Iowa, Pitt stage oddly regular series

IOWA CITY - Iowa and Pittsburgh meet for the fourth time since 2008, an oddly standard non-conference series among intersectional opponents. Conversely, conference foes Iowa and Penn State have played just five times over the same time frame and no games since 2012.

But the regularity has bred several thrilling games between the squads. In 2008, Iowa rotated quarterbacks Jake Christensen and Rick Stanzi before Coach Kirk Ferentz elected to stick with Christensen in the second half. Pitt, buoyed by running back LeSean McCoy, rallied 21-20. In 2011, the Hawkeyes overcame a 24-3 second-half deficit behind a 399-yard, four-touchdown performance by quarterback James Vandenberg to win 31-27. By points that was the greatest comeback in Iowa history. Last year in Pittsburgh, current Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard replaced injured starter Jake Rudock at halftime and guided the Hawkeyes - who were down 10 points at halftime - to a 24-20 win.

Those games often mirrored the battles between Iowa and Michigan State. New Pittsburgh Coach Pat Narduzzi guided the Spartans' defense against the Hawkeyes, and the schools played one another for seven consecutive years from 2007 through 2013. Three of the games were decided by three points and another in overtime. Five of the games were nail-biters well into the fourth quarter. Iowa won four of the head-to-head match-ups in the Big Ten's version of Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots.

'Kirk Ferentz is an offensive-minded coach. He's an O-line guru and a tremendous football coach,” Narduzzi said. '(Iowa) will be known for their toughness and like us, will be known as a blue-collared tough football team. It will be a tough football team up front. They have a lot of (alumni) playing in the NFL, seems like they have a first-rounder every year. They're going to be a tough football team. We have to be ready.”

The respect is mutual. Although Pitt has played only two games under Narduzzi, Ferentz can see his impact on the Panthers.

'When you watch those two games, you see an awful lot of the Michigan State influence,” Ferentz said. 'We looked at last year's film just to get a feel for the players and how they matched up against our guys a little bit, and then we have gone back and looked at our games against Michigan State. In some ways, it's like a first game almost but again the influence and it only makes sense.

'Coach Narduzzi is not a good defensive coach; he's an outstanding defensive coach, and he's doing a great job as a head coach, as well. But his influence there certainly is showing up on film, and not just scheme.”

Narduzzi brought the Spartans to Kinnick Stadium four times - all for afternoon games. He's expected a raucous environment for the first night game at Kinnick Stadium since 2012.

'We have a big road game, with a crazy atmosphere, out at the University of Iowa,” he said. 'I don't believe I've ever played at night there so I can imagine that it's going to be a good atmosphere for our kids and theirs. We told our guys (Sunday) that preseason is over. This is a big time for us to find out what we have. Our guys are going to prepare a little bit more every week as we go on. The games get a little bit bigger.”

And, yes, Narduzzi knows everything about the visiting locker room.

'Pink toilets, pink everything,” he said. 'I don't think there's any pink water coming out of the faucets, but everything is pink.”

Iowa is familiar with other Pitt coaches besides Narduzzi. Offensive coordinator Jim Chaney held the same position at Purdue under Joe Tiller. Offensive line coach John Peterson coached Ohio State's tight ends from 2004-11. Defensive line coach Tom Sims was at Minnesota and Illinois for a combined eight seasons. Tight ends coach Tim Salem coached at Illinois last year, and special teams coordinator and running backs coach Andre Powell coached at Maryland last fall. Cornerbacks coach Renaldo Hill played at Michigan State, and at least two graduate assistants played against Iowa while at Pitt.

'Coach Chaney is a very accomplished offensive coach. He's done a great job,” Ferentz said. 'In a short time he's done a great job with them, too. There are a lot of interesting ties and that's kind of the nature of football I guess. Interesting how it's all panned out.”

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