Less than a week after the Hawkeyes narrowly escaped Michigan State at home, they hit the road for a tough test against Nebraska.
The Cornhuskers have been up and down on offense after losing starting quarterback Dylan Raiola to a season-ending injury, but they have been fiesty on defense.
The Cornhuskers have been much better against the pass (No. 2 overall) than the run (No. 93 overall), and the Hawkeyes must take advantage of that discrepancy.
Iowa's defense has been solid, but in a game where the weather might play a factor, they need to keep Nebraska off the scoreboard as much as possible.
Run, run, and run some more
The Hawkeyes' passing attack has struggled for most of the season, but that might not be a bad thing on Friday.
Iowa's offensive line has been stellar all season and can take advantage of Nebraska's weak defensive front.
Kamari Moulton has been one of the unsung heroes of the offense, and if quarterback Mark Gronowski can be a plus-one in the running game, the offense can put up some points.
The Hawkeyes must pound the rock early and often and take advantage of Nebraska's weakness against the run.
Put pressure on Nebraska's freshman QB
After losing Raiola in November, the Conhuskers have turned to freshman TJ Lateef to run the offense.
Lateef is a dual-threat quarterback who has been solid through his only two starts this season. In two starts against UCLA and Penn State, Lateef has thrown for 392 yards and three touchdowns.
Lateef has shown flashes of brilliance, but Phil Parker and the Iowa defense love going up against freshman quarterbacks and bringing pressure.
That trend needs to continue on Friday.
The Hawkeyes must mix up their coverages to confuse Lateef and force him into quick throws or throws he does not want to make.
If the Hawkeye defense can make the Cornhuskers' offense one-dimensional, they have an excellent chance to win the game.
Start the game fast
Iowa has made a habit of slow starts on offense this season, and if Kirk Ferentz wants to always take the ball first, that has to change on Friday.
Gronowski and the Iowa offense cannot repeat the performance against Michigan State because Nebraska is a much better team.
They do not need to light up the scoreboard on every play, but they cannot have more punts than points.
If the offense can use the run to set up the pass and get Gronowski some quick, in-rhythm throws, they can take advantage of a Cornhuskers' defense that has been suspect at times this season.
The Hawkeyes cannot afford to make any foolish mistakes and need to fire on all cylinders to leave Lincoln with a win.