2009 Nebraska Huskers Vs. 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes: Who Wins?
Vote below on who would win a Huskers VS Hawkeye Football Game
By Will Cummings
myHitNews.com
The 2009 football season saw the Nebraska Cornhuskers one second away from winning the Big 12 Championship as they produced a 10-3 record, which includes the brutal 33-0 spanking they put on Arizona to win the 2009 Holiday Bowl. The Huskers’ counterparts to the East, Iowa Hawkeyes, were an overtime loss away from claiming the Big 10 crown and compiled an even more impressive record (11-2) that concluded with a workman-like 24-14 victory over favored Georgia Tech in the BCS Orange Bowl.
Undoubtedly, the season ending polls will have Iowa ranked squarely within the top ten, However, if Texas wins this season’s BCS title game–a very strong case can be made that Nebraska deserves top ten billing in the post season polls—even at a spot higher than the Hawkeyes.
Hold on now. I’m not advocating that Nebraska should be ranked over Iowa. I’m just saying that a very good case can be made for just that with a Texas victory this Thursday night. However, in my opinion, regardless the outcome of the BCS championship game–Iowa should be ranked higher than the Huskers because they are the better team.
Hypothetically, it’s this writer’s opinion that if the 2009 Nebraska and Iowa teams were to play two weeks from now on a neutral field–the Hawkeyes would beat the Huskers in a close one. And here is why:
2009 Nebraska Cornhuskers | |
| Defense–Great defense Is what enabled both the Huskers and the Hawkeyes to excell in 2009. The core strengths of each team’s defense resides in different areas. | |
| Interior D-Line | Edge—Nebraska. Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick lead the charge here. |
| Ends | Edge–Iowa. Adrian Clayborn takes no prisoners. |
| DBs | Very slight Edge—Nebraska. The Huskers simply appear to have more depth here. |
| LBs | Edge– Iowa. The Hawks LBs just seem to demonstrate better overall play at the position. |
| Overall Defense Comparison–Even | |
| Special Teams | Edge—Nebraska. Niles Paul has proven that he can take one home on a punt or kick, and punter and field goal kicker Alex Henery is deadly with his foot. |
| Offense–Both teams have solid offensive units that are oftentimes inconsistent but are smooth as butter when they are clicking. | |
| O-Line | Edge–Even–both are good. |
| RBs | Slight Edge– Nebraska The duo of Roy Helu Jr. and Rex Burkhead are a touch better than freshmen Brandon Wegher and Adam Robinson. |
| Receivers | Edge–Iowa. The Hawkeyes have more proven playmakers in their receiving corp. |
| QBs | Edge–Iowa. Ricky Stanzi, though Iowa fans often find themselves holding their collective breath when he launches the ball, can make all the throws. The Hawks only losses this season came when he was out with an injury. He is a great leader and the difference maker in this hypothetical match-up. Right now he is a better QB than Zac Lee. |
| Overall Offensive Edge–Iowa | |
Game synopsis: Iowa neutralizes Paul on special teams Suh and Crick perform well on D but so does and Clayborne and the rest of the crew. Henery’s foot manages to keep the Huskers hanging around and forcing the Hawks into poor field position. But The Hawkeye offense with Stanzi and his superior receiving corp perform admirably in crunch time to win a close one–again.
The 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes are the best team in the neighborhood—this year!
That’s my take what’s yours?
[poll id=”16″]
We all know that a good seasoned QB is the main ingredient to formulate a championship caliber football team: Nebraska and Iowa return experienced big-game-tested seniors Zac Lee and Ricky Stanzi to the most important position in football.This is why next year may be the best opportunity for both teams to make it to the BSC title game.
Nebraska and Iowa will be ranked high in the 2010 preseason polls: But which team is better positioned to go all the way in 2010-2011?
January 6, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
Wow…Nebraska and Iowa match-up would be great. As a die hard Hawk fan who played college football in Nebraska I would love this match-up! I remember hearing the names Tommy Frazier and Dan Alexander and it drove me nuts how Nebraska fans acted!!! However in comparing these two teams is silly! Iowa is just a better team and Nebraska might win once or twice out of ten attempts. Anyway it is pretty easy to have a nice record these days playing in the big twelve North. Stop living in the past Nebraska, you are still a very, very average team.
January 6, 2010 @ 9:24 pm
What about the match-up between Neb And Iowa
St.
