Copyright Athlon Sports
The No. 9 Oregon Ducks (7-1) have one of the nation’s toughest schedules to finish the season. The Ducks will face three ranked teams in their final four games, including this weekend against the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2). The Hawkeyes head into the game with a strong defense, but they have recently seen an impressive uptick in their offense, which is catching people’s attention. Iowa has scored 25 or more points in three consecutive games. The team is led by quarterback Mark Gronowski, who has thrown for 946 yards, along with four touchdowns and four interceptions. In addition, he has contributed 313 rushing yards and scored 11 rushing touchdowns. Despite the Hawkeyes’ offensive resurgence, ESPN’s Rece Davis revealed on the “College GameDay Podcast” that he is siding with the Ducks. “Maybe I’m just going to need to see it,” Davis said. “I agree with you on all accounts. The inexperience, the difficulty of the environment, the improvement of the Iowa offense and the level of play that we’ve consistently seen from the Iowa defense. All of this will keep it a low-scoring game. It’ll be a very similar game to the game Iowa had against Indiana. It will have a similar result. … I will take Oregon to win a close game on the road.” The game mentioned by Davis was when Iowa faced the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (9-0) at home a few weeks ago, losing 20-15. Iowa entered the fourth quarter with a 13-10 lead, but the Hoosiers managed to score a game-winning touchdown with just one minute, 28 seconds remaining. Iowa’s defense effectively contained Indiana’s high-powered offense, limiting it to only 337 yards. Additionally, Iowa dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 32:42. Davis anticipates this game will be similar to that one. If Iowa can flip the script this time, it would not only keep its playoff hopes alive but also deliver one of the biggest statement wins of the season. For Oregon, a road victory would reinforce its playoff case and prove it can handle championship-level pressure away from home.
