The Daily Iowan Pregame - 12.16.2019

LEADERS IHMIR SMITH-MARSETTE AND BRANDON SMITH HAVE GROWN ON AND OFF THE FIELD TO HELP LEAD THE HAWKEYES’ WIDE RECEIVER ROOM.

The Daily Iowan

PREGAME FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 IOWA VS. USC SDCCU STADIUM

2 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

REMEMBER WHEN ...

Iowa Starters WR TE LT LG C RG RT WR QB RB FB PK

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Tyrone Tracy, Jr. Nate Wieting Alaric Jackson Landan Paulsen Tyler Linderbaum Kyler Schott Tristan Wirfs Ihmir Smith-Marsette Nate Stanley Tyler Goodson Brady Ross Keith Duncan

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Chauncey Golston Cedrick Lattimore Brady Reiff A.J. Epenesa Nick Niemann Kristian Welch Djimon Colbert Matt Hankins Geno Stone Jack Koerner Michael Ojemudia Michael Sleep-Dalton

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USC Starters

Ben Allan Smith/The Daily Iowan

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley (4) throws a pass to wide receiver Nick Easley (84) during the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York on Dec. 27, 2017. The Hawkeyes went on to win, 27-20.

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley will attempt to win his third-consecutive bowl game as a starter when Iowa takes on USC in the Holiday Bowl Dec. 27. He wouldn’t be that close to the milestone if he didn’t beat Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl, 27-20, in his first season as a starter in 2017. Miguel Recinos put Iowa on the board first with a 24-yard field goal before Boston College’s A.J. Dillon pushed his squad ahead with a 4-yard touchdown run. Iowa took the momentum back in the second before the Eagles scored with a 39-yard touchdown pass by Darius Wade and a 30-yard field goal to take a 17-10 lead into the break, making it seem as if Iowa would lose its sixth bowl game in a row. But Akrum Wadley broke through with a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Recinos added a field goal early in the fourth. After another Boston College field goal to tie the game at 20, Drake Kulick ended it with a 1-yard score with 3:09 remaining.

Boston College outgained Iowa 383-200, but the Hawkeyes still found a way to leave Yankee Stadium with a victory thanks to their defense and special teams. Iowa forced three turnovers, including interceptions by Jake Gervase and Josh Jackson. Wadley also added a 72-yard kick return to go along with 88 yards and a score on the ground. Stanley only threw for 99 yards on 8-of-15 passing, but he didn’t turn the ball over and tossed a touchdown.

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Pregame Editors: Pete Ruden, Asst. Anna Kayser Sports Editors: Anna Kayser, Asst. Robert Read Photo Editors: Shivansh Ahuja, Katie Goodale TV Directors: Jon Rawson Asst. Sports Kade Overton Copy Chief: Beau Elliot

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Tyler Vaughns Amon-Ra St. Brown Michael Pittman Jr. Austin Jackson Alijah Vera-Tucker Brett Neilon Jalen McKenzie Drew Richmond Erik Krommenhoek Kedon Slovis Stephen Carr Chase McGrath

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JR. SO. SR. JR. SO. SO. SO. SR. JR. FR. JR. SO.

DE DT NT DE SAM MIKE WILL NB CB SS FS CB PT

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Christian Rector Jay Tufele Marlon Tuipulotu Drake Jackson Abdul-Malik McClain John Houston Jr. Palaie Gaoteote IV Greg Johnson Olaijah Griffin Talanoa Hufanga Isaiah Pola-Mao Isaac Taylor-Stuart Ben Griffiths

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SR. SO. SO. FR. #FR. SR. SO. SO. SO. SO. SO. #FR. #FR.

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The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019 - 3

Shivansh Ahuja/The Daily Iowan

Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette catches the ball during a football game between Iowa and Rutgers at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 7. The Hawkeyes defeated the Scarlet Knights, 30-0.

Leaders of the room Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith arrived in Iowa City as raw freshmen, but since then they’ve set an example that has been followed closely by Tyrone Tracy and Nico Ragaini.

BY PETE RUDEN peter-ruden@uiowa.edu

In 2017, Ihmir Smith-Marsette was a 159-pound undersized freshman receiver embarking on his journey of college football. He fumbled in his first game.

