3 years ago
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Colorado State (1-2) astatine No. 5 Iowa (3-0)
1:30 p.m. Saturday, astatine Kinnick Stadium (Iowa City)
TV/Radio: FS1/1430 AM, 98.1 FM
Line: Iowa -23.5
Weather: 10% accidental of thunderstorms, 73 degrees
What to know
Positive momentum. The misery of 2 atrocious loses to statesman the twelvemonth got wiped distant past week successful CSU’s stunning upset triumph astatine Toledo. It wasn’t beauteous (zero violative touchdowns) but the Rams, arsenic 14.5-point underdogs, showcased awesome resiliency and a ascendant defense. CSU held Toledo’s discourtesy to conscionable 0.5 yards per unreserved (28 carries for 13 yards). The Rams compiled 7 sacks. CSU should person a newfound assurance that its defence tin really triumph games this year.
David vs. Goliath. CSU enters different matchup this week arsenic important underdogs against the talented Hawkeyes. Iowa is riding a nine-game winning streak dating backmost to past twelvemonth and it has already beaten 2 ranked opponents this season: No. 17 Indiana and No. 9 Iowa State. The Hawkeyes’ defence is presently 2nd successful the federation with six interceptions implicit their archetypal 3 games. Starting backmost Spencer Petras hasn’t thrown a prime this year. Iowa is simply a squad with existent College Football Playoff aspirations.
Do the wave. The in-game ambiance astatine Kinnick Stadium ranks among the champion successful each of assemblage shot with 60,000-plus expected successful attendance Saturday. Pay attraction astatine the extremity of the archetypal 4th erstwhile the full assemblage each turns astatine erstwhile to question astatine the gangly gathering down the eastbound stands. They’re acknowledging patients connected the apical floors of a adjacent Children’s Hospital. The heartwarming contented dates backmost to 2017 and should beryllium celebrated by assemblage shot fans everywhere.
Help connected the way. CSU’s Week 3 triumph implicit Toledo was much awesome erstwhile you see the Rams were shorthanded with targeting ejections and aggregate injuries to cardinal players. But manager Steve Addazio told reporters this week that inferior starting antiaircraft backmost Tywan Francis is “probable” aft missing past week. It’s besides imaginable that prima sophomore wide receiver Dante Wright returns from injury. CSU is missing a downfield passing menace from its offense. The Rams request each the assistance they tin get against Iowa.
Key Matchups
CSU punter Ryan Stonehouse vs. Iowa instrumentality unit. Stonehouse is arguably the nation’s apical punter. His quality to flip the tract and unit the Hawkeyes to determination 80 oregon 90 yards for touchdowns volition beryllium indispensable to CSU hanging successful the game. The Rams volition get hammered if Iowa’s discourtesy has a abbreviated tract to the extremity portion each day.
CSU beforehand 7 vs. Iowa offense. We yet witnessed the imaginable of CSU’s talented defence against Toledo. It present indispensable beryllium that show wasn’t an aberration. Look for antiaircraft lineman Scott Patchan to perchance person a breakout crippled connected Saturday against the Hawkeyes.
Predictions
Kyle Fredrickson, sports reporter: Iowa 35, CSU 10
It’s hard to ideate the Rams scoring galore points. But their defence is bully capable to forestall an embarrasing blowout.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Iowa 31, CSU 13
Two beingness offensive-line-gurus-turned-head-coaches are calling the shots, truthful hole yourself accordingly. The Hawkeyes person a abbreviated week to get acceptable for a travel to Maryland (3-0), followed by a sojourn from Penn State (3-0), truthful this a tune-up for a Big Ten roster with CFP aspirations.
Matt Schubert, lawman sports editor: Iowa 30, CSU 10
Even a bully CSU squad would person occupation with a sojourn to Iowa City to instrumentality connected this Hawkeyes team. Hard to spot however the Rams make discourtesy successful this one.
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