Iowa football vs. Oregon: Three keys to victory
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The time has almost arrived for Iowa to play its biggest and most important football game in over four years.
When the Hawkeyes take the field at a rainy Kinnick Stadium on Saturday afternoon, they’ll have an opportunity to pick up a signature victory and firmly enter the conversation for the College Football Playoff. It won’t be easy, though. Standing in their way will be a top-ten Oregon team, looking for a standout win on its resume as it also pursues a spot in the playoffs.
The Ducks won’t roll over lightly, and they’re out to prove themselves after sliding down the College Football Playoff rankings. If Iowa wants to leave Kinnick Stadium victorious on Saturday, it’ll take its best and most complete effort of the season. Here are the three keys for an Iowa win over Oregon.
Running game needs to be elite
Iowa will need to run the football extremely well to beat Oregon. That may sound like an obvious statement, but it’s even more true given the circumstances of this game. First, the weather looks to be cold and rainy for the entire day, meaning the passing game could have a lot of trouble getting things going. When the weather’s bad, the best counter is a good run game.
Secondly, the Ducks are one of the best passing defenses in the nation, giving up less than 150 yards per game through the air. Combine that with the fact that the Hawkeyes have one of the worst passing offenses, and the ground game becomes even more important. If Iowa can’t run the ball on Saturday, its path to victory becomes a lot more narrow. Look for Mark Gronowski and Kamari Moulton to shoulder most of the load on the ground against Oregon.
Create splash plays on defense
This will be a lot easier said than done, as the Ducks have only turned the ball over six times in eight games, and they’ve only surrendered 11 sacks. But if Iowa wants to win this game, it’ll need to force sophomore quarterback Dante Moore into some mistakes. Moore has only thrown four interceptions on the season and has been one of the most efficient passers in the country. The Iowa defense has shown a knack for being opportunistic and capitalizing on mistakes. Something will need to give on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes need to ride the home crowd and murky weather to a dominant defensive performance. Putting pressure on Moore with that senior defensive line could cause him to make a mistake that the Hawkeyes capitalize on. They don’t need to force five turnovers. One or two timely plays could completely change the game. Phil Parker’s unit has played like one of the best defenses in the country over the past month. That must continue on Saturday.
Win the special teams battle
For all of Kirk Ferentz’s tenure, Iowa has prided itself on elite special teams play. And LeVar Woods’ group will need to be elite on Saturday. In these big games, it’s often the plays on the margins that decide the winner. A big kick return or a good punt can change the tide of the game and snatch the momentum back. The Hawkeyes will need to do those wins well to beat Oregon.
The Ducks’ kicking situation has gotten iffy recently, with senior kicker Atticus Sappington missing three of his previous six field goal attempts. With bad weather seemingly in play, that’s an area where the Hawkeyes could take advantage of a situation. On the flip side, Oregon punter James Ferguson-Reynolds has only allowed two punt returns all season, which could neutralize Kaden Wetjen. However, it only takes one mistake for Wetjen to take a punt return to the house. If Iowa can win the special teams battle, it’ll set itself up well to take down the Ducks.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Oregon: Three keys to victory
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