That same year, Brandon Smith was a 6-foot-3, 219-pound freshman wide receiver who oozed athletic potential. He finished the season with three catches for 12 yards.

But they’ve gotten older. They’ve improved

on the field. They’ve grown off the field.

Fast forward to any picturesque Saturday in Kinnick Stadium, and it’s almost a guarantee that one of them will be making a big play.

Smith and Smith-Marsette closed the regular season as Iowa’s top two receivers with a combined 1,083 yards and eight touchdowns, and behind all the numbers they’ve put up, they’ve served as leaders for the next wideouts in line: Tyrone Tracy and Nico Ragaini.

“We kind of threw them in the water before they really could swim two years ago,” Iowa

head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “We had to. It was just the situation we were in. And they dealt with that fine. They worked through it and all that, but it’s fun to see them now really learning how to play.

“They’re having more fun than they’ve ever had, and both of them have tremendous attitudes. They’re good practice players. They have a smile on their face. They enjoy being out there. They’re good with their teammates. And as a coach, you value that as much as you do their production, although I’m not minimizing

their production; it’s been pretty good, too.”

There’s been a long line of leadership in the wide receivers’ room inside the Stew and LeNore Hansen Football Performance Center next to Kinnick.

Matt VandeBerg served as C.J. Beathard’s go-to option in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, Nick Easley learned from him. That’s the same year Smith and Smith-Marsette entered the program. In 2018, Easley, Smith, Smith-Marsette, SEE RECEIVERS, 4

4 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

Ryan Adams/The Daily Iowan

Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette stiff arms Minnesota defensive back Chris Williamson during a football game between Iowa and Minnesota at Kinnick Stadium on Nov. 16.

RECEIVERS CONTINUED FROM 3 Tracy, and Ragaini were all in the program at the same time, with Tracy and Ragaini redshirting.

One year later, when Smith went down with an ankle injury late in the fourth quarter against Purdue on Oct. 19, the Hawkeyes needed Smith-Marsette and the rest of the group to step up.

That’s when it happened — the revelation that Iowa’s receiving corps was one of the strongest position groups of the team, something that hadn’t been true since the Marvin McNutt-Derrell Johnson-Koulianos days in 2010.

It’s been Smith and Smith-Marsette leading the way in the air attack, with Tracy and Ragaini keeping pace behind them.

“Looking back on the years, we were young guys — we ain’t know nothing from nothing,” Smith-Marsette said. “Just being able to grow and learn the system, take advantage of everything. It’s been great. Being able to go out there and experience college football, Big Ten football, it’s helped us elevate our game.”

While the two older wideouts have paced the unit, the younger members of the group

have followed closely.

After scoring his first-career touchdown against Rutgers in Iowa’s second game of the season, Tracy took the reins as a playmaker while filling in at Smith’s ‘X’ position.

Surrounded by four Wildcats in Iowa’s 20-0 win over Northwestern, Tracy slipped out of a tackle and utilized his elusiveness to take a Nate Stanley pass 50 yards for a touchdown.

He finished the game with 88 yards and a touchdown before going for 130 yards and another score the next week against Wisconsin.

It was a welcomed change in production for Tracy, who had been the third option in the passing game to that point. Smith and Smith-Marsette set the stage all season. Then, Tracy took advantage when given the opportunity.

Tracy now ranks second on the team with 589 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

A few weeks later, when Iowa took on Nebraska, Smith-Marsette took a reverse 45 yards for a touchdown on the Hawkeyes’ second drive and returned a kick 95 yards for another score one quarter later. Full circle.

Whether it’s Smith-Marsette or Tracy making the play — the teacher or the student — Iowa has benefited as a whole from the knowledge that has been passed down for years.

“They are great leaders in the room,” Tracy

Megan Nagorzanski/The Daily Iowan

Iowa wide receiver Brandon Smith completes a catch during a football game between Iowa and Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 28. The Hawkeyes defeated the Blue Raiders, 48-3. said. “They push us through everything. All the adversity, they push us through it. When we need a big play, we go to Ihmir or B. Smith, and usually, most of the time, they come through for us.”

The same has been true for Ragaini, who served as a security blanket for Stanley, resembling the role Easley played for the Hawkeyes in 2017 and 2018.

