Possibly the biggest reason for hope against ISU tomorrow, is the Cyclone's defense, more like lack of defense. Oh Snap! Anyway, ISU struggled, particularly against the run last week against NDSU, and even with the absence of Bulaga, I think Iowa's line can create some holes for Robinson and whoever else may be running the ball (Brinson...Wegher....I'm looking at you two). And Stanzi should be good enough to find open receivers against ISU's secondary. The offense just needs to execute (as always) like it did in the 3rd quarter last week. We cannot have a repeat of the first half and expect to win this game. Anyway...Iowa State's defense.

Against the Run:
Iowa State gave up 210 rushing yards to the Bisons last week on 38 carries. That's 5.5 yards per carry. The NDSU offensive line just dominated the line of scrimmage.

ISU has 2 returning starters on the d-line (Rashawn Parker and Nate Frere), but the unit as a whole is pretty mediocre. Frere has good size (295 lbs), but the rest of the line undersized like Iowa's. The big difference is that these undersized guys do not have the same motor. It will likely be one of the weakest defensive lines Iowa faces all year.

The linebackers are also nothing special. Yes, the 3 starters are all seniors, but they are undersized and do not cover the field particularly well. The MLB, Jesse Smith, is the one to watch out for. He had a team high 15 tackles last week.

Against the Pass:
Iowa State is better against the pass than the run. The secondary is led by strong safety David Sims. Sims had an interception and 8 tackles against the Bison. Both corners are fine, but neither is a look down corner like Spievey.

Back to the linebackers. There is just no way they will be able to cover Moeaki, or even Reisner if he plays much. If Iowa needs a place to attack, this is it. The game plan usually involves the TEs a lot (see last week), and it should be effective against ISU.

Overall Thoughts:
  • Iowa's offense must take advantage of the Cyclone's weak defense. The offensive line needs to establish control of the line of scrimmage and get to the second level. If NDSU can put up 210 rushing yards with their line, then Iowa should have no problems doing the same (not saying 200+ yards is likely though).
  • Tony Moeaki can win this game for us too. ISU's linebackers will not be able to cover him consistently. He should also be an asset in the run game as a block taking advantage of the Cyclone dismal front 7.