2016 Rose Bowl Preview: #6 Stanford vs. #5 Iowa
By Brady Lunt
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Rose Bowl. One of the most prestigious and decorated bowl games in all of college football since it’s opening day in 1902. Some of history’s most memorable football moments occurred in the Rose Bowl including “The Germaine Miracle”, Vince Young’s last-minute drive to setup a game-winning field goal followed closely by his miraculous scramble a year later to again lead Texas to victory, and we cannot forget the record-setting performance by Eric Ball, led by head coach Terry Donahue, in the 1986 Rose Bowl. So many memories on an incredibly massive stage.
With 2016 quickly approaching, it appears another intense matchup will be going head-to-head in Pasadena. The #6 Stanford Cardinals, winners of the PAC-12 conference, will be facing off against the #5 Iowa Hawkeyes in the 2016 Rose Bowl.
The Cardinals, led by head coach David Shaw, have been a well-oiled machine since their week 1 loss against Northwestern, winning 11 of their next 12 games and proving to be the team-to-beat in the PAC-12. Stanford demonstrated their worth after handing out losses to Notre Dame and USC to end the season. Shaw is a smart head coach that will put the Cardinals in a position to win every game. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, went undefeated before narrowly losing to Michigan St. in the BIG 10 championship game. Their one loss would sting even worse when it forced them out of the playoff discussion. No matter, the Hawkeyes are a team with much to prove and will be playing with a chip on the shoulder come game time.
Keys to Victory for Stanford
- McCaffrey Must Be the Centerpiece
There could be nothing more simple for David Shaw to do then get Christian McCaffrey the ball, especially in critical situations. McCaffrey was the Heisman runner-up while finishing the season in record-setting fashion, breaking Barry Sanders’ NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a single season (3,250). Christian McCaffrey is a tremendous player capable of doing just about everything. If you’re in doubt, just ask USC. McCaffrey torched the Trojans with 461 all-purpose yards – 207 rushing, 105 receiving, 120 kick return, and 29 punt return. Not to mention three touchdowns – one rushing, one receiving, and one passing (yes, one passing). In a nutshell, McCaffrey can do it all and is dangerous anywhere on the field. If the Cardinals are to leave Pasadena with a victory, McCaffrey will need to be a big reason for it.
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- Offensive Diversity
The Iowa Hawkeyes are known as a physical team that do their best when playing “tough boy” football. They are a stingy run defense that currently ranks 10th best in FBS and have proven capable of removing that element entirely. If the Cardinals are going to win, they will have to find a way to stifle the Iowa defense by getting more diverse and creative with their offensive play-calling. If they focus on being too one-dimensional, the Hawkeyes will prevent them from moving the football and it will result in a loss. Use McCaffrey, use innovative plays, and be unpredictable. That should be the offensive game-plan for David Shaw & Co.
Keys to Victory for Iowa
- Play Hawkeye Football
Iowa, much like the rest of the BIG 10, plays a physical brand of football. They play tough, they play mean, and want to muscle their opponent around each game. The Cardinals’ one game against an opponent like this came in Week 1 against Northwestern, a game that resulted in their first loss of the season. If Iowa is to learn anything from this, it’s that Iowa cannot stray away from the football it knows best. Be as physical as possible and make the Cardinals pay on every play. Tire out the offense and force them to beat you defensively. If the Hawkeyes can do this, Stanford’s offense will be limited and thus push Iowa to victory.
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- STOP MCCAFFREY!
Many teams have tried and many teams have failed. To put it simply, Christian McCaffrey is a unique and special player who will pose a threat from just about anywhere on the field. Possibly the biggest key for Iowa is to find a way to merely slow him down. They will need to stay true to their tough approach, but will need to rattle his cage if they hope to come out of Pasadena with a win. Although nothing is a guarantee, if Iowa stops McCaffrey, a win becomes pretty darn close.
Final Prediction
This is a matchup that is likely to be one of the more exciting ones to watch. Stanford’s exciting offense versus Iowa’s tough-as-nails defense is sure to draw a large amount of emotion and thrill, but ultimately this game will come down to the team that can win up-front. You can guarantee that Christian McCaffrey will be a major part of the game plan, but he’s never faced an opponent as stout as the Hawkeyes. I think this will be the key and ultimately the deciding factor. While Stanford can put points on the board, it will be hard for them to do so against a defense as stingy as Iowa.
Iowa – 26
Stanford – 20