NFL
By George Lopez
The USC Trojans host the Iowa Hawkeyes at the LA Coliseum on Saturday afternoon in a key BIG10 showdown. The Trojans look to make 3 straight wins following their 38-17 victory over Northwestern. The Hawkeyes are looking to bounce back following their gut-wrenching 18-16 loss to Oregon. This game has significant implications for the Trojans in their pursuit of a spot in the CFP.
Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava returned to the form Trojans fans have become accustomed to this season against Northwestern following a rough outing against Nebraska. Against Northwestern, Maiava passed for 299 yards while completing 24-33 passes with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. Maiava redeemed himself on the interception, as he was able to track down the defender and force a fumble out of the end zone, giving the ball back to the Trojans. WRs Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane were Maiava’s top two targets, combining for 18 receptions for 235 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Trojans will face an Iowa defense that held Oregon’s pass offense to 112 yards and will test the Trojans’ passing attack. Look for Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley to get the TEs, led by Lake McRee, involved in the passing game early.
The Trojans used a balanced offensive attack against Northwestern and will look to use the same scheme against Iowa. At this point in the season, the Trojans are the only team averaging over 300 passing yards per game and over 200 rushing yards per game. In their loss to Oregon, Iowa allowed 261 rushing yards. The Trojans will look to attack Iowa’s run defense. RB King Miller has stepped up as the primary back with Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders out with injuries. Look for Miller to continue to be the primary back against Iowa, with Bryan Jackson and Harry Dalton III expected to see time in the backfield.
Quarterback Mark Gronowski leads the Hawkeyes’ offense. On the season, Gronowski has passed for 1084 yards with 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Iowa is not a pass-heavy offense as WRs Jacob Gill and Kaden Wetjen lead the team with 17 receptions each. Trojans defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn will look to bring pressure on Gronkowski, as he has been sacked 13 times this season. The Trojans like to utilize a 5-man pass rush to bring pressure and will look to use that scheme against Iowa. The defense needs to be aware of Gronowski’s ability to run with the ball, as he is the 2nd leading rusher on the Hawkeyes and has accounted for 12 rushing touchdowns.
The Hawkeyes bring a rushing attack that averages 176 rushing yards per game. Leading the Hawkeyes is RB Kamari Moulton, who has rushed for 522 yards on the season while averaging 5 yards per carry. The Trojans expect Moulton to get the bulk of the carries for Iowa, with Xavier Williams and Jaziun Patterson spelling him during the game. The Trojans’ edge defenders will look to maintain outside containment and prevent the Hawkeyes from getting to the outside. The Trojans’ defensive line will need to get off their blocks and not allow themselves to be turned by the Hawkeyes’ offensive line to close up the inside running lanes. The Trojans’ inside linebackers will look to provide inside run support as well as provide pursuit to the outside when the edge defenders force the Hawkeyes’ backs toward the inside.
The Trojans enter this game looking to stay within striking distance of the leaders in the BIG10 conference. The Trojans are also looking to keep their CFP hopes alive and are in a position to make the playoffs if they can win out. The CFP is not at the forefront of the Trojans’ minds as they have the mantra of one game at a time. Iowa is looking to come back from the Oregon game they feel they should have won. A win for Iowa would help improve their bowl game opportunities, as they are bowl-eligible. Look for the Trojans to remain undefeated at home as they come away with a hard-fought victory over Iowa.