Following Easley’s lead, Ragaini paces Iowa with 44 receptions.

“Nico was a guy who came into the program, and right from the start, he worked really hard,” Easley said. “He was always constantly asking me questions and trying to soak up and learn as much from me as he could. I really appreciated that about him.”

Despite his injury, Smith has still found a way to play an instrumental role in the development of the other receivers.

He’s still at every meeting and dresses for games. He’s still going through warmups at full speed as recently as the Nebraska game.

He’s still making the impact that has been associated with his name all season. It just comes in a different way.

Smith’s injury shuffled things around position-wise, but that hasn’t stopped the group from making the plays it did early in the season.

“With B. Smith out, Ihmir’s had to play another position that he usually doesn’t play, and he’s done a great job,” Ragaini said. “Some throws he usually gets at ‘Z’ he’s watched other people get, and he’s continued to be such a leader like we expect him to be. Just great leadership from Ihmir and B. Smith as well.”

When the 2019 season arrived, questions plagued Iowa’s playmakers. With Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson — the Hawkeyes’ two leading receivers last season — off to the NFL, fans and experts alike weren’t sure what to expect with a young core.

Those questions were answered quickly.

There hasn’t been a group of four wide receivers that have recorded at least 350 yards each under Ferentz until this season.

What Smith, Smith-Marsette, Tracy, and Ragaini have done in 2019 is special. It should be remembered for years to come.

When so many questions surrounded the unit, it stepped up by utilizing strong leadership to produce stellar performances.

“I’m just proud of this group,” Easley said.

“To see how far the wide receiver position at Iowa has come in the last three or four years, since I’ve been there. It went from a room that was pretty bare — there wasn’t a lot of options in that room, to one of the strongest position groups on the team.”

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019 - 5

BIG TEN BOWL GAMES New Era Pinstripe Bowl Michigan State vs. Wake Forest Dec. 27, 2:20 p.m. | ESPN This is the game Iowa fans watch when they’re sick of talking to family members and are waiting for the real action to start.

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl No. 19 Iowa vs. No. 22 USC Dec. 27, 7 p.m. | FS1 Iowa fans might complain about going to Florida all the time, but I don’t think they understand that it gets chilly in San Diego when the sun goes down. Pro tip: Even if you don’t think you need a jacket, pack a jacket.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic No 13 Penn State vs. No. 15 Memphis Dec. 28, 11 a.m. | ESPN Penn State can take comfort in the fact that everyone watching this game is just waiting for Ohio State-Clemson. Always the little brother of the Big Ten East.

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl (CFP Semifinal) No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson Dec. 28, 7 p.m. | ESPN The one time Ohio State can’t complain about being left out of the CFP, and they still find a reason. You didn’t show up for the entire first half against Wisconsin; that’s not the look of a topranked team. Get over it.

Redbox Bowl Illinois vs. California Dec. 30, 3 p.m. | FOX I couldn’t give a hoot about the other unranked Big Ten bowl game matchups, but this one is going to be interesting. Will Illinois’ fans travel? Will this be a disaster shown on national television, or a story of hope for teams that were very bad last year?

Anna Kayser

Nothing quite like kicking back and watching football on Jan. 1.

anna-kayser@uiowa.edu

VRBO Citrus Bowl No. 17 Michigan vs. No. 9 Alabama Jan. 1, noon | ABC I had to do a double take when I saw No. 9 and Alabama in the same line, much less the fact that it’s going up against Jim Harbaugh and his crew of khakis. Both the game and the fact that Alabama is no longer in the Playoff makes this one very fun.

Outback Bowl No. 16 Minnesota vs. No. 9 Auburn Jan. 1, noon | ESPN Things Iowa fans always complain about that Minnesota would NEVER complain about: having a 9-3 (or better) regular season and going to the Outback Bowl.

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual No. 11 Wisconsin vs. No. 7 Oregon Jan. 1, 4:10 p.m. | ESPN I heard a Penn State fan complaining over the week about how it should have gotten into the Rose Bowl. The loss to Illinois aside, Penn State lost to Minnesota and Wisconsin beat Minnesota. It’s the transitive property of reasonable bowl picks at its finest.

