Thoughts on Michigan State Game

Good seasons are defined by great games. Great seasons are defined by moments. What Iowa accomplished on Saturday was nothing short of incredible. This is a game that Hawkeye fans will forever remember where they were when Iowa scored the last second touchdown and the ensuing emotions they felt. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Special Moment. After struggling to move the ball most of the day, the Iowa offense marched 70 yards on ten plays on what people are starting to term “The Drive,” culminating in a seven yard pass from Ricky Stanzi to Marvin McNutt as time expired, in a play that certainly ranks in the top five of all-time Hawkeye football moments. Several Iowa based media outlets have posed the question as to where McNutt’s catch ranks on the all-time list of Hawkeye football moments. Did the Hawkeyes become 8-0 for the first time in school history? Yes. Did the Hawkeyes vault to fourth in the BCS standings? Yes. Does this compare to 1985 #1 vs. #2 or The Catch? Absolutely not. Sorry, Iowa fans of the 2000s, although McNutt’s catch could be the moment we remember most about this magical season, it still does not rank above those other two moments in Iowa football history. The context and background of the other two games outweighs the one surrounding this Michigan State game, at least in my opinion, but with the way this season is going, who knows what else may happen.

Finding a Way. The offense did not have one of their better games, but as I mentioned before the game, the Michigan State defense is a very solid group. Judging from the injuries that occurred during the game and the comments made by the players afterwards, this was by far the most physical game that Iowa has played this season. I do not think that I am crazy for thinking that Iowa should have won this game 24-17 had the offense converted on those two red zone possessions in the third and fourth quarters. While I certainly think one can criticize the play calls in those possessions, after watching the game again, it appeared that there were some missed blocks and perhaps some poor decisions on the part of the running backs. Speaking of running backs, Adam Robinson had a very quiet 109 yards rushing the football; however, Iowa fans should be holding their breath to hear the prognosis on his ankle. Do not be surprised to see Paki O’Meara see significant carries against Indiana due to Robinson’s injury and what appeared to be a rib injury to Brandon Wegher. I have to say, I feel pretty good in retrospect about selecting Stanzi as my pick to click for Saturday. His uncanny ability to forget mistakes and stay calm and collected when the pressure of a game is at its highest is something that you just cannot teach. His statistics certainly do not compare, but I think by the time his career is over, he will deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Chuck Long, Chuck Hartlieb, Matt Rodgers, and Brad Banks.

Another Gutty Performance. Perhaps the biggest moment in the game came in the third quarter when the Iowa defense kept Michigan State out of the endzone on 1st and Goal with the ball at the Iowa one yard line. Three consecutive gutty plays by the Iowa defense forced a Brett Swenson 23 yard field goal. It was no coincidence that Pat Angerer and AJ Edds, two seniors, played critical roles in that goal line stand. As much as it makes me sad to think about, I think Adrian Clayborn is playing himself into a solid NFL draft prospect for this year’s draft. In every game this season, it seems as though once Clayborn gets his first sack or quarterback hurry he seems to feed off of that play and become a man who is possessed for the remainder of each game.

Hands. I know I have become a broken record each and every week about Stanzi, but sooner or later, the passing offense is going to break out in a big way. The receiving weapons on this team are nothing short of an arsenal with Tony Moeaki, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Trey Stross, Marvin McNutt, Allen Reisner, Keenan Davis, and Colin Sandeman. If the running back situation is as dire as it sounds at this point in time, Iowa will likely be throwing the ball all over the field against Indiana. Count me as a fan that will enjoy watching that offensive display.

I am still in utter, joyful disbelief about what happened in the final two seconds of the Michigan State game. Moments like that come around once every five to ten years, but those moments are the reason why we love sports and why we pour all of our emotion into sports. While the next two weeks are games that Iowa should win convincingly, it is never easy in the Big 10, let alone when you are the number six team in the country with a giant target on your back. I believe that we will see the Iowa offense really start to click the next two weeks before another big game against Ohio State in the Horseshoe. For right now, I am enjoying every single moment of this season, even if it is listening to folks like Todd McShay and Jessie Palmer doubt Iowa’s legitimacy and question their chance of playing for the national championship. The words “Iowa” and “national championship” have rarely been spoken in the same sentence in my lifetime, so I am going to enjoy every second of the coverage, even if it is listening to the haters, because seasons like this only come around so often.