Iowa-South Carolina: Top Running Back Shonn Greene to Showcase in Outback Bowl

If you are a fan of some old-fashioned football, look no further than the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day, where the Iowa Hawkeyes will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Iowa is one of the hottest teams in the nation since they upset Penn State 24-23, and they have gotten it done by the will of a disciplined defense and the legs of the nation's top running back, Shonn Greene.

The Doak Walker Award winner will undoubtedly be tested by this South Carolina defense, which ranks 11th in the nation in total defense.  The Gamecocks' stellar defense is led by Jasper Brinkley, one of the most intimidating defenders in the nation.

Iowa's potent running duo of Greene and Jewel Hampton has combined for 2,138 yards and 24 touchdowns.

While Iowa is known for its defense, led by All-American defensive tackle Mitch King, they rank second in the Big Ten in points per game with 30.3.  Their defense has given up a measly 159 points this entire season, just over 12 per contest.

Since Steve Spurrier has taken the reins at USC, they have had a pattern of not being able to finish out a season well.  They will look to rectify that problem come Thursday.

The real story of this game is Iowa's running back Shonn Greene, who may be playing his final game in the black and gold. 

Despite being a redshirt junior, Greene will turn 24 years old prior to next season, and he may need to get a jump-start on his NFL career.  After claiming the Doak Walker award, rushing for 100 yards in every contest, and being a consensus first team All-American, it seems like the right time for him to break the bank.

However, the focus is the game at hand, and Greene's skills will be tested against this stingy defense.  In order for him to have optimal success, sophomore quarterback Ricky Stanzi will have to create a semblance of a passing offense to balance out the running game. 

Iowa had great success through the air against Minnesota, and could continue that against the Gamecocks. 

The Hawkeye defense should be able to fluster South Carolina's freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia, who has the ability to scramble and make plays other than by throwing the ball.

This is the first time these two teams will meet on the gridiron, and it should be a fun one to watch.