Here’s a rare prediction from Sports Headliners: the Gophers will beat Iowa tomorrow night. Attribute the prediction as coming from the gut or the heart, certainly not the head, but there’s a feeling the Gophers, about a touchdown under dog, will win their final game in the Metrodome and end a three game losing streak.
Iowa is the better team. The Hawkeyes have won four of their last five games including an upset of then No. 3 ranked Penn State. Iowa’s defense, as usual, is one of the Big Ten Conference’s best under the leadership of defensive coordinator Norm Parker who coached for the Gophers in the 1970s. Offensively, Iowa is mostly about Shonn Greene, the marvelous runner who leads the nation in rushing yards.
The Gopher defense, the strength of the team, held Wisconsin’s exceptional running attack to 117 yards last week in a 35-32 loss to the Badgers. A similar performance will be needed against Greene with the Gophers hoping to hold the 5-11, 235-pound junior to runs of less than 12 yards. Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi is an okay performer. His passing production is limited by a non-explosive group of receivers.
Slow down Greene and then have a 24 point night from the Gopher offense. That could put the Gophers in position to race across the field to claim Floyd of Rosedale at game’s end.
The Gophers’ unproductive November offense perked up last week in Madison, scoring four touchdowns. A surprise performance by freshmen wide receivers Brandon Green and Brodrick Smith, both of whom scored touchdowns, helped in Eric Decker’s absence.
“You have to feel good about that, their contributions, and you knew they were coming because they’re very talented football players,” said Gopher coach Tim Brewster. “And then you add back to it a guy like Eric Decker. …I anticipate the passing game to do a nice job (tomorrow night). We’ve really got some weapons in the passing game, particularly at wide receiver.”
Decker still leads the conference in pass receptions with 74 and has recovered enough from a right ankle sprain to play on Saturday even if he isn’t 100 percent. Decker and Adam Weber have one of those special quarterback-receiver connections where they seem to have a feel for making a successful play together. Roommates off the field, Weber said this week that Decker is his “best friend.”
The Gophers, though, won’t have much margin for goof-ups if they are to defeat Iowa for only the second time since 2000. The offense and special teams will be on the spot to avoid fumbles, interceptions and other mistakes.
The Gophers find themselves having lost three straight conference games and thereby eliminated the goal of playing in a New Year’s Day Bowl game. That could be an emotional drag for this Saturday if the opponent wasn’t Iowa. The rivalry is expected to put energy back in the Gophers.
Their guts and heads are probably telling them they will beat Iowa. We’ll see.