Iowa State Takes Down Iowa for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Trophy
It was a hard fought, back and forth battle between Iowa and Iowa State on Saturday afternoon, but it was the underdog Cyclones who emerged victorious in a triple overtime victory.
Star Watch
Iowa RB Marcus Coker
Coker had big numbers with 35 carries, 140 yards, and two touchdowns, but the Cyclones were largely able to keep the Iowa running game in check and relatively ineffective. The sophomore is not eligible for the NFL Draft until 2013 and he will need that extra seasoning in order to vault himself to the top of draft boards.
Iowa WR Marvin McNutt
McNutt was held in check for much of the game, but he had a huge catch in the fourth quarter that set up the go-ahead touchdown for Iowa. He is a big target with better speed than advertised, and he knows how to go up and make plays. He was double teamed most of the game which really hurt Iowa’s passing game. That, and the fact that James Vandenberg was as inconsistent in terms of accuracy as I have seen him.
Iowa OT Riley Reiff
Reiff is as solid as ever, but there was plenty of pressure on Vandenberg today, as well as a lack of great running lanes for Marcus Coker. Perhaps I’m being a bit too picky, but the offensive line is supposed to be the back bone of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and today they somewhat let the fans down.
Iowa DT Mike Daniels
Daniels made some nice plays in the running game, but if he is held in check, it’s really easy to run on the Hawkeyes out on the perimeter. Daniels seemed to wear down (along with the rest of the Iowa front seven) as ISU quarterback Steele Jantz was just too good for them today. They couldn’t sack him, they couldn’t track him down, and they were gassed by the end of the game.
Iowa CB Shaun Prater
Prater is still shut down and he makes plays against the run as well. He will be a very good cover two cornerback in the NFL. His tackling has improved quite a bit, and ISU really didn’t pick on Prater at all in this one.
Iowa State OL Kelechi Osemele
Osemele left the game multiple times with an ankle injury, but he was hungry for this win and it showed. he helped form perfect pockets for Steele Jantz, helped open lanes for a varying amount of runners in the ISU backfield, and just generally showed off his pure toughness. This is a guy I really like as a guard prospect in the NFL.
Iowa State QB Steele Jantz
This guy had a terrible game against Northern Iowa last week, throwing three picks and helping ISU to a late game rally that saved them from starting the season 0-1. Jantz was a different player on Saturday against Iowa, making the Hawkeyes defense look like the ones he used to play against at community college. This guy was cool under pressure, made plays with his legs, and ran the ISU offense perfectly. He has great size and quickness, and could really be a guy to watch for the next two years. Cyclone fans have reason to be excited about this kid if he keeps playing like that.