January 6, 2010 @ 11:05 pm
Wow-you only post this link on an Iowa website, and see what response you get in the poll. What a shocker-Iowa fans think they would win! Of course, you won’t post this on any Nebraska website because you know you will get blasted for it and you might actually get a different response for your poll.
January 7, 2010 @ 9:56 am
huskerken:
I chose to post the link to the poll on the Iowa site because based on the subject matter and the opinions expressed it was the more appropriate place to share it. Being worried about being “blasted” by Husker fans if I placed the link on their message board had–zero–to do with my actions.
In fact if you have followed this site at all you should be well aware that I have posted several links to the Huskers Message Board on articles that were controversial and/or critical of the Huskers. Case in point: Back in July, 2008 I posted a link to the Huskers site on an article I wrote titled “Definition of a Husker Fan: Fickle”
The article was in response to a lot of the negative things being posted on that site and verbalized on local sports radio shows about Bo Pelini’s staff inability to recruit top talent and the Husker fans’ overall anxieties about the progress of the football program—at that time. In addition to critiquing the Husker fans’ seemingly woeful mood, I mentioned that if the Huskers are to return to prominence it was important that Pelini be successful within the next three years. I ended the article by saying this:
“Many beaten down and jaded and fickle Husker fans do not believe it’s possible that the Huskers can turn around the program within three years. I do!
Bob Stoops, Urban Myer, Pete Carol, and Les Miles all have that immeasurable special quality that makes them the type of winners that turn around programs in quick order. In my opinion, Bo Pelini is just one of the gang. My message to Nebraska fans: Expect the unexpected—the glory will return sooner than many of you believe.”
That was written in 2008 before Pelini’s first season at Nebraksa.
As I objectively grade Pelini’s progress after just two seasons as a head football coach at Nebraska–he gets an A: In just two short years Bo Pelini and his staff have put the Huskers in position to run for a national title! However–subjectively–I give Pelini an A- only because I believe that he should offer more in-state scholarships, which is an article subject matter that I have also posted to the Huskers Message Board.
I have no dog in the fight between Nebraska and Iowa. The opinions I expressed on who would win a contest between the two 2009 football teams is completely objective. In other words: If someone held a gun to my head and said, “You have to pick a winner between Nebraska and Iowa: if you’re right–you live. But if you’re wrong–you die.” I”m picking Iowa!
My express sports biases are nurtured in the fact that I was born and raised in Ohio, played college ball at Kansas State and Ohio State, and have lived in the Heartland for most of my adult life. I don’t buy into the hype about the SEC or Texas, Florida and California being the be-all and end-all of high school and college football!
I hope that Nebraska, Iowa and Iowa State continue their rise to the top! Hopefully, their future successes will confirm my beliefs.
Finally, if you are disturbed by the vote total, and think more Husker fans would support a different outcome; you can always post the link to this poll on their message board yourself.
January 7, 2010 @ 9:19 am
Good grief, what a ridiculous synopsis. Iowa’s defense is nowhere near the defense Nebraska has. I’ve read enough “stupid” in this article to last me a lifetime. Let’s allow facts to be our guide here, shall we? Now..after reading these stats, please change your comparison between the two teams to reflect the truth. Nebraska has a much better defense than Iowa…period.
In terms of offense, Iowa gained 14 more yards/game than Nebraska, and ranked #89 in the country (vs 99th in the country for Nebraska). Conversely, Nebraska ranked 75th in scoring offense, vs 86th for Iowa. Nebraska averaged just a couple more points/game than Iowa.
Scoring defense:
Nebraska-#1
Iowa-#9
Total defense:
Nebraska-#7
Iowa-#10
Run defense:
Nebraska-#9
Iowa-#30
Pass defense:
Iowa-#9
Nebraska-#19
Pass efficiency defense:
Nebraska-#1
Iowa-#4
TFL:
Nebraska-#28
Iowa-#57
Sacks:
Nebraska-#2
Iowa-#34
3rd down conversions:
Nebraska-#15
Iowa-#32
Red zone defense:
Nebraska-#1
Iowa-#65
January 7, 2010 @ 2:37 pm
The only thing we have to go by is common opponents. Iowa beat ISU and AZ. Nebby went 1 and 1. Iowa plays in a tougher top to bottom conference. 2 BCS wins and also wins by Penn st and Wi and close loses in the other 3. I really don’t think there is much of an argument here. But I guess when you don’t get to play in a BCS bowl you can sit back and whine……