need to step up and stop the run if they're going to walk out of Kinnick Stadium with the win.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: What the Oregon Ducks should expect from Iowa's offense

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