The Walk Through -- No Bullock, Lowery

As it turns out, 100 percent chance for rain means just that.

It's a little soggy here. There's a tarp on the field. This is a natural grass field, so it's a natural grass field. I think that favors nature and herbicides.

There's a soggy group of students who are held hostage by the ravages of college tuition right now setting rally towels on every bleacher number out there. They don't look happy, but they're paying for their school. They're doing what my kids will be doing when they enter whatever school they end up in (daughter wants Iowa, the boy wants UCLA film school, he's young).

The rain has picked up.

-- Probably no on G Austin Blythe and CB B.J. Lowery, both of whom have foot/ankle injuries. I think the Lowery absence would hurt.

-- The Big Ten Network has concentrated its concentration this week on the Spartans, judging from every written word and tweet that's come out of there this week. Iowa is in the backseat on its own network. That's what a 9-point underdog gets, I guess.

-- The Florida Citrus Bowl is here. I'm calling the credit card bowl the Florida Citrus Bowl, just as the almighty football overloards intended.

-- Brian Ferentz tweet: "Gameday. We have a tremendous opportunity in front of us. See you at Spartan Stadium."

-- I will say this reminds me of the Hawkeyes' 21-20 victory at Penn State in '96. It was rainy and whippy out. Tim Dwight returned a punt for a TD. Iowa was an afterthought that day, too. It finished 9-3 that season.

-- Iowa SID Matt Weitzel reports via Twitter that Iowa is 8-5 in the Ferentz era when it's raining. I can't verify that for the life of me and I've been there for all of them.

-- Ferentz is 3-5 after idle weeks. This is Iowa's first game since beating Minnesota, 31-13, at Kinnick two weeks ago.

-- The Register's Randy Peterson tweets that RB Damon Bullock and Lowery didn't make the trip. I'm certain he talked to one of the radio people, so this is fact. Bullock? I don't think he was going to get much action, anyway. Iowa is in "hot hand" situation at RB and that's Mark Weisman.

Lowery is gonna hurt.

Greg Castillo goes into the game. He's a senior, he's been ridden on the internet. He's from Philly. His dad is Juan Castillo, the Eagles' D coordinator. He's been through the ringer the last few seasons. Greg Castillo knows tough fans, he knows the tenuous relationship.

You can't touch him.

"I understand the fans," he said with a wry smile. "I've been around Philadelphia. It's bad over there, so I'm too worried about it. You just brush it off and live your life.

"I just go out and do what I know how to do. It only matters what's said inside, but we all do appreciate the fans coming to every game. We've got to impress them."

Castillo showed up a 155-pound freshman. He's now 195. He had his first career pick last week. He downed the punt that basically won the NIU game.

Let's see what he does today.

-- Ferentz is seeking his 100th win as Iowa's head coach. He said this week he didn't know that. I believe him.

-- The tarp is off the field.

-- Dudes, no one's run the ball on MSU this year. The Spartans are 17th in the nation in rush D.

Defense (FBS Rank)

Yards:

1649 (26)

Passing Yards:

1123 (44)

Rushing Yards:

526 (17)

Points per game:

15.2 (15)

Yards per game:

274.8 (11)

Touchdowns:

8 (15)

Field Goals:

7 (83)

-- It's raining even harder now.

-- Iowa QBs and TEs are out tossing the ball. True frosh QB C.J. Beathard has made the trip.

-- Remember Trevon Young, the Iowa recruit from Des Moines Lincoln?

He was among six people arrested in July for third-degree burglary and interference with official acts, according to Des Moines Police records.

He's playing for Lincoln and he said Thursday that he still has his scholarship offer from Iowa and it was never pulled. Young is a linebacker for Lincoln. The 6-4, 220-pounder is considered a D-end prospect with the Hawkeyes.

-- Iowa kickers out there. Mike Meyer just made a 37-yarder from the left hash. The wind might be a factor. Good-sized American flag (Love it or Leave it) whipping pretty well with wind from the south.

-- Meyer didn't try much from the right hash into the wind. Nothing farther than 36 yards.

-- Iowa will keep pounding the run, Ed Podolak said.

-- Bullock didn't make the trip, Gary Dolphin just confirmed. Weisman could get 30 carries, Ed said. Bullock had recurrences from the concussion, Dolph said. No Lowery, either, Dolph said.

This will be Bullock's fourth week out of contact since suffering the concussion.

-- G Austin Blythe is here and could play, but won't start. That'll be Andrew Donnal for the second week in a row.

-- The Hawkeyes just did the gather thing in the end zone. Remember when Mitch King and Adrian Clayborn led that? Today it was James Ferentz.

-- I wouldn't be surprised if Bullock is out for the season. Dolph saying "recurrence" tells me he suffered another concussion. Not good.

-- 20 minutes to kick.