Northern Iowa

[CappinHard]

SDSU 3 point favorites, total of 63. Predicted score of 33-30.

If we play like we did in the 2nd half against Youngstown, I think we win by 10.

[Mr_Tibbs]

Re: Northern Iowa

Both of our lines will be tested this week. I'll be curious to see what the game plan on O looks like.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Northern Iowa

SDSU 3 point favorites, total of 63. Predicted score of 33-30.

If we play like we did in the 2nd half against Youngstown, I think we win by 10.

Last couple seasons the Jacks seem more focused on the road (not counting JMU). I will concur with your 10 point victory.

Also, loved seeing TC run against YSU. That is something that has been missing from the offense. Two years ago he was impossible to defend because of his running. Last year I think that we got away from that. If he forces defenses to start spying on him, the offense really becomes unstoppable.

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Northern Iowa

https://jackrabbitillustrated.blogsp...hern-iowa.html

Here are my thoughts.

1. Eli Dunne could kill us if we don't show up to play early. I'm hoping UNI tries to slam it down our throat with Weymiller is we are much better run defense than last year.
2. Their offensive line is good enough but not spectacular.
3. Briley Moore is a stud which makes me nervous as good tight ends in play action sometimes give us fits and we have been soft in the middle in pass defense.
4. Their safeties are still not very good.
5. Ricky Neal can ruin a gameplan and Greeneway and Johnson/Gruetz will have to play good games again. I hope that we are not too proud to use the backs and tight ends to chip him.
6. If he can play, Kolarevic looks like a baller. If he can't their depth isn't great.

[bigticket1]

Re: Northern Iowa

Playing inside should benefit our passing game, which wasn't very effective out in the elements last Saturday.

[JackJD]

Re: Northern Iowa

For the past several years, UNI seems to lay some eggs in the first half of the season but they finish strong. Do they somehow avoid injuries better (luckier) than other teams? Going back to 2014 (Brandon Snyder's first year at Iowa), note the following random points:

2014,

UNI lost 23-31 at Iowa. SDSU won at Cedar Falls 31-28. But UNI won its final five regular season games and advanced to the playoffs where it won the first round and fell in the second round.

2015:

In Brookings, UNI 10, SDSU 7 (Is that the "why didn't we kick?" game?). Starting with the SDSU game, UNI won its last five regular season games and advanced to the playoff. They won the first two rounds before NDSU ended their season.

2016:

SDSU went to Cedar Falls for the last regular-season game for the Panthers. Going into that game, UNI had won 3 of the prior 4 games with the one loss being a close one, 24-20 when hosting NDSU. They were out of the running for playoffs when SDSU traveled to Cedar Falls and kicked the Panthers around enroute to a 46-24 Jackrabbit win.

2017:

Last season, SDSU hosted UNI in the first half of the regular season and earned nothing more than a hobo hangover: UNI 38, SDSU 18. UNI went on to win 5 of its last 6 regular season games. The only loss in that streak was to NDSU. UNI advanced to the playoffs, winning the first round but then getting on the bus for the trip to Brookings for the second round and a little Jackrabbit revenge: SDSU 37, UNI 22.

My point: Coach Farley's teams get really dangerous as the season wears on. This is going to be a very good football game. We're nicked up so we'll be showing a few different looks due to personnel changes. I'm picking the Jacks but then I always do. SDSU 21, UNI 17.

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Northern Iowa

With the linebackers being pretty banged up and if Logan Backhaus can't go, I would expect to see a lot of Levi Brown on Saturday to combat Briley Moore. Brown is supposedly the second best coverage linebacker after Backhaus and he matches up better size wise then Seven does.

[jakejc795]

Re: Northern Iowa

Last couple seasons the Jacks seem more focused on the road (not counting JMU). I will concur with your 10 point victory.

