Insight Bowl 2010: 10 Things To Know About Missouri vs. Iowa
It's official: Blaine Gabbert and the Missouri Tigers will be heading to Tempe, Arizona, to take on Adrian Clayborn and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
This game will feature a team that has exceeded preseason expectations (Missouri) and a team that has been a major disappointment this season (Iowa).
It will also feature Mizzou's vaunted passing attack against an Iowa defensive line that will be pressuring Gabbert all game long.
If both teams play up to their potential, this promises to be a very fun game to watch. Which team will represent the black and gold better?
Here are 10 things you should know about the 2010 Insight Bowl.
10. Missouri Deserved a Better Bowl Game
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The Missouri Tigers should be in the Cotton Bowl.
The only reason the Cotton Bowl picked Texas A&M was because Mizzou fans have a reputation for not traveling well.
It is ridiculous to have a Texas A&M team in the Cotton Bowl despite the fact that Mizzou won the head-to-head matchup between the teams and has a better overall record than the Aggies.
9. Iowa's Loss to Minnesota to End the Year Was Devastating
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Iowa's last regular season game was a loss to a horrible Minnesota team.
Minnesota had a coaching change midseason, but they had been playing better, ending the year with wins over Illinois and Iowa.
Will Iowa get better because of this loss, or will they just give up on this season?
They have about a month to sit in bitter anticipation of the Insight Bowl. Will they be better because of this loss, or does the loss signify a big problem in Hawkeye Nation?
8. Ricky Stanzi Is a Really Good Quarterback
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Stanzi threw for 2,804 yards and 25 touchdowns for the Hawkeyes this year.
He also only threw four interceptions all season long.
He takes care of the ball and doesn't make many mistakes.
He doesn't have a 300-plus-yard game, so he won't win a game single-handedly, but he's a nice asset to have at the quarterback position.
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7. Grant Ressel Is One of the Best Kickers in the Country
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Ressel was the most accurate kicker in America last season, so this year has been a down year for him.
But with the game on the line, Ressel is one of the top three kickers I'd want kicking a field goal for my team.
It will likely be pretty good weather in Arizona on December 28, so Ressel should have a pretty good day for kicking field goals.
6. Missouri's Defense Is Susceptible to the Run
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Though Mizzou has one of the best scoring defenses on paper, holding opponents to just over 15 points per game, it is susceptible to good running games.
For example, against the San Diego State Aztecs, the Tigers allowed freshman running back Ronnie Hillman to run for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in a game Mizzou almost lost.
Then, in a game they did lose to the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Tigers allowed Roy Helu, Jr. to run for 307 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. The Tigers also allowed several big plays in that game, as Helu's three touchdown runs were all for more than 50 yards.
If Adam Robinson can find a groove early in the game, it could spell trouble for Missouri.
5. Missouri Has a Good Running Game
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Many people look at Mizzou's spread offense and think that means they can't run the ball.
Actually, Mizzou has a pretty balanced offensive attack, averaging 238.2 yards per game through the air to 162.9 yards on the ground.
The Tigers' backfield features three solid running backs in Henry Josey, De'Vion Moore and Kendial Lawrence.
Then there's Blaine Gabbert, who is more mobile than he appears.
Opponents shouldn't disregard Mizzou's rushing attack.
4. Blaine Gabbert Is a Potential Heisman Winner
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If Blaine Gabbert continues his progression as a quarterback next season, he should get a long look for the Heisman Trophy.
He has all the physical tools to be a great quarterback in the NFL, but his decision-making is sometimes a little bit off.
If he can correct that and lead the Tigers to an Insight Bowl victory, he'll have a lot of momentum heading into next season.
With that being said...
3. The Iowa Secondary Will Force Gabbert into Some Mistakes
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Brett Greenwood and Shaun Prater set the tone with four interceptions each for a tough Iowa Hawkeyes secondary.
This Iowa secondary is better than most of the secondaries Gabbert and the Tigers have played all year.
Mizzou lost to Nebraska, a team with one of the best groups of defensive backs in the country, so look for Gabbert to have a tough time finding a rhythm in this game.
2. Missouri O-Line Vs. Iowa D-Line Will Decide This Game
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The reason that Mizzou was able to upset then-No. 1 Oklahoma was because its offensive line shut down the Sooners' defensive line.
That gave Gabbert time in the pocket to make the big plays needed to pull off the upset.
Then, the next week, Mizzou's offensive line was thoroughly outplayed by Nebraska's defensive line. Gabbert was under pressure all game long, and it cost the Tigers the game.
They'll face another elite defensive line in the Insight Bowl. Adrian Clayborn is one of the best defensive ends in the country.
The Missouri offensive line will need to stand strong or Gabbert might not make it through the entire game.
1. T.J. Moe and Michael Egnew Are the Best Receivers You've Never Heard of
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T.J. Moe's 2010 stats: 77 catches, 893 yards, six touchdowns
Michael Egnew's 2010 stats: 83 catches, 698 yards, four touchdowns
Moe and Egnew form one of the most dynamic wide receiver/tight end combos in the country and pose matchup problems for any secondary they face.
Egnew is a huge target who has been Gabbert's safety net in the middle of the field. Moe is a small possession receiver with the speed and vision to turn every catch into a huge play.
The key to the game for Iowa will be to make sure neither of these great receivers beats them. They must force Gabbert to go to his other receivers in order to have a chance of winning the 2010 Insight Bowl.
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