Iowa football: Playing UNI is great for the state, but not for Iowa’s season

The Iowa football program takes on the Northern Iowa Panthers Saturday, which is exciting for the state of Iowa, but is truly a lose-lose situation for Iowa…

In order for a team to make a run at the College Football Playoffs, they need two key things: a lack of losses and key victories. The Iowa football program taking on the in-state counterparts does not help with either of these items. If the Hawkeyes lose, this is held against them in the rankings, and if they win, it’ll never be talked about the rest of the season.

To top it off, it’s not like this is an easy cupcake team that Iowa can walk in and slap around on the field. The Northern Iowa Panthers are one of the best teams in the FCS year in and year out. For the Panthers, this is the exact opposite scenario than the Iowa football team. It’s a win-win.

If the Panthers pull off the upset, it looks fantastic for them in the rankings to beat a Power 5 school. If they lose to the Power 5 school, it was to be expected. To top it off, they’re playing an in-state school that is just two hours south of Cedar Falls so bragging rights become a bit bigger of a deal.

For the state of Iowa, however, this game is a blast. It’s an opportunity to see two of Iowa’s biggest schools face one another. Many of the students at either school have friends and families that went to the other school. It’s not quite on the level of the Cy-Hawk series that took place last week, but it is still fun.

Kirk’s thoughts on the UNI matchup

Iowa’s head coach Kirk Ferentz also thinks it’s fun to play another in-state team.

"It’s good for our state. They relish the challenge. I think, again, I really think we’re a very unique state of 3 million people, you’ve got two teams that won bowl games last year and you’ve got an FCS program that’s always in the playoffs. They’re always chasing the championship. I think it’s something we should all embrace, and I think that’s our plan is at least to continue it."

He did, however, acknowledge earlier in his press conference the kind of risk Iowa faces when taking on a good team like UNI.

"Northern Iowa is an outstanding opponent, a very traditional program. As long as I’ve been here, they’ve been a strong, tough program….…..I think all you’ve got to do for us is look at the last three series we’ve had Northern Iowa, whether it be in ’14, whether it be in ’12. Both of those, 11-point and 8-point wins, but more specifically the 2009 ballgame where we had a really good football program and were losing 13-3 in the third quarter, and basically it was a miracle finish for us to win the football game."

In reference to the miracle, the Iowa football team had to block two late field goals to win the game. It could have wrecked a magical season where the Hawks went 11-2 and finished seventh in the AP Poll.

Needless to say, the Iowa football program is not taking this game lightly. They know what can happen.

For a team that is struggling right now on offense, this could be a trap game for the Hawks. In two short days, however, we can finish this game 3-0 and our sights set on the tough Wisconsin Badgers.