Iowa Hawkeyes
Kevin Lindgren
The college football season is wrapping up, and teams are scrambling to gain a playoff spot. This weekend, the conference champions will be crowned, finalizing the four playoff teams.
The Big Ten Championship game between Michigan State and Iowa will be played Saturday with magnanimous postseason implications on the line. Undefeated Iowa takes on Michigan State in a Big Ten brawl. The Iowa Hawkeyes rank 4th in the AP polls, while the Spartans come in ranked 5th.
Iowa will emerge victorious in the slugfest, continuing their perfect season. The winner guarantees themselves a spot in the playoffs.
Iowa offers a balanced offense that features a strong running game with a complementary passing game. Running back Jordan Canzeri has 12 touchdowns on the season, while quarterback C.J. Beathard only has three interceptions on the campaign.
Iowa’s offense may be productive, but their suffocating defense will win them the game. Hawkeye defensive back Desmond King leads the country with eight interceptions. Linebacker Josey Jewell has wreaked havoc all season, notching 111 total tackles in just 12 games.
In championship games, momentum can carry significant weight. Iowa positions themselves at 12-0, undefeated for the first time in school history. Iowa is on the edge of glory, eyeing not only the Big Ten Championship, but also a perfect season.
Michigan State Spartans
Channing Whittaker
No. 5 team Michigan State finished off the 2015-2016 college football regular season 11-1 and is playing for the Big Ten Championship and a shot at the college football playoff. With their amazing passing game and rush defense, Michigan State has the advantage over Iowa in this matchup.
The passing offensive attack is led by fifth-year senior quarterback Connor Cook. Cook has completed 194 of 337 passes for 2,730 yards, with 24 TD passes on the season. The reason for his success is his excellent group of receivers in Aaron Burbridge, Macgarrett Kings Jr. and R.J. Shelton. Burbridge was the main target for Cook, catching 75 passes for 1,158 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Their rush defense is a collective team effort in which opponents average only 3.6 yards per carry.
The Spartans’ weakness is stopping the run, as they allow 110 yards per game on the ground. If Michigan State can contain the run game and make Iowa a one-dimensional passing team, it puts pressure on an unexperienced Iowa quarterback and his receivers on a big college football stage to perform at a really high level.
Michigan State simply has too many offensive weapons and experience playing in Big Ten Championship games. A Big Ten title game win will definitely earn them a spot in the college football playoff.
