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Colorado State vs #5 Iowa: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction
CSU heads into a buy game feeling happy after last week’s win
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Can the Rams deliver a shocking upset?
WEEK 2: Colorado State Rams (1-2) vs #5 Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0)
WHEN: Saturday, September 25th — 1:30 PM MT/12:30 PM PT
WHERE: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
TV: Fox Sports 1
STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes FS1, by following this link.
RADIO: The Colorado State broadcast can be found in and around the Fort Collins area on 102.9 FM. The Iowa broadcast can be found in and around the Iowa City area on 800 AM.
SERIES RECORD: This will be the first matchup between these two schools.
LAST WEEK: Colorado State won on the road at Toledo 22-6, while Iowa won at home against Kent State 30-7.
WEBSITES: CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website | HawkeyeSports.com, the official Iowa athletics website
GAME NOTES (PDF): Colorado State | Iowa
ODDS (as of 9/23, via Vegas Insider): Iowa -23
SP+ PROJECTION: Iowa by 25
FEI PROJECTION: Iowa by 22.6
The Colorado State Rams got the monkey off their back for a week with last week’s win over Toldeo. The defense and special teams showed up, but the offense seemed to stay in Fort Collins with the exception of Toby McBride, who recorded another 100 yard receiving game.
This week the Rams head to Iowa to face the #5 Hawkeyes. The Rams are 23 point underdogs and are most likely going to head home 1-3 in nonconference play. But it’s football and crazier things have happened.
Here’s how the Rams can shock the college football world and the Hawkeyes.
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Three Keys to a Rams Victory
1. Bring a Balanced Offesne
Colorado State has actually had a decent running game this year, averaging 180 yards on the ground per game. The passing game on the other hand has struggled. Dante Wright got injured against Vanderbilt and the passing game disappeared outside of Trey McBride.
In order to break down the strong Iowa defense, the Rams are going to need the passing game to step up. Another receiver needs to step up as the next option. The receivers might be ready and they just haven’t gotten a chance to show it. If this is the case, Todd Centeio needs to be a confident quarterback who trusts that they will get the job done.
https://twitter.com/CSUFootball/status/1440118581551902721
2. Stay Patient on Defense
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz likes to play a similar style of offense as Colorado State head coach Steve Addazio. They both like physical line play and a running game that can control the clock. The Rams will have to be patient and make the plays when they appear. They cannot take plays off against a top five team.
Iowa is averaging 30 points per game, but is averaging under 300 yards per game while doing so. This is thanks to their strong defense. Colorado State’s defense must do their job and hold the line when the Hawkeyes have the ball.
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3. Flip the Field
Ryan Stonehouse continues to be the man that the Rams can depend on to give opposing teams a long field to score. He will be key once again for the Rams. The Hawkeye defense is going to be present, so Stonehouse is going to have to make sure that the Rams defense is not consistently facing a short field.
https://twitter.com/TomFornelli/status/1440385620610670593
Stonehouse is the NCAA career leader in yards per punt with 47.2 yards per punt. He had a long punt of 81 yards against Vanderbilt and could be required to put another long one in against the Hawkeyes. Short fields are killer for defenses and Stonehouse will be necessary to prevent that.
Prediction
There’s a chance Colorado State can pull the upset against Iowa, but more than likely they go home 1-3 in the nonconference part of their schedule. It’s strength on strength with both schools using punishing defenses and clock chewing running games. In the end the #5 team in the nation will run off the field victorious.
Iowa 31, Colorado State 17
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