Your Minnesota two deeps

For starters -- James Vandenberg gets his second start at QB. Freshman Adam Robinson is listed as a "slash" this week with freshman Brandon Wegher. Robinson, who called himself "85 to 90" percent healthy, returned from injury against Ohio State and rushed 20 times for 74 yards, averaging 3.7 yards a carry against a team allowing only 2.6. Wegher missed OSU because of a rib injury. He was a gametime decision and coach Kirk Ferentz said on his TV show last night that Wegher should be good to go for practice Tuesday.

Hunter? -- Linebacker Jeremiha Hunter is listed as a slash with Jeff Tarpinian. Hunter missed most of the second half with an ankle injury. Ferentz said he was cleared to return to the game but wasn't 100 percent effective, so coaches decided to go with Tarpinian. Ferentz wasn't sure if Hunter would be ready to go this week.

Kick -- Iowa's season finale is 11 a.m.

TV -- The game will be telecast to a national audience on ESPN. Dave Pasch is the play-by-play with analysts Chris Spielman and Bob Griese.

Floyd -- As a result of a bet between the governors of the two states in 1935, possession of Floyd of Rosedale is at stake Saturday. The bronze pig traveling trophy is currently in the hands of the Hawkeyes as a result of their 55-0 triumph at Minneapolis last season. Minnesota holds a 39-33-2 advantage in the series with Floyd of Rosedale on the line. Iowa has won seven of the last eight meetings.

Double digits -- Iowa is seeking to win as many as 10 games in a season for the seventh time in school history. Iowa has won 10 or more regular season games in just three seasons (1985, 1991, 2002). Iowa has won at least 10 games in three previous seasons (2002, 2003, 2004) under coach Kirk Ferentz, including a school-record 11 wins in 2002.

Senior power -- The Iowa seniors include LB Pat Angerer, OL Kyle Calloway, DB Joe Conklin, OL Dan Doering, OLB A.J. Edds, OL Rafael Eubanks, DL Chad Geary, FB Bryce Griswold, DB Taylor Herbst, OL Andy Kuempel, DL Travis Meade, TE Tony Moeaki, RB Jayme Murphy, OL Dace Richardson, DB Chris Rowell, TE Kyle Spading, and WR Trey Stross.

Additional senior members of the program include senior manager Aaron Christner; senior trainers Angela Jonas, Josh Wheatley and Tony Pennuto; and senior video staff member Jordan O'Brion.

BCS rankings -- Iowa is ranked 13th in the BCS rankings. Iowa was ranked as high as fourth earlier this season, its highest BCS ever. The Hawkeyes were ranked fi fth during the final three weeks of the 2002 season.

The BCS rankings are a combination of the Harris Interactive poll, the USA Today coaches poll and computer rankings. Iowa is 12th in the computer rankings, 15th in the coaches poll and 14th in the Harris poll. Iowa was fi rst in the computer poll in the Oct. 25 rankings.

Prior to this season, Iowa appeared in the BCS top 25 on 24 occasions, including eight weeks in both 2002 and 2003, seven weeks in 2004 and one week in 2006. Iowa was ranked as high as 11th in 2003 and 2004 and 23rd in 2006.

Home dominance -- Iowa has won 43 of its last 52 games (.827) in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season. The nine Hawkeye losses came to Western Michigan (28-19 in 2007), Indiana (38-20 in 2007), Michigan (23-20 in overtime in 2005), Ohio State (38-17 in 2006), Northwestern (21-7 in 2006, 22-17 in 2008 and 17-10 in 2009), Wisconsin (24-21 in 2006) and Iowa State (36-31 in 2002). Iowa recorded a school-record 22-game home winning streak between 2002-05, which ended in the overtime loss to Michigan.

Iowa is 5-1 at home this season, with wins over Northern Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas State, Michigan and Indiana and a loss to Northwestern. Iowa is 11-2 at home the last two seasons.

Fourth quarter nuttiness -- Iowa scored 28 points in the fourth period of the 42-24 win over Indiana. The 28 points mark the highest scoring quarter for Iowa this season (scored 16 in final period at Penn State). Iowa had not scored 28 points in any one period since scoring 28 in the fi rst period of a 56-0 win over Ball State in the opening game of 2005. In Big Ten games, Iowa scored 24 points in the second period of a 55-0 win at Minnesota a year ago and 28 points in the third period of a 59-16 win over Northwestern in 2001.

