Iowa vs. Nebraska: Head-to-Head Breakdown

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE; 12pm Eastern

TV Coverage: ABC

Iowa and Nebraska will match up Friday in the first ever Heroes Game. The winner of the game will receive the Heroes Trophy. The trophy is about all each team has to play for this season.

Nebraska was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Legends division and make it to the Big Ten Championship Game. After a humiliating 45-17 lost to Michigan last Saturday, Nebraska will need to beat Iowa to finish third in the Legends division.

Both teams have had up-and-down seasons. Nebraska has had impressive wins over Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State. The Cornhuskers have also had embarrassing losses to Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan.

Like Nebraska, Iowa has had some impressive wins as well. The Hawkeyes beat a good Pittsburgh team and won at home against Michigan. The Hawkeyes are 1-3 on the road this year, losing to Iowa State, Penn State and Minnesota, while winning at Purdue last week.

Iowa and Nebraska have many similarities which should make for a good game on Friday. Although winning a championship or going to a BCS bowl game is out of the picture for both teams, winning the inaugural Heroes Trophy will mean a lot to each team.

Iowa and Nebraska have played against each other 41 times. Nebraska has a commanding lead in the series, 26-13-3. Since 1979, Iowa and Nebraska have met five times. Nebraska has won four contests and the games have not even been close.

The last two times Iowa and Nebraska played, the Cornhuskers blew out the Hawkeyes, winning 42-7 in 1999 and 42-13 in 2000.

I think this game will be much closer than the games in the past. Nebraska is not the team they were in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

The winner of this game will finish third in the Legends division and likely receive a bowl game on January 2. The loser might end up in the Meineke Car Care Bowl or the Insight Bowl.

Here is how I see this game breaking down...

Nebraska’s Offense vs. Iowa’s Defense

Nebraska Total Offense Ranking: 58

Iowa Total Defense Ranking: 67

Will Nebraska come into this game ready to play?

When Nebraska is motivated to play, the Cornhuskers are a difficult team to stop. With nothing to play for other than a game trophy, I have my doubts.

The key for the Cornhuskers will be to get on the scoreboard first. It seems as though when Nebraska takes an early lead in the game, they steamroll the other team. When the Huskers fall behind, they give up.

Nebraska has the players on offense to score on a mediocre Iowa defense. Nebraska must get their running game going with quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead.

Martinez has passed the ball with accuracy lately, but the wide receivers have been inconsistent in catching the ball. Dropped passes have lead to three-and-out drives. Nebraska must be able to sustain drives to wear out the Iowa defense.

Iowa’s defense is giving up an average of 388 yards per game this season. The Hawkeyes are better at stopping the run than they are at stopping the pass. Iowa is ranked No. 7 in the Big Ten Conference at stopping the run, giving up 154 yards per game. Iowa is ranked last in the Big Ten at stopping the pass, giving up 234 yards per game through the air.

Nebraska must watch out for Iowa’s cornerback Micah Hyde. Hyde is one of the best cornerbacks in the Big Ten. Hyde ranks No. 1 in the conference in passes defended and No. 5 in interceptions.

When Nebraska looks to pass the ball, it would be wise for Martinez to look at the opposite side of the field from where Hyde is playing.

Edge

I give the edge in this match up to Nebraska. Look for the Cornhuskers to bring back the offense that confused Penn State. The Cornhuskers will run gadget plays and option plays out of multiple sets. This will catch Iowa off guard and allow Nebraska to score some touchdowns.

Nebraska’s Defense vs. Iowa’s Offense

Nebraska Total Defense Rank: 42

Iowa Total Offense Rank: 60

Nebraska has had their problems on defense this year. Some of their problems could be blamed on injuries. Nebraska has been banged up on their defensive line all season and it shows up in the games.

Nebraska has had problems generating any kind of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Nebraska will need to create pressure on Iowa’s quarterback James Vandenberg or it could be a long day for the Blackshirts.

Iowa’s best offensive weapon is wide receiver Marvin McNutt. McNutt has 74 receptions for 1,240 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Nebraska will use their All-American cornerback, Alfonzo Dennard, on McNutt.

I look for Dennard to shut down McNutt the same way he shut down Michigan State’s all-Big Ten wide receiver B.J. Cunningham.

Iowa’s other playmaker is running back Marcus Coker. Coker is No. 2 in the Big Ten in rushing, with 1,297 yards and 14 touchdowns. Nebraska will need their Butkus Award finalist, linebacker Lavonte David, to shut down Coker and Iowa’s running game.

Edge

Iowa has the edge in this matchup. Vandenberg is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten Conference in passing yards per game. Coker and McNutt are at the top of the conference rankings in all rushing and receiving categories. Nebraska will have their hands full stopping the threesome.

Special Teams

Nebraska has the best special teams in the Big Ten Conference.

Punter/kicker Brett Maher ranks first in the conference in both punting average and field goal kicking. If this game turns into a kicking contest, the Cornhuskers will have a huge advantage.

Nebraska ranks No. 2 in the conference in punt return average and No. 5 in the conference in kickoff return average. Iowa has struggled with their special teams play.

Iowa ranks No. 7 in the conference in punt return average and No. 8 in the conference in kickoff return average. Iowa’s punter Eric Guthrie is No. 8 in the conference in punting, with an average of 40 yards per punt. The Hawkeyes’ place kicker, Mike Meyers has made 14-20 field goals. He currently ranks No. 3 in the conference in field goal kicking.

Prediction

This game will be won by the team who wants it more. I think that team is Iowa.

Nebraska looks like a team that is unmotivated to play. The Cornhuskers had their season on the line last week and came out flat. How are the Cornhuskers going to be motivated to play when every goal they had entering the season has been taken away from them.?

Iowa did not have such high expectations put on them this year. Beating Nebraska would make their season a success. I look for the Hawkeyes to be the more motivated team on Friday.

Iowa 28 Nebraska 24

Follow me on twitter @HuskerMagic