While Iowa’s College Football Playoff dreams were dashed a week ago with their 18-16 loss to the Oregon Ducks, the season is certainly not over and the Hawkeyes will surely be motivated the rest of the way.
That rest of season journey begins today on the road in Los Angeles as Iowa travels tot he Coliseum to take on the USC Trojans. The Hawkeyes will now be looking to play the role of spoiler with an opportunity to derail USC’s plans of their own CFP berth.
The Trojans come into the day at 7-2 overall and riding a two-game winning streak after their loss at Notre Dame a month ago. USC boasts the nation’s #7 scoring offense, averaging 39.6 yards per game and the top passing offense in the Big Ten (9th in the nation) at 303 yards per game.
As impressive as the offense has been for USC, the Trojan defense has been very middling this season. That holds especially true against the run, where the Trojans enter the day 60th nationally in rush defense, giving up 141.6 yards per game on the ground. If you’re an Iowa fan, that’s your key today.
As with a week ago, there’s plenty of rain in the forecast despite this game being played in sunny southern California. There’s a risk of flash flooding after the LA area got more than an inch of rain on Friday and is expected to get roughly two inches again today.
The Hawkeyes will no doubt be looking to drag this game back down into the mud once again. Expect Tim Lester to lean on Mark Gronowski’s legs an this offensive line. If Iowa can establish the run early, they can slow down this Trojan offense by simply limiting their touches.
On the other side of the ball, USC has their typical arsenal of offensive weapons. QB Jayden Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game at just over 290. He’s completing just over 66% of his passes with 17 TDs and 6 interceptions on the year.
Phil Parker and this Iowa defense will be looking to generate pressure up front and force Maiava into mistakes. The Trojans have looked potent against zone, provided Maiava has time to dissect without confusion.
While Parker will certainly be focused on attacking the passing game, USC also boasts one of the conference’s top running backs. King Miller is averaging 7.9 yards per carry. With a full workload, he could be near the top of the nation in rushing. Instead, he’s splitting work with Waymond Jordan, who himself is rushing for 6.5 yards per tote. Combined, the duo has rushed for 1,212 yards and 10 TDs on the season.
The Iowa defense will certainly have their work cut out for them today as they look to limit production for this potent Trojan attack. If anyone is up to the task, Hawkeye fans will have faith in Phil Parker.
As we countdown to kickoff, here’s everything you need to know about today’s matchup.
Date: Saturday, November 15
Time: 2:40 pm CT
Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3, 4-2) at USC Trojans (7-2, 5-1)
Location: LA Memorial Coliseum – Los Angeles, CA
TV: BTN
Updated Weather Forecast: temps in the low-60s with high probability of significant rain
Updated FanDuel Line: USC -7.5, O/U 49.5