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Tennessee vs. Indiana Jan. 2, 6 p.m. | ESPN There’s got to be a better game on than this at 6 p.m. on Jan. 2. I really feel like it’s impossible for there to be a worse game, so it only goes up from here, right?

6 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

IOWA HAWKEYES

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2019 | SDCCU ST

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Nolan Donald Wes Dvorak Peyton Mansell Ryan Gersonde Tyrone Tracy Jr. Keith Duncan Nate Stanley Dane Belton Oliver Martin Jestin Jacobs Ihmir Smith-Marsette Spencer Petras Colten Rastetter Alex Padilla Matt Hankins Jack Combs Geno Stone Mekhi Sargent Caleb Shudak Connor Kapisak Michael Ojemudia Brandon Smith D.J. Johnson Henry Marchese Joe Evans Daraun McKinney Tyler Goodson Dallas Craddieth Charlie Jones Terry Roberts Ryan Schmidt Devonte Young Drew Cook John Milani Max Cooper Mike Timm Keontae Luckett Julius Brents Ivory Kelly-Martin Thomas Hartlieb Samson Evans Michael Sleep-Dalton Shadrick Byrd Kaevon Merriweather Jermari Harris Toren Young Jack Koerner Jackson Ritter Sebastian Castro Quinn Schulte Jack Campbell Djimon Colbert Riley Moss Kristian Welch Barrington Wade Brady Ross Mitch Riggs Kyler Fisher Monte Pottebaum Nate Wieting Turner Pallissard Johnny Plewa Colton Dinsdale Shaun Beyer

RB DB QB P WR K QB DB WR LB WR QB P QB DB WR DB RB K QB DB WR DB WR LB DB RB DB WR DB QB DB TE DB WR LB RB DB RB DB RB P RB DB DB RB DB WR DB WR LB LB DB LB LB FB LB DB LB TE FB FB DB TE

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Morton, IL Parkston, SD Belton, TX Milwaukee, WI Indianapolis, IN Weddington, NC Menomonie, WI Tampa, FL Coralville, IA Englewood, OH Newark, NJ San Rafael, CA Guttenberg, IA Greenwood Village, CO Lewisville, TX Grand Rapids, MI New Castle, PA Key West, FL Council Bluffs, IA South Windsor, CT Farmington Hills, MI Lake Cormorant, MS Indianapolis, IN Vernon Hills, IL Ames, IA River Rouge, MI Suwanee, GA St. Louis, MO Deerfield, IL Erie, PA Marion, IA Waldorf, MD Iowa City, IA Iowa City, IA Waukesha, WI Delafield, WI New London, IA Indianapolis, IN Plainfield, IL Madison, WI Crystal Lake, IL Geelong, Australia Alabaster, AL Belleville, MI Chicago, IL Madison, WI Des Moines, IA Frankfort, IL Oak Lawn, IL Cedar Rapids, IA Cedar Falls, IA Shawnee Mission, KS Ankeny, IA Iola, WI Skokie, IL Humboldt, IA West Des Moines, IA Farnhamville, IA Larchwood, IA Rockford, IL Frankfort, IL Franklin, WI Reinbeck, IA Shellsburg, IA

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Dillon Doyle Seth Benson Joe Ludwig Tommy Kujawa Logan Klemp Noah Feldman Nick Anderson Bryce Schulte Nick Niemann Louie Stec Jackson Subbert Amani Jones Spencer Daufeldt Matt Fagan Daviyon Nixon Luke Empen Yahweh Jeudy Nick DeJong Clayton Thurm Chauncey Golston Taylor Fox Nathan Nelson Noah Fenske Cole Banwart Justin Britt Kyler Schott Tyler Linderbaum Levi Paulsen Dalles Jacobus Landan Paulsen Tyler Endres Kyle Sorensen Mark Kallenberger Coy Kirkpatrick Cody Ince Tristan Wirfs Austin Schulte Jeff Jenkins Ezra Miller Alaric Jackson Jack Plumb Josiah Miamen Desmond Hutson Ben Subbert Calvin Lockett Alec Kritta Sam LaPorta Austin Spiewak Logan Lee Nate Vejvoda Javon Foy Jackson Frericks Nico Ragaini Taajhir McCall Brady Reiff John Waggoner Jake Karchinski A.J. Epenesa Cedrick Lattimore Lucas Amaya Zach VanValkenburg Chris Reames Noah Shannon

