In this annual slugfest between the Iowa football team and Wisconsin, kickers reign supreme. This year’s contest should be no different.
When the Iowa football team faces off against Wisconsin, it is truly a battle in the trenches. If you’re a fan of high-flying aerial attacks that dominate the likes of the Pac-12 or Big-12 conferences, this is probably not the game that you are going to want to tune into Saturday.
The name of the game is run, run, and run some more.
But another incredibly important aspect, especially this year, is how the kickers match up because this game is likely to be close, and low scoring.
Coming into this game, the Iowa football team possess the 3rd best scoring defense in the country as they allow just 10.1 points per game and haven’t allowed a single team over 20. Wisconsin, meanwhile, is allowing just 11.4 points per game, which is 5th best in the country.
Moreover, the Iowa football team’s offense hasn’t exactly shown much promise once getting into opponents’ territory and in the last two games, the Wisconsin offense has effectively stalled out thanks to some great game plans.
All this adds up to me to mean Saturday’s game is going to be heavy on field goals.
And that’s an advantage for the Hawkeyes who have Lou Groza frontrunner Keith Duncan, the NCAA leader in field goals made this season. He is currently hitting 86.4% of his attempts.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, doesn’t exactly have old faithful back their taking kicks for them. Redshirt sophomore Collin Larsh has attempted just 10 field goals this season, and he has made only 6 of them with a long of 44 yards, but the majority of his field goals have come from within 35 yards.
In a game that honestly could be reminiscent to the 10-6 Iowa win back in 2015, any and all points are going to matter in this one. I truly don’t think either team is going to top out above 14 points.