Iowa also rallied in the fourth period at Ohio State, after the teams were tied (10-10) after three periods. OSU took a 24-10 advantage with 11:11 remaining before Iowa tied the score on a 99-yard KO return and a 10-yard scoring strike. The last score came with 2:42 remaining. Ohio State eventually won with a field goal in overtime.

Moeaki a Mackey semifinalist -- Senior tight end Tony Moeaki has been named a semifinalist for the 2009 John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end. The announcement came Monday from the Nassau County Sports Commission in Manhasset, NY.

Moeaki, a 6-4, 250-pounder from Wheaton, Ill., joins seven other top collegiate tight ends on the semi-final list. The 2009 John Mackey Award finalists will be announced November 23rd. "The Mackey" winner will be announced at the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on December 10th in Orlando, FL.

Moeaki has caught 26 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns. He has started eight of Iowa's 11 games. He sat out three early season games due to injury. He was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his play in Iowa's 30-28 win over Michigan. He caught six passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns in that contest. He had scoring receptions of 34 and 42 yards. He was also named Mackey Tight End of the Week following the Michigan win.

In addition to Moeaki, the other semi-finalists are Dorin Dickerson (Pittsburgh), Ed Dickson (Oregon), Aaron Hernandez (Florida), Anthony McCoy (USC), Dennis Pitta (BYU), Kyle Rudolph (Notre Dame) and Cody Slate (Marshall). The eight semi-finalists were determined by confidential balloting of the John Mackey Selection Committee.

The Brothers Klug -- Iowa junior DT Karl Klug has a twin brother, Kevin, who is a senior linebacker at Minnesota State (Karl redshirted his first season). Karl is eight minutes older, but it is safe to say the two have suffered many of the same emotions over the last two weekends.

Iowa was undefeated and ranked fourth in the nation on Nov. 7 when the Hawkeyes suffered a 17-10 loss to Northwestern. Minnesota State was undefeated and ranked fourth nationally in Division II when it lost for the fi rst time this season, also on Nov. 7.

The following week, Iowa scored 14 straight points in the fourth quarter, only to fall in overtime at Ohio State, 27-24. Minnesota State, playing in the fi rst round of the Div. II playoffs, also lost on Nov. 14, by a score of 27-24. In overtime.

Best freshmen -- Running backs Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher each rank among Iowa's top freshmen in rushing yards and all-purpose yards. Robinson is a redshirt freshman and Wegher, a true freshman. Following is a list of Iowa's top 10 freshmen in each category. The asterisk denotes those who played astrue freshmen.

Rushing Games Att. Yards TD Long

Adam Robinson, ‘09 9 155 703 5 43

Ladell Betts, ‘98 11 188 679 5 40

Sedrick Shaw, ‘93 12 127 561 2 36

*Brandon Wegher, ‘09 10 131 502 6 28

*Jewel Hampton, ‘08 13 91 463 7 22

*Tony Stewart, ‘87 13 68 326 2 24

Mike Saunders, ‘88 13 56 285 4 72

Tavian Banks, ‘94 11 35 257 5 38

*Dennis Mosley, ‘76 10 33 247 1 74

*Owen Gill, ‘81 8 24 143 1 20

All-Purpose Yards Rush Rec. KORet. PuntRet. Yards TD

Sedrick Shaw, ‘93 561 115 380 0 1,056 2

Derrell J.-Koulianos, ‘07 19 482 521 0 1,022 2

*Jewel Hampton, ‘08 463 0 537 0 1,000 7

Ladell Betts, ‘98 679 259 0 0 938 5

Tavian Banks, ‘94 257 30 638 0 925 5

Adam Robinson, ‘09 703 80 38 0 821 5

*Dominique Douglas, ‘06 (-7) 654 0 143 790 2

*Brandon Wegher, ‘09 502 112 175 0 789 6

Mike Saunders, ‘88 285 105 345 0 735 4

Harold Jasper, ‘91 0 132 368 200 700 0

Notes 111609