One word describes the Iowa football team after two games and I explain in this column
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – If I were to pick one word to describe the Iowa football team after two lopsided victories against overmatched opponents at home, it would be intriguing, which is defined as arousing one’s curiosity, and as fascinating.
To call Iowa fascinating is getting carrried away, but my curiosity has been aroused.
although, it’ll take more than being intriguing to win in Ames this coming Saturday.
But this Iowa team has piqued my curiosity because it has at least five receivers who appear capable of making an impact, at least four running backs who appear capable of making an impact, arguably the best defensive end in college football, the best pair of offensive tackles in the Big Ten when healthy and a three-year starting quarterback who is poised to break Chuck Long’s record for career touchdown passes at Iowa.
Iowa also has a punter who is capable of shifting field position in 26-year old graduate transfer Michael Sleep-Dalton, who averaged 48.3 yards on six punts in Saturday’s 30-0 victory over Rutgers in the Big Ten opener at Kinnick Stadium.
But it was just one game, so Sleep-Dalton also falls under the intriguing category.
I picked Iowa State to defeat Iowa in late July, mostly due to home-field advantage, the law of averages, with Iowa having won the last four games, and because Iowa State has a formidable defense that is capable of stopping the run.
I’m sticking to that pick, but not without hedging due to the intrigue factor.