Hawkeyes vs. Gophers: Game analysis

When the Hawkeyes have the ball

The Gophers appear to have more speed on defense than in past seasons and linebackers Nate Triplett (6-3, 247) and Lee Campbell (6-3, 246), playing behind a bruiser line, are active and disruptive. Campbell leads the team in tackles (106) and tackles for loss (9.0) with five pass breakups. He also leads the Big Ten in solo tackles. Triplett has two interceptions and returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown in the victory over Air Force. He's second on the team in tackles (95) and has five tackles for loss.

Linebacker Simoni Lawrence (6-1, 221) might be Minnesota's most complete defender with 73 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Senior cornerback Traye Simmons (5-11, 180) recorded his second interception of the season last week and is now tied for the team lead. He leads the Gophers and is No. 4 in the Big Ten in passes defended with 10 (eight breakups and two interceptions). He did, however, leave last week's game with a leg injury.

The Gophers don't have any stats that jump off the page, but they have produced 22 turnovers, which is comparable with league leaders. Nervous trend for the Gophers is they haven't held a Big Ten opponent to less than 20 points and allow 28.9 points.

Iowa freshman quarterback James Vandenberg starts again this week. In his first career start - at Ohio State with a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl on the line - Vandenberg was better than you'd expect, completing 20 of 33 for 233 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. He took a third-down sack that knocked Iowa out of field-goal range in overtime, but he rallied Iowa from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

He's still so new, it's hard to peg what he might be this week. But last week, he looked like a fundamentally and mechanically sound Big Ten QB with a live arm.

Running back is a minor mystery this week. Freshman Brandon Wegher couldn't play last week after pain flared from a rib injury. Freshman Adam Robinson did play and played pretty well, rushing for 74 yards on 20 carries in his first game after suffering a high-ankle sprain three weeks ago. Considering his injury situation, it was a completely unexpected and eye-popping performance.

With quarterback Ricky Stanzi on the sidelines until the bowl game, Iowa's top playmakers have become wide receivers Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt.

Advantage: Iowa

When the Gophers have the ball

The spread is no longer “the” scheme in Minnesota. First-year offensive coordinator Jed Fisch arrived at UM after spending the last eight seasons in the NFL. He prefers a power running game and zone blocking but isn't afraid to throw in the “wildcat” formation and use multiple formations. The Gophers are last in the Big Ten in rushing at 102.1 yards a game. Their benchmark in the running game, though, was 42 carries for 166 yards (4.0 yards a carry) in the 35-24 victory at Northwestern on Sept. 26. The Gophers' 3.1 yards a carry is tied for the worst in the Big Ten.

Quarterback Adam Weber (197.1 yards a game) is tied with Stanzi for the Big Ten interception lead with 14 to go with 12 TD passes. He's the only regular starting QB in the Big Ten who has more interceptions than TD passes. Since wide receiver Eric Decker suffered a season-ending foot injury, Weber's completion percentage has trended downward.

The losing stat for Iowa's defense coming out of Ohio State was rush yards. The Buckeyes hammered Iowa for 229 yards, a number that simply gave OSU too much rope in a 27-24 overtime victory. It was the first time Iowa's D had been dinged for 200-plus yards since 256 against Penn State in 2007. It also was the first game Iowa allowed three sustained monster drives - 17-, eight- and 11-play drives.

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is on a tear, racking up 5.5 of his 8.5 sacks in the last five weeks. After a slow start, Clayborn is now tied for second in the Big Ten and 24th in the country in sacks. He's also tied for third and 13th nationally with 16.5 tackles for loss.

Advantage: Iowa

Special teams

The only memorable performance for the Gophers in last year's 55-0 carbuncle was Troy Stoudermire's kick returns. He had a record 283 yards on nine returns. This season, he's seventh in the Big Ten with 25.5 yards on a conference-high 38 returns.

After a streak of six straight field goals, Iowa kicker Daniel Murray has missed three of his last five and has officially become unsteady.

Johnson-Koulianos snapped Iowa's streak of 242 kick returns without a TD with last week's 99-yarder.

Advantage: Iowa

The Scoreboard

The Hawkeyes are 13th in the BCS rankings. They need to maintain this week in order to be eligible for a BCS bowl. A 9-3 finish and a plunge down the bowl lotto would be a gut punch for a team that smelled roses not so long ago. Vandenberg is the caveat. He had a terrific debut at Ohio State, but he's still the new guy.

