Ohio State Predictions

It is hard to believe that the regular season is down to two games. Can you think of a more intriguing storyline than a Big Ten Championship and Rose Bowl berth on the line with a redshirt freshmen’s first start to occur at Ohio Stadium? Given the way this season has transpired thus far, who knows what could happen on Saturday. Here are my thoughts on the game.

Quarterback Play. At the beginning of the week I thought that there was no way that James Vandenberg, even with a week of practice, would be able to lead this team to victory. That is not a slight at Vandenberg, rather it was a thought that was based in reality. As the week has progressed, however, I am starting to feel better about Vandenberg and the opportunity that is before him on Saturday. I think that Vandenberg may have a stronger arm than Ricky Stanzi. That arm strength was shown on Saturday in several of the out routes that Vandenberg threw. If Vandenberg can find a way to avoid the big mistakes and do his best to keep his composure, the Iowa offense has an opportunity to move the ball on Saturday.

Running Game. One of the more disappointing developments of the season has been the inability of the offensive line to consistently establish a running game. The talent on this line is certainly there, but the inability to consistently establish a run game has placed incredible pressure on the passing game and has resulted in the offense being forced to play from behind, resulting in more pass attempts, and thus, more opportunities for interceptions. If Adam Robinson is able to contribute 5-10 carries on Saturday it would certainly provide a big boost to the offense and lift some of the burden off of Brandon Wegher. Ohio State is, however, the best defense that Iowa has faced this entire season. Ohio State ranks first in the big ten in rush defense allowing a paltry 85 yards a game and ranks second in the Big Ten in pass defense allowing only 168 yards a game. Regardless of the outcome, if Iowa is able to score more than 14 points, I would consider it to be an extremely impressive accomplishment.

Defense the Key. While Ohio State certainly has the clear advantage when Iowa has the ball, as it has done all year, the Iowa defense can keep this team in the game. Terrelle Pryor has shown to be interception prone at times and, despite his performance at Penn State last week, is not a scary passing threat. If Adrian Clayborn and the rest of the defensive line are able to put enough pressure on Pryor to force him to make poor decisions, Iowa may be able to benefit in the field position game. One of the most important keys to this game is whether the Iowa defense can keep the game low scoring and create turnovers. If the Iowa defense can produce at least three turnovers, the Hawkeyes can stay in this game. Fortunately, Ohio State runs a traditional offense, which plays into the strength of Iowa’s defensive scheme. I would be very surprised if Ohio State is able to be successful on the ground.

Special Teams. Daniel Murray will have at least two chances on Saturday to put three points on the board. It will be absolutely crucial for him to be accurate on Saturday, as points will be hard to come by for the Iowa offense. Colin Sandeman is rumored to be playing on Saturday, which will certainly help the punt return game. The past few weeks, I have been very impressed with Derrell Johnson-Koulianos as a kick returner. He seems to have solid vision when picking a lane to run. Speaking of which, I am still waiting for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2002. As has been the case the entire season, Ryan Donahue will be a weapon on Saturday. His long punts may change the field position battle and help keep Ohio State out of Iowa territory, which is vital in order to keep this game low scoring.

Look, I am not going to wear black and gold shades while drinking Hawkeye kool-aid to say that Iowa is going to win this game. An Iowa win on Saturday would be something so remarkable that it is even hard to picture. Three wins in Columbus since Eisenhower was in office? The odds are stacked against Iowa in the worst way, but as I mentioned at the beginning, with the way this season has gone, who knows what may happen. If Iowa can keep the game low scoring, create at least three turnovers, and have no turnovers of their own, they will have a chance. Regardless of the outcome, I am looking forward to watch this Iowa team compete for the eleventh time this season and making my first visit to the Horseshoe.

Prediction: Ohio State 20 Iowa 13

Pick to Click: Tony Moeaki