5 Things To Watch: Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The stretch run begins this week for the Oregon football team.

Following their second bye week of this season, the No. 9 Ducks return to action Saturday when they play at No. 20 Iowa. The game at Kinnick Stadium will kick off at 12:30 p.m. PT.

The Ducks bring a 7-1 record overall and a 4-1 mark in Big Ten play into the game, and have won two straight since their loss to Indiana. The Hawkeyes are 6-2 overall and 4-1 in conference, and took a three-game win streak into their own bye week last weekend.

Both teams have a win at Rutgers and a loss at home to the Hoosiers on their résumés. Oregon won at Penn State and at home over Wisconsin, while Iowa nipped the Nittany Lions at home and beat the Badgers on the road.

The teams have met three times previously. The Ducks lost in Iowa City in 1949, won there in 1989 and then beat the Hawkeyes in Autzen Stadium in 1994.

Saturday's game will be telecast by CBS, with Brad Nessler providing play by play, analysis from Gary Danielson and sideline reporting by Jenny Dell.

Some storylines to watch when the game kicks off …

1. The Ducks got a scare two weeks ago when, in a tight game against Wisconsin, quarterback Dante Moore took a shot to the face early in the second half and sat the rest of the way.

But backup Brock Thomas took over against the Badgers and finished off two touchdown drives to clinch the win that day. And Moore recovered well, putting him on track to return this week in Iowa.

"He's doing great," UO coach Dan Lanning said earlier this week. "He's been at every practice."

2. October was a bit of a roller-coaster for Oregon. The Ducks opened the month with a loss to Indiana, rebounded with an emphatic win at Rutgers, then showed some resolve against Wisconsin by winning in miserable weather and after losing Moore.

The bye week gave the Ducks a chance to take a breath. They face a tough stretch in November, and they'll look to more consistently play at a high level coming out of the bye.

"I really like the work our guys got in," Lanning said. "This past week I think we found some things we could grow from. I talked a little bit about it (the previous) week — our ability to jump into some self-scout and attack some things we felt we could improve. And then really identify what's going to show up with these upcoming opponents."

3. It'll be strength against strength when Oregon tries to run the ball Saturday. The Ducks are No. 9 nationally with 237.0 rushing yards per game, while Iowa has the No. 8 run defense, allowing 83.4 yards per game.

Given that the forecast suggests the Ducks could be in for another game in cold, wet conditions, they may need to lean on that run game as they did in the second half against the Badgers. Doing so against Iowa could prove an even bigger challenge.

"Their defense, they choke you out," Lanning said. "They do a great job of taking away easy access. Their defensive line really stands out to me on film with the technique they play with, and just in general the way they fly to the ball."

4. Only one player in the FBS has returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown this season, and that dangerous return man suits up for the Hawkeyes.
Kaden Wetjen had a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown against UMass, a 100-yard kickoff return TD against Rutgers and a 50-yard punt return for a score against Minnesota.

He has all the traits of a home-run threat in the return game.

"I think it starts that he's fearless — especially in the punt return game, he catches everything," Lanning said. "He's not looking to fair catch. But his stop-go is really impressive. He's a really strong runner. Obviously he's been dynamic for them in the passing game as well. They find ways to get him touches early."

5. Saturday brings a chance for the Ducks to participate in one of the most heartwarming traditions in college football.

At the end of the first quarter, fans in Kinnick Stadium turn toward the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital that overlooks the field, sending an "Iowa Wave" to pediatric patients and their families watching the game. Lanning, whose wife is a cancer survivor, knows well what such a moment means to those families.

"It's gotta be one of the greatest traditions in college football," he said. "To realize that just a few yards away from you there's some guys fighting a battle that matters a lot more than the game, but for a Saturday every week that they get to maybe be somewhere else other than that hospital, is a pretty cool moment."

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Players Mentioned

Dante Moore

Brock Thomas

University of Oregon Athletics