Iowa 28, Minnesota 10

- Marc Morehouse

The Gophers appear to have more speed on defense than in past seasons and linebackers Nate Triplett (6-3, 247) and Lee Campbell (6-3, 246), playing behind a bruiser line, are active and disruptive. Campbell leads the team in tackles (106) and tackles for loss (9.0) with five pass breakups. He also leads the Big Ten in solo tackles. Triplett has two interceptions and returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown in the victory over Air Force. He's second on the team in tackles (95) and has five tackles for loss.

Linebacker Simoni Lawrence (6-1, 221) might be Minnesota's most complete defender with 73 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Senior cornerback Traye Simmons (5-11, 180) recorded his second interception of the season last week and is now tied for the team lead. He leads the Gophers and is No. 4 in the Big Ten in passes defended with 10 (eight breakups and two interceptions). He did, however, leave last week's game with a leg injury.

The Gophers don't have any stats that jump off the page, but they have produced 22 turnovers, which is comparable with league leaders. Nervous trend for the Gophers is they haven't held a Big Ten opponent to less than 20 points and allow 28.9 points.

Iowa freshman quarterback James Vandenberg starts again this week. In his first career start - at Ohio State with a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl on the line - Vandenberg was better than you'd expect, completing 20 of 33 for 233 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. He took a third-down sack that knocked Iowa out of field-goal range in overtime, but he rallied Iowa from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

He's still so new, it's hard to peg what he might be this week. But last week, he looked like a fundamentally and mechanically sound Big Ten QB with a live arm.

Running back is a minor mystery this week. Freshman Brandon Wegher couldn't play last week after pain flared from a rib injury. Freshman Adam Robinson did play and played pretty well, rushing for 74 yards on 20 carries in his first game after suffering a high-ankle sprain three weeks ago. Considering his injury situation, it was a completely unexpected and eye-popping performance.

With quarterback Ricky Stanzi on the sidelines until the bowl game, Iowa's top playmakers have become wide receivers Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt.

Advantage: Iowa

When the Gophers

have the ball

The spread is no longer “the” scheme in Minnesota. First-year offensive coordinator Jed Fisch arrived at UM after spending the last eight seasons in the NFL. He prefers a power running game and zone blocking but isn't afraid to throw in the “wildcat” formation and use multiple formations. The Gophers are last in the Big Ten in rushing at 102.1 yards a game. Their benchmark in the running game, though, was 42 carries for 166 yards (4.0 yards a carry) in the 35-24 victory at Northwestern on Sept. 26. The Gophers' 3.1 yards a carry is tied for the worst in the Big Ten.

Quarterback Adam Weber (197.1 yards a game) is tied with Stanzi for the Big Ten interception lead with 14 to go with 12 TD passes. He's the only regular starting QB in the Big Ten who has more interceptions than TD passes. Since wide receiver Eric Decker suffered a season-ending foot injury, Weber's completion percentage has trended downward.

The losing stat for Iowa's defense coming out of Ohio State was rush yards. The Buckeyes hammered Iowa for 229 yards, a number that simply gave OSU too much rope in a 27-24 overtime victory. It was the first time Iowa's D had been dinged for 200-plus yards since 256 against Penn State in 2007. It also was the first game Iowa allowed three sustained monster drives - 17-, eight- and 11-play drives.

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is on a tear, racking up 5.5 of his 8.5 sacks in the last five weeks. After a slow start, Clayborn is now tied for second in the Big Ten and 24th in the country in sacks. He's also tied for third and 13th nationally with 16.5 tackles for loss.

Advantage: Iowa

Special teams

The only memorable performance for the Gophers in last year's 55-0 carbuncle was Troy Stoudermire's kick returns. He had a record 283 yards on nine returns. This season, he's seventh in the Big Ten with 25.5 yards on a conference-high 38 returns.

After a streak of six straight field goals, Iowa kicker Daniel Murray has missed three of his last five and has officially become unsteady.

Johnson-Koulianos snapped Iowa's streak of 242 kick returns without a TD with last week's 99-yarder.

Advantage: Iowa

The Scoreboard

The Hawkeyes are 13th in the BCS rankings. They need to maintain this week in order to be eligible for a BCS bowl. A 9-3 finish and a plunge down the bowl lotto would be a gut punch for a team that smelled roses not so long ago. Vandenberg is the caveat. He had a terrific debut at Ohio State, but he's still the new guy.