Also, loved seeing TC run against YSU. That is something that has been missing from the offense. Two years ago he was impossible to defend because of his running. Last year I think that we got away from that. If he forces defenses to start spying on him, the offense really becomes unstoppable.

Curious if he'll run against UNI like he did against the Bison up in Fargo a couple years ago.

[jakejc795]

Re: Northern Iowa

https://jackrabbitillustrated.blogsp...hern-iowa.html

Here are my thoughts.

1. Eli Dunne could kill us if we don't show up to play early. I'm hoping UNI tries to slam it down our throat with Weymiller is we are much better run defense than last year.
2. Their offensive line is good enough but not spectacular.
3. Briley Moore is a stud which makes me nervous as good tight ends in play action sometimes give us fits and we have been soft in the middle in pass defense.
4. Their safeties are still not very good.
5. Ricky Neal can ruin a gameplan and Greeneway and Johnson/Gruetz will have to play good games again. I hope that we are not too proud to use the backs and tight ends to chip him.
6. If he can play, Kolarevic looks like a baller. If he can't their depth isn't great.

Great blog post again. I share your hatred of UNI (but mine is because a gal who graduated from there stomped on my Jacks-lovin' heart).

One source indicated Kolarevic was using crutches and had a walking boot on his leg. Have you heard anything different?

[thumper_76]

Re: Northern Iowa

This is going to be a tough game. Especially with our O line injuries. Going to have to earn our lofty ranking this weekend. Start of a nasty two game stretch, can’t be flat.


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[Mr_Tibbs]

Re: Northern Iowa

This is going to be a tough game. Especially with our O line injuries. Going to have to earn our lofty ranking this weekend. Start of a nasty two game stretch, can’t be flat.


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This. I'll be surprised if we come out of the next two weeks 2-0. 1-1 seems likely, and it wouldn't shock me if we drop both. Both teams are good, both games are on the road, we're banged up, and we haven't won in Normal since 09 I believe. Always seem to play terrible there.

If we can go 2-0, if we can avoid the letdown in our last 3 games, we should be a lock for a top 4 seed, most likely top 3, with a chance at #2 and home field through the semis.

These next two games are our biggest test this season imo.

[Southeast]

Re: Northern Iowa

This. I'll be surprised if we come out of the next two weeks 2-0. 1-1 seems likely, and it wouldn't shock me if we drop both. Both teams are good, both games are on the road, we're banged up, and we haven't won in Normal since 09 I believe. Always seem to play terrible there.

If we can go 2-0, if we can avoid the letdown in our last 3 games, we should be a lock for a top 4 seed, most likely top 3, with a chance at #2 and home field through the semis.

These next two games are our biggest test this season imo.

I’m with you and definitely won’t flip out if we take a loss. This would be a tough stretch for a healthy team. Hopefully we find a way to piece it together at UNI and ISUR will suffer a little post-NDSU hangover.

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Northern Iowa

https://jackrabbitillustrated.blogsp...watch-uni.html

I still think we win but this is going to be a tough game. Like most of you, I won't flip out if we lose.

[Mr_Tibbs]

Re: Northern Iowa

I'm not sure which game will be tougher between this week and next, but it'll take great focus, effort, and execution to go 1-0 each week. I think your write up hit on the key for a win tomorrow: Get up early. Last year UNI just set the tone from the opening kickoff, and we couldn't find a groove. It's their homecoming, and it should be a good crowd. We need to establish our O right off the bat, get some TDs on the board, and play solid D. We really need to take their fans out of it early, and not let their team build confidence against us as the game wears on.

Also, I really dislike UNI (though I had a great experience there in 2016), and if we could "Pine Bluff" em, I'd be thrilled. Chances of that kind of score are very low, but I hope if given the opportunity, we step on the throat. I just hope we can be in that position tomorrow.

[OldHare]

Re: Northern Iowa

Go Jacks website indicates ESPN3 as the choice for TV. If it is not showing up on the ESPN+, ESPN3 may be a choice.