Predicting the 2009 Iowa Hawkeye Football Season: Arizona

When the Arizona Wildcats were first added to the schedule, I was a little bent out of shape.  Not because I didn't think it would be a good game, but because I would have rather Arizona State been scheduled instead. 

If there is one team in college football I hate worse than Iowa State, it is the Arizona State Sun Devils.  This may or may not have something to do with getting escorted out of Sun Devil Stadium by four sheriffs back in 2004.  Regardless, I was hoping to have a chance to berate some Sun Devils fans again. 

As luck should have it, it was actually the Arizona Wildcats on the schedule.  While I was a little bummed, I quickly got over it.

Iowa and Arizona have several different ties between them that add to the overall intrigue of this game.  The Wildcats are coached by Mike Stoops, a former Iowa Hawkeye student, player, and assistant coach.  This means Stoops has to return to his alma mater to face-off against a former colleague in Kirk Ferentz.

To add a bit more flare to the game, some of the older Hawkeye faithful might also still hold a grudge against the University of Arizona for stealing away basketball coach Lute Olson.  Iowans are stubborn, what can I say. 

There is also a large Iowa population in Arizona, meaning to some Hawkeye fans, the Wildcats are their team away from home.

While the atmosphere surrounding this game will be electric and friendly, the Wildcats will quickly find out how crazy Kinnick Stadium is.  Let me put it another way: Kinnick Stadium is going to eat the Wildcats alive. 

Sure, Coach Stoops will try to prepare his team for the atmosphere and the pink locker rooms, but like many non-conference teams often are, they will be startled by what they witness at Kinnick Stadium.  They may be used to playing in big stadiums, but not in stadiums where the fans are almost on top of you with such an intense loudness behind them.

Plus, Arizona lost some experience on the team last year.  The Wildcat defense lost four starters, all in the back seven.  They also lost their two best players on offense in QB Willie Tuitama and WR Mike Thomas.  With a lack of experienced players to calm down the newbies, things could spiral out of hand quickly for the Wildcats. 

Arizona does retain one of the nation's best tight ends in junior Rob Gronkowski.  They also have a very strong defensive line and a very fast secondary.  Despite the lack of experience, Arizona has a lot of talent on their team and that means this will not be an easy game.

Time to get down to business with this Hawkeye nerd's fearless prediction for the outcome of the game.


Iowa 30 - Arizona 7
   

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos goes crazy in this game.  DJK loves a chance to shine, and I think he will get it against Arizona.  Jewel Hampton's running game will surprise the Wildcats, allowing him to gain big yards (130 or so).  This will open up the door for more passing opportunities.  DJK will make the most of them, scoring 2 TDs and gaining 170 yards receiving.   

Kirk Ferentz knows the importance of this game.  If the Hawkeyes come off of the ISU game with a victory like I predict, the Hawkeyes will come into this game with a lot of energy and will dominate the Wildcats on both sides of the football, with the victory putting Iowa at 3-0 heading into the Penn State game.

Up next in the series of fearless predictions for the 2009 Iowa Football Season: Penn State.