Dear Old Gold
Fansided

Iowa football: Five opposing players the Hawkeyes hate

By Andrew Wade

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Christian McCaffrey #5 of the Stanford Cardinal goes up against Josey Jewell #43 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 102nd Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2016 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Christian McCaffrey #5 of the Stanford Cardinal goes up against Josey Jewell #43 of the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 102nd Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2016 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 05: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans reaches into the end zone against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 05: LJ Scott #3 of the Michigan State Spartans reaches into the end zone against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

LJ Scott, Michigan State

I will forever remember LJ Scott’s final carry of the 2015 Big Ten Championship game. From the beginning, the game against Michigan State was a true Big Ten smashmouth slugfest.

Both teams went at it with each team occasionally striking a good blow, but Michigan State had yet to score a touchdown when they got the ball with just under 10 minutes remaining.

I remember thinking, worst-case scenario, the Iowa football team gives up a touchdown and they have 3-4 minutes to get in to field goal range to tie it up and take it to overtime.

What happened actually managed to be worse.

The Spartans put together a 22-play drive that lasted over 9 minutes and went 82 yards for a touchdown. Scott received 14 of his 22 carries on that one drive alone. 10 of the last 11 plays in that drive went Scott’s way and with the ball just a yard from the endzone, the Iowa football team did everything it could to keep Scott out of the endzone, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

On a play that will forever stick in my mind, Scott was essentially wrapped up short of the goal line on his third-down carry before managing to spin, extend his arm and score the game-winning touchdown to send Michigan State to the College Football Playoff.

I think Scott may actually be my least favorite person on this list. He was a battering ram who couldn’t be stopped.

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