After three losses in a row, two of which featured double-digit second half collapses, Northwestern football travels to Iowa this weekend hoping to break the skid. Recent history is on their side, as Northwestern has won three straight against the Hawkeyes. But while history may play some role in this contest, the outcomes of these matchups will likely determine the outcome of the game.
Shaun Prater (Iowa CB) vs. Jeremy Ebert (NU WR): It is no secret that Jeremy Ebert was Dan Persa’s favorite target last season, and Persa made it clear upon his return from injury that little has changed. Of his ten completions against Illinois two weeks ago, Persa hit Ebert with five of them, three of which went for touchdowns. Last week against Michigan, he completed 11 more passes to Ebert, who has now accounted for five of the ‘Cats seven receiving touchdowns this season and shares the team lead in total touchdowns.
Ebert faces quite a challenge this week however, with two cornerbacks eyeing pro football futures starting in the Iowa secondary. NFLDraftScout.com currently ranks Shaun Prater sixth among senior cornerbacks in the nation, projected as a second to third round pick in next April’s NFL Draft. Meanwhile, junior cornerback Micah Hyde is also very good, intercepting three passes already so far this season. Regardless of where he lines up, Ebert will have to beat excellent coverage to keep the ball coming his way and keep the offense moving.
Riley Reiff (Iowa OL) vs. Vince Browne and Jack DiNardo (NU DL): Despite losing former quarterback Ricky Stanzi to the NFL in April, the Hawkeyes have not been shy about throwing the football so far this season. First year starting quarterback James Vandenburg has averaged 32 pass attempts per game this season and 38 per game in his last three, putting him near the top of the Big Ten Conference in both passing yards and touchdowns. While Northwestern will be looking to disrupt Vandenburg with its pass rush, it won’t be an easy task.
Protecting Vandenburg’s blind side is left tackle Riley Reiff, who is widely considered one of the top three tackles in college football and a potential top ten pick in the 2012 Draft. Reiff held high-profile Pittsburgh defensive end Brandon Lindsey without a sack during a game in mid-September, Lindsey’s only game this season in which he failed to record a sack. Reiff will primarily line up against defensive end Vince Browne, who also has professional aspirations, currently projected as a late round pick next April. If Browne’s pass rush and occasional stunts from defensive tackle Jack DiNardo can beat Reiff on occasion, the Wildcats will have an opportunity to force a few critical turnovers.
Marvin McNutt (Iowa WR) vs. Jordan Mabin (CB): If the ‘Cats struggle to pressure Vandenburg in the pocket, cornerback Jordan Mabin’s ability or inability to shut down wide receiver Marvin McNutt will be critical. Like Browne and Reiff, McNutt is expected to be drafted by an NFL team next April (currently projected in the third or fourth round), while Mabin is a fringe NFL prospect (ranked 51st among senior cornerbacks by NFLDraftScout) with an opportunity to raise his stock. Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins toasted Mabin and the rest of the Northwestern secondary two weeks ago, finishing with a whopping 268 yards and three touchdowns.
McNutt is not as talented a receiver as Jenkins, but he’s no slouch either. The converted quarterback, who is averaging almost 17 yards per catch, needs just one more score to tie the Iowa record for career touchdown receptions. Since Iowa will likely look to throw the ball, Mabin will need to play well to minimize the Hawkeye’s top receiving weapon.
Dan Persa (NU QB) vs. bad memories: While the Hawkeyes are hoping to reverse the recent trend of losses to the Wildcats, Dan Persa has some demons of his own to exorcise on Saturday. Persa ruptured his Achilles tendon last season against No. 13 Iowa while celebrating immediately following his game-winning touchdown pass. The quarterback has yet to win a game so far this season, as he missed the first three (including two Wildcat victories) due to his recovery process. A quality performance against the Hawkeyes could not only justify Persa’s preseason status as a sleeper Heisman candidate – a status that has long since evaporated – but also help solidify his draft stock, which has been quite ambiguous since his injury. And of course it would go a long way towards another Northwestern victory over Iowa.