Two teams, both still undefeated and thought of as potential champions of the Big Ten, square off today in what I can only describe as a far more anticipated game than when the schedule first came out. It is a game that some are calling the epitome of College football, and well, it's hard to argue they aren't having a great time at the bars at the very least.
The buzz is starting to get everyone's attention in town, and the level of hype is starting to spill over into the national scene. Sadly, Philadelphia icon Chris Long, who helped win a Super Bowl for the cherished Birds picked Iowa as his lock of the week in his podcast (It's at 48:44).
This Iowa team is good. Rumor has it they're the best team Kirk Ferentz has ever really had and legitimately has a path to the College Football Playoff.
This year's Penn State team on the other hand is looking much better than the debacle of last year and seems to be plugged into this season like few others before it.
This Iowa team is good. Rumor has it they're the best team Kirk Ferentz has ever really had and legitimately has a path to the College Football Playoff.
This year's Penn State team on the other hand is looking much better than the debacle of last year and seems to be plugged into this season like few others before it.
I suspect that come Saturday we will see a whale of a game. An epic show that comes down to execution through the entirety of the game. That comes down to the grit and effort by those involved. That comes down to all that, and probably a little luck too.
In order to get ready for a game like that, to perform in an environment like that, it takes a lot of trust. Trust in one's self, trust in teammates, trust in coaches both in the moment as well as in the preparation.
As fans, we should drink it all in and enjoy this moment. Because for better or worse, we can't control it.
For one team, after what is sure to be one of the hardest fought games this year, it means the end of their perfect season and they will go 0-1 for the the first time this year. It will feel devastating and horrible. The players and coaches will feel sick to their stomachs and so will their fan base.
For the other, a moment of sheer jubilation as they are once again victorious in one of the best settings in College Football. A moment to pause and then party on.
That is the reality.
The magic of the collegiate game rests in its regular season. Flocks of alumni coming back to their college haunts for a connection to their youth. Undergrads and graduate students inviting friends over to partake in the festivities. Local bars and restaurants filled with patrons and live music. It brings a sense of life to a season that is fading to the colds of winter.
Penn State's last loss was against Iowa. Both teams know it. Both fan bases know it.
But I think, maybe, what the National fan base hasn't recognized yet is that Iowa went 0-2 last year, then won out, smashing more than a few Big Ten mid to upper tier teams in the process. Ferentz called it one of his favorite teams he's ever coached. They were denied a bowl game due to Covid-19.
I think people and teams might still be underestimating how hungry Iowa is for this season and this game.
I doubt Penn State, however, will be one of them.
Fans can be quick to forget aspects of last year's game, especially depending on whose broadcast you were listening to.
I happened to be listening to the Fox broadcast with former Penn State Defensive Tackle Matt Millen on the call. One of the things I appreciate about Matt during his football broadcasts is his ability to identify aspects of line play and his earnestness about what is going on.
And what was going on was that Penn State got absolutely worked on the line of scrimmage. He replayed play after play of Penn State defenders down, offensive lineman unable to sustain blocks and at the end of the game the stat sheet said everything.
Penn State's last loss was against Iowa. Both teams know it. Both fan bases know it.
But I think, maybe, what the National fan base hasn't recognized yet is that Iowa went 0-2 last year, then won out, smashing more than a few Big Ten mid to upper tier teams in the process. Ferentz called it one of his favorite teams he's ever coached. They were denied a bowl game due to Covid-19.
I think people and teams might still be underestimating how hungry Iowa is for this season and this game.
I doubt Penn State, however, will be one of them.
Fans can be quick to forget aspects of last year's game, especially depending on whose broadcast you were listening to.
I happened to be listening to the Fox broadcast with former Penn State Defensive Tackle Matt Millen on the call. One of the things I appreciate about Matt during his football broadcasts is his ability to identify aspects of line play and his earnestness about what is going on.
And what was going on was that Penn State got absolutely worked on the line of scrimmage. He replayed play after play of Penn State defenders down, offensive lineman unable to sustain blocks and at the end of the game the stat sheet said everything.
Iowa's top two backs combined for 35 carries and 175 yards. Penn State finished as a team for 35 carries and 62 yards.
I do not think a complete reversal is going to happen in just one year, but I suspect that battle in the trenches will be one for the ages.
If Penn State can find the grit and determination to grind with what might be the most mentally and physically tough team in the Conference, then I like their chances to leave Kinnick with a celebration.
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