Gameday: Iowa
For Kirk Cousins, today is a homecoming of sorts and another chance to prove some people wrong, although those opportunities are lessening as he continues to play well and earn attention.
* Also, here are the matchups and the rail with prediction. I went 21-20 Hawkeyes after a lot of back and forth. Toughest call in a long time, which is fitting for what might be the biggest MSU football game since the 1987 regular-season finale against Indiana.
Ultimately, that pick is more rooted in a belief in Iowa than lack of belief in MSU. At home, with the Big Ten title still in grasp, coming off a tough loss, I think the Hawkeyes find a way. Iowa's passing game and defensive line are its biggest assets and both will challenge MSU today.
But if you can set up to pass, you can throw it on the Hawkeyes. And I like MSU's front seven -- fortified as it should be with Blake Treadwell and Kevin Pickelman returning -- to make things very difficult on Iowa's rushing attack. And MSU has that late-game confidence that Iowa had a year ago when the Hawkeyes brought a perfect record to Spartan Stadium.
That's why this call is so tough. I'm going with Stanzi, Clayborn and Kinnick by a nose over Cousins, Worthy and Jones. But take heart -- I'm wrong a lot! Talk to you in a little bit from Kinnick where pre-game warmups will be more interesting than usual.