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Iowa City, IA Sioux Falls, SD Middleton, WI Greendale, WI Jewell, IA West Liberty, IA Waukee, IA Cedar Rapids, IA Sycamore, IL La Grange Park, IL Williamsburg, IA Chicago, IL West Liberty, IA Council Bluffs, IA Kenosha, WI Clinton, IA Pompano Beach, FL Pella, IA Williamsburg, IA Detroit, MI Winthrop, IA Waukee, IA New Hampton, IA Ottosen, IA Indianapolis, IN Coggon, IA Solon, IA Moville, IA Palo, IA Moville, IA Norwalk, IA Waukee, IA Bettendorf, IA Madrid, IA Luck, WI Mount Vernon, IA Pella, IA Crystal Lake, IL Holstein, IA Detroit, MI Green Bay, WI Dunlap, IL Raytown, MO Williamsburg, IA Largo, FL St. Charles, IL Highland, IL Rolling Meadows, IL Orion, IL Homer Glen, IL Coal Valley, IL Cedar Falls, IA East Haven, CT Pensacola, FL Parkston, SD West Des Moines, IA De Pere, WI Edwardsville, IL Redford, MI Muskego, WI Zeeland, MI Van Meter, IA Montgomery, IL

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019 - 7

S vs. USC TROJANS

TADIUM, SAN DIEGO, CA | 7:00 PM | FS1 1 1 2 4 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 13 13 14 14 15 15 15 16 16 17 18 18 19 19 21 21 22 22 23 23 24 24 25 26 27 27 27 28 29 30 30 31 31 34 36 37 38 38 39 40 41

Velus Jones Jr. Palaie Gaoteote IV Olaijah Griffin Trevor Scully Michael Pittman Jr. Isaac Taylor-Stuart Stephen Carr Chase Williams Amon-Ra St. Brown Chris Steele Kedon Slovis Greg Johnson John Houston Jr. Munir McClain Adonis Otey Bru McCoy Jayden Williams Drake London Talanoa Hufanga Thomas Fitts Scott Harris Dominic Davis Zach Wilson JT Daniels Raymond Scott Matt Fink Ralen Goforth Tyler Vaughns Isaiah Pola-Mao Jack Webster Dorian Hewett Kenan Christon Kaulana Makaula Max Williams Ben Griffiths Briton Allen Kana'i Mauga Quincy Jountti Matthew Hocum Brandon Perdue C.J. Pollard Vavae Malepeai Markese Stepp Jordan McMillan Hunter Echols Richard Hagestad Eli'jah Winston Will Rose Ben Easington Chris Edmondson Alex Stadthaus Jac Casasante Chase McGrath Chris Caulk

WR LB CB QB WR CB RB CB WR CB QB CB LB WR CB WR CB WR S K QB WR WR QB LB QB LB WR S WR S RB S CB P S LB RB WR S S RB RB S LB S LB P RB RB K LS K WR

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USC Saraland, AL Las Vegas, NV Long Beach, CA La Jolla, CA Woodland Hills, CA San Diego, CA Gardena, CA Corona, CA Anaheim Hills, CA Bellflower, CA Scottsdale, AZ Los Angeles, CA Carson, CA San Juan Capistrano, CA Columbia, TN Palo Verde, CA Laton, CA Moorpark, CA Corvallis, OR Dallas, TX Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA Scottsdale, AZ Irvine, CA Harbor City, CA Rancho Cucamonga, CA Long Beach, CA Pasadena, CA Phoenix, AZ La Canada Flintridge, CA Houston, CA San Diego, CA Kailua, HI Carson, CA Melbourne, Australia Orlando, FL Waianae, HI Bakersfield, CA Milwaukee, WI Simi Valley, CA Carson, CA Aiea, HI Indianapolis, IN Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA Del Mar, CA Portland, OR Long Beach, CA Evanston, IL Cibolo, TX Austin, TX Altadena, CA Newport Beach, CA San Diego, CA

