Iowa football: How the Big Ten West looks through two weeks
By Andrew Wade
The second big week of college football has come and past. After week two where does the Iowa football team stand against its Big Ten West counterparts?
Half of the battle in college football is ensuring your team will win games. The other half is letting the chaos of the college football season play out. With high expectations for the Iowa football team this season, we will be tracking each of Iowa’s Big Ten West conference foes to see where Iowa stands among the like of Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota.
After two games, Iowa looks like a team that has the potential to compete for first in the West, but they do not come without their own flaws. Offensively, Iowa looks inept to say the least. The passing attack under second-year starter Nate Stanley has been dismal at best. In fact, last year’s leading receiver for the Hawkeyes, Nick Easley, only has one catch.
The defense, however, appears to be one of the best in the Big Ten, if not the nation. Although the quality of competition isn’t in the same category as Wisconsin or Ohio State, the first team defense has only allowed three points all season. Of note, the seven points allowed in the victory of NIU was in garbage time against the second team defense.
Most impressive was the defense’s performance this week where they held Iowa State’s offensive trio of Kyle Kempt, Hakeem Butler, and First-Team All-Big 12 half back David Montgomery in check. Montgomery was held to 44 yards on 17 carries. For reference that output would have been Montgomery’s third lowest of 2017 when he rushed for 1,146 yards.
In addition to stopping the run, Iowa’s pass rush has been outright dominant. The Hawkeye defense has accumulated nine sacks in just two games. With the West being relatively weak (especially compared to the Big Ten East), there is a good chance Iowa can make a run. Here is how the other teams are faring at this juncture.