Iowa 28, Minnesota 10

- Marc MorehouseThe Gophers appear to have more speed on defense than in past seasons and linebackers Nate Triplett (6-3, 247) and Lee Campbell (6-3, 246), playing behind a bruiser line, are active and disruptive. Campbell leads the team in tackles (106) and tackles for loss (9.0) with five pass breakups. He also leads the Big Ten in solo tackles. Triplett has two interceptions and returned a fumble 52 yards for a touchdown in the victory over Air Force. He's second on the team in tackles (95) and has five tackles for loss.

Linebacker Simoni Lawrence (6-1, 221) might be Minnesota's most complete defender with 73 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception.

Senior cornerback Traye Simmons (5-11, 180) recorded his second interception of the season last week and is now tied for the team lead. He leads the Gophers and is No. 4 in the Big Ten in passes defended with 10 (eight breakups and two interceptions). He did, however, leave last week's game with a leg injury.

The Gophers don't have any stats that jump off the page, but they have produced 22 turnovers, which is comparable with league leaders. Nervous trend for the Gophers is they haven't held a Big Ten opponent to less than 20 points and allow 28.9 points.

Iowa freshman quarterback James Vandenberg starts again this week. In his first career start - at Ohio State with a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl on the line - Vandenberg was better than you'd expect, completing 20 of 33 for 233 yards, two TDs and three interceptions. He took a third-down sack that knocked Iowa out of field-goal range in overtime, but he rallied Iowa from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

He's still so new, it's hard to peg what he might be this week. But last week, he looked like a fundamentally and mechanically sound Big Ten QB with a live arm.

Running back is a minor mystery this week. Freshman Brandon Wegher couldn't play last week after pain flared from a rib injury. Freshman Adam Robinson did play and played pretty well, rushing for 74 yards on 20 carries in his first game after suffering a high-ankle sprain three weeks ago. Considering his injury situation, it was a completely unexpected and eye-popping performance.

With quarterback Ricky Stanzi on the sidelines until the bowl game, Iowa's top playmakers have become wide receivers Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt.

Advantage: Iowa

When the Gophers

have the ball

The spread is no longer “the” scheme in Minnesota. First-year offensive coordinator Jed Fisch arrived at UM after spending the last eight seasons in the NFL. He prefers a power running game and zone blocking but isn't afraid to throw in the “wildcat” formation and use multiple formations. The Gophers are last in the Big Ten in rushing at 102.1 yards a game. Their benchmark in the running game, though, was 42 carries for 166 yards (4.0 yards a carry) in the 35-24 victory at Northwestern on Sept. 26. The Gophers' 3.1 yards a carry is tied for the worst in the Big Ten.

Quarterback Adam Weber (197.1 yards a game) is tied with Stanzi for the Big Ten interception lead with 14 to go with 12 TD passes. He's the only regular starting QB in the Big Ten who has more interceptions than TD passes. Since wide receiver Eric Decker suffered a season-ending foot injury, Weber's completion percentage has trended downward.

The losing stat for Iowa's defense coming out of Ohio State was rush yards. The Buckeyes hammered Iowa for 229 yards, a number that simply gave OSU too much rope in a 27-24 overtime victory. It was the first time Iowa's D had been dinged for 200-plus yards since 256 against Penn State in 2007. It also was the first game Iowa allowed three sustained monster drives - 17-, eight- and 11-play drives.

Defensive end Adrian Clayborn is on a tear, racking up 5.5 of his 8.5 sacks in the last five weeks. After a slow start, Clayborn is now tied for second in the Big Ten and 24th in the country in sacks. He's also tied for third and 13th nationally with 16.5 tackles for loss.

Advantage: Iowa

Special teams

The only memorable performance for the Gophers in last year's 55-0 carbuncle was Troy Stoudermire's kick returns. He had a record 283 yards on nine returns. This season, he's seventh in the Big Ten with 25.5 yards on a conference-high 38 returns.

After a streak of six straight field goals, Iowa kicker Daniel Murray has missed three of his last five and has officially become unsteady.

Johnson-Koulianos snapped Iowa's streak of 242 kick returns without a TD with last week's 99-yarder.

Advantage: Iowa

The Scoreboard

The Hawkeyes are 13th in the BCS rankings. They need to maintain this week in order to be eligible for a BCS bowl. A 9-3 finish and a plunge down the bowl lotto would be a gut punch for a team that smelled roses not so long ago. Vandenberg is the caveat. He had a terrific debut at Ohio State, but he's still the new guy.

Iowa 28, Minnesota 10

- Marc Morehouse