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Juliano Falaniko Abdul-Malik McClain Tuasivi Nomura Jack Drake Maninoa Tufono Scott Voigt Grant Jones Stanley Ta'ufo'ou Michael Shahidi Peter Esparza Matt Bayle Michael Brown Nick Figueroa Bernard Schirmer Marlon Tuipulotu Jacob Daniel Spencer Gilbert Drew Richmond Bryce Matthews Clyde Moore Jordan Iosefa Justin Dedich Solomon Tuliaupupu Damon Johnson Brett Neilon AJ Mageo Frank Martin II Gino Quinones Mark Zuvich Liam Douglass Jalen McKenzie Liam Jimmons Andrew Vorhees Austin Jackson Alijah Vera-Tucker Clayton Bradley Jason Rodriguez Jay Tufele De'jon Benton John Jackson III Kyle Ford Jude Wolfe Josh Falo Erik Krommenhoek Ethan Rae Chase Locke Sean Mahoney Christian Rector Connor Murphy Brandon Pili Trevor Trout Caleb Tremblay Jacob Lichtenstein Drake Jackson

LB LB LB CB LB TE LB DL P LB LB K DL T DL G LB T LB LB LB C LB LS C G G C G G T T G T G T G DL DL WR WR TE TE TE TE WR TE DL DL DL DL DL DL DL

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Pago Pago, Amer. Samoa San Juan Capistrano, CA Corona, CA Danville, CA Halawa, HI Darien, CT Danville, CA Simi Valley, CA Westlake Village, CA West Covina, CA San Marino, CA Temecula, CA San Bernardino, CA Long Beach, CA Independence, OR Fresno, CA Madison, AL Memphis, TN Los Angeles, CA Newport Beach, CA Waipahu, HI Temecula, CA Santa Ana, CA Glendora, CA Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Mesa, AZ West Covina, CA Ewa Beach, HI Laguna Hills, CA Topanga, CA Concord, CA Huntington Beach, CA Kingsburg, CA Phoenix, AZ Oakland, CA Orange, CA Oak Hills, CA Salt Lake City, UT Oakland, CA Redondo Beach, CA Corona, CA Laguna Hills, CA Sacramento, CA Danville, CA Anaheim Hills, CA San Antonio, TX Los Altos Hills, CA South Pasadena, CA Mesa, AZ Anchorage, AK Ferguson, MD Napa, CA Weston, FL Corona, CA

8 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

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The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019 - 9

ON THE LINE BOWL GAME EDITION Matchups

Pete Ruden

Anna Kayser

Robert Read

Pete Mills

Kade Overton

Jon Rawson

Jason Brummond

PREGAME EDITOR (27-23)

SPORTS EDITOR (30-20)

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR (30-20)

FOOTBALL REPORTER (30-20)

DITV SPORTS DIRECTOR (0-0)

DITV DIRECTOR (32-18)

PUBLISHER (32-18)

IOWA Keith Duncan-Groza Award revenge game. Thirteen field goals.

IOWA USC couldn’t beat Iowa even with Urban Meyer as the coach.

IOWA Iowa would’ve made a 16-team playoff.

IOWA Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diaaago.

IOWA Last time the Hawks played in California, they wish Stanford was using a Trojan.

IOWA This is a fitting matchup, unlike the glove. Does the jury agree?

IOWA *checks notes for Holiday Bowl field goal records*

LSU Mic up Coach O.

LSU The Sooners should bureaux into the ground after this one.

LSU Joe Burrow wasn’t good enough to play at Nebraska. Interesting.

LSU Yeah, good luck beating it in New Orleans if it wins this game.

LSU Sooner the game is over, the sooner the Oklahoma players can get back to their cousins.

LSU Every time I think of Joe Burrow, I wonder where I went wrong in life.

LSU Nebraska... what could have been?

OHIO STATE One of these schools has played at least one team with a pulse.

OHIO STATE I hate to say it, but I want OSU in the championship.

I don’t know why.

OHIO STATE *Insert popcorn eating gif*

OHIO STATE Step one: Beat Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin back-to-back-to-back. Step two: Move down in rankings.

OHIO STATE The battle of who gets to lose in the championship game.

OHIO STATE This game is irrelevant for two reasons: Joe & Burrow. Please DM me.

OHIO STATE Root for the conference.

AUBURN Auburn is the most random color to name a school after.

MINNESOTA P.J. Fleck annoys me, but I’m being generous with rooting for Big Ten teams.

AUBURN P.J. Fleck is coaching in a stadium that has a boat in it.

AUBURN Took Minnesota 10 wins to get to the Outback Bowl this year. Very cool, guys!

AUBURN P.J. Fleck fighting off some Pirates? Now, that’s a fight that’s going to be closer than the game.

AUBURN Me and Minnesota have one thing in common: our fun doesn’t last very long.

AUBURN The dinghy has sprung a leak.

WISCONSIN Duck hunting szn.

OREGON Lol, sorry Wisconsin. The above statement does not apply to you.

WISCONSIN Jonathan Taylor is the most under-appreciated player in the country.

WISCONSIN Wisconsin played two great quarters against OSU, which is actually the best anyone has done all year.

WISCONSIN Roses are Wisconsin Red, and Oregon Green is the color of the other state plant.

WISCONSIN Remember when Justin Herbert was the top QB in the 2019 class? LOL, marry me, Joe Burrow.

WISCONSIN Why wasn’t Jonathan Taylor a Heisman finalist?

GEORGIA Baylor? More like Fail-or, am I right?* *I may or may not have used this joke already.

GEORGIA So close, Georgia. So, so close.

BAYLOR Georgia went with Jake Fromm over Justin Fields, which appears to be the wrong decision.

BAYLOR Baylor is back.

GEORGIA The last time a team was scared of Baylor, it had Shawn Oakman as a team captain.

GEORGIA Baylor is finally in the top 10 in something other than most deplorable NCAA programs.

GEORGIA Top-rated game for fans of defense and low scoring.

No. 9 Alabama vs.

No. 17 Michigan

ALABAMA Roll Tide could also be Tulane’s motto.

MICHIGAN I really don’t know why, but I think it would be nice to see Michigan beat Bama.

ALABAMA Iowa fans wanted Bama.

ALABAMA I don’t know what to say to the Iowa fans who wanted to play Alabama in the Citrus.

ALABAMA Even the Michigan boosters are cheering for Bama.

ALABAMA Jim Harbaugh flirts with baristas at Starbucks. I have no reason to say that, but I’d bet on it.

ALABAMA Bama doesn’t care to be there and still rolls.

No. 13 Penn State vs. No. 15 Memphis

PENN STATE Drake has 100 cousins out in Memphis, but they don’t play football.

PENN STATE Congratulations, Penn State. I’m not impartial to rooting for you.

PENN STATE We can all be glad that UCF no longer represents the American Conference.

PENN STATE As a reward for your great season, you get to play a Group-of-5 school in Arlington, Texas.

PENN STATE Going to be one of the best cat fights we’ve seen since Bhad Bhabie and Woah Vicky.

PENN STATE Memphis is decent, but Penn State is better.

And yes, I’m referring to covering up scandals.

PENN STATE Big Ten depth, Exhibit A.

FLORIDA Tim Tebow should still be in the NFL.

FLORIDA Not even a contest. Next.

FLORIDA Yawn.

FLORIDA As a reward for your great season, you get to play a mediocre ACC team that was actually pretty good.

FLORIDA No, we’re not talking about Tim Tebow celebrating his marriage.

FLORIDA Tim Tebow didn’t leave Florida with a bang, but he plans on starting his marriage with one.

FLORIDA Virginia’s first Orange Bowl won’t be a memorable one.

No. 14 Notre Dame vs. Iowa State

IOWA STATE Now my family can’t be mad at me.

NOTRE DAME Somehow this seems unfair, but it’s Iowa State, so I’m OK with it.

NOTRE DAME Iowa State is the reason people will watch this game.

NOTRE DAME Congrats, Notre Dame! As a reward for your great season, you get to play in the Camping World Bowl.

NOTRE DAME Best part about the Camping World Bowl is that the Iowa State fans can hide in their tents.

NOTRE DAME One of these schools had a culture change recently.

The other is Catholic.

NOTRE DAME At least someone has to lose.

Southern Mississippi vs.

Tulane

TULANE “The person who picks these games sucks.”

-Everyone on here

SOUTHERN MISS When I googled this game, baseball was the autofill instead of football. That tells you something.

TULANE We’re picking this instead of Nebraska’s bowl game?

TULANE If Tulane had made the CFP, the championship would’ve been a home game.

TULANE Hasn’t Southern Mississippi dealt with enough torturing waves in the past?

TULANE New Orleans in 2005 = Mississippi in 2019.

TULANE What the heck is a green wave?

No. 19 Iowa vs.

No. 22 USC No. 1 LSU vs. No. 4 Oklahoma No. 2 Ohio State vs.

No. 3 Clemson No. 9 Auburn vs.

No. 16 Minnesota No. 7 Oregon vs.

No. 11 Wisconsin No. 5 Georgia vs.

No. 8 Baylor

No. 6 Florida vs.

Virginia

10 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

Hawkeyes looking for rare 10th victory The Holiday Bowl gives Iowa the opportunity to reach 10 wins for the first time since 2015.

Katina Zentz/The Daily Iowan

Iowa defensive back Michael Ojemudia defends during the football game against Illinois on Nov. 23. The Hawkeyes defeated the Fighting Illini, 19-10.

BY PETE MILLS peter-mills@uiowa.edu

For the first time since the 2015 season, Hawkeye football has the chance to earn 10 wins when it faces USC on Dec. 27 in San Diego.

Even before the name, location, and date of its Holiday Bowl bid were known, Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz reminded the team of the importance of a double-digit number in the win column.

“There hasn’t been a lot of lot of 10win seasons here,” Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “Coach Ferentz talked about it the other day in a team meeting. I can’t remember the number… So, it’s big. It’s really big.”

That number is actually eight, with the ninth season to potentially come before

the new year.

Five of those seasons have come under Ferentz since he took the helm in 1999.

Two of them resulted in 10-win finishes — in 2003 and 2004 — and both of those required wins in bowl games to reach double figures.

Success happened fairly quickly for Ferentz, who achieved double-figure finishes in his fourth, fifth, and sixth years as head coach. But it hasn’t happened since the Rose Bowl team in the 2015 season, so the current true seniors haven’t experienced even a 10-win result.

“Tenth wins haven’t come often across during Coach Ferentz’s tenure, so getting this 10th win and going out with a bang and getting momentum into the springtime and the next camp is going to be big for this whole program and the

The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019 - 11

Wyatt Dlouhy/The Daily Iowan

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz speaks to the press before the game against Illinois on Nov. 23. The Hawkeyes defeated the Fighting Illini, 19-10.

whole state,” Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia said.

Veterans of the team may not have joined the 10-win club yet, but one thing they have experienced is consistent growth as a team through their years with the program.

Ever since Iowa’s loss to Wisconsin on Nov. 9 — the team’s most recent loss — junior Geno Stone said the team has realized it had the chance to continue toward this benchmark. Since then, it has beaten top-10 Minnesota, a red-hot Illinois team, and rival Nebraska.

“We always talk about wanting to improve,” Stone said. “My first year, we won eight games, and last year we won nine. This year, we have a chance to get to that 10th win. Really, since Wisconsin, that was the main focus, making sure we could finish out, and I feel like we’re on the right track.”

Iowa has the chance to do this against a USC program that has recorded more 10wins season in the 2000s than Iowa has in its entire history.

One of Ferentz’s five seasons of at least 10 wins happened in 2002, and, coincidentally, the Hawkeyes faced the Trojans in the Orange Bowl. Iowa earned 11 wins in the regular season that year but fell handily to USC, 38-17, in Orlando.

The road to this opportunity has been close at times, with some narrow finishes giving Iowa the chance to do it again.

Each of Iowa’s last three wins — including Keith Duncan’s last-second field goal to lift Iowa over Nebraska — have been by single digits.

This battle-hardened Hawkeye squad will try to put those experiences to good use when it faces the Trojans for the first time since that Orange Bowl loss, as it tries to reach 10 wins and cap an undeniably strong season.

IOWA’S 10-WIN SEASONS UNDER KIRK FERENTZ

• 2002 — 11-2, Orange Bowl loss • 2003 — 10-3, Outback Bowl win • 2004 — 10-2, Capital One Bowl win • 2009 — 11-2, Orange Bowl win • 2015 — 12-2, Rose Bowl loss

12 - The Daily Iowan - PREGAME - Iowa City, Iowa - Monday, December 16, 2019

GO HAWKS!