Iowa St Cyclones at Texas Longhorns, Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, TX
Saturday, October 23, 2010, 12:00 pm Eastern, TV: Fox Sports Net
Opening Line: Texas -23
Current Line: Texas -21
Opening Total: 49
Current Total: 48
Money Line: Texas -1300 / Iowa St +850
The schedule makers didn’t do the Iowa St Cyclones any favors by giving them consecutive games against Utah, Oklahoma, and Texas, including trips to Norman and Austin back to back weeks. They are 3-4 as they take on Mack Brown and his 4-2 Texas Longhorns. Texas rebounded last week with a 20-13 victory at Nebraska last week after losses to UCLA and Oklahoma. The Longhorns do play 5 of their last 6 games at home and still have a small chance of going to the Big 12 title game if they win out and Oklahoma loses twice. For Iowa St they have a chance to be bowl eligible if they go 4-1 in their last 6 games. Texas has done well versus conference rivals since 1992 going 85-60, dating back to the old Southwest Conference days. They also usually do well in home games after beating a conference rival the week before going 26-13 against the college football point spread in those situations since 1992. Texas has owned Iowa St since they became conference rivals going 6-0 straight up.
Besides playing Utah and Oklahoma, Iowa St has also played instate rival Iowa. In those three games against ranked teams the Cyclones have been outscored by an average of 52-11. After they play Texas, they play two other ranked teams including Nebraska and Missouri later in the season. The Cyclones are being outscored 33-23 and outgained 455-307 yards a game. They are +6 in turnover margin. however they are having trouble protecting the quarterback has they have allowed 16 sacks. The Cyclones are especially vulnerable against the run giving up 219 yards a game, and just over 2 touchdowns a game on the ground. The Cyclones are mediocre on offense gaining only 308 yards a game. Quarterback Austen Arnaud is only throwing for 154 yards a game with a touchdown/interception ratio of 8/7. Arnaud spreads the ball around as 6 Cyclones have at lest 11 catches, led by Collin Franklin who has 31 catches 313 yards and two touchdown catches. The running game is only averaging 141 yards a game led by Alexander Robinson with 95 carries, 488 yards and 5 touchdowns. Robinson also has 19 catches out of the backfield but no touchdown receptions.
The week off for Texas did wonders for them as they went to Lincoln and beat then #5 Nebraska 20-13. The game was not as close as the score indicated. Texas dominated the game from start to finish and gave up a late punt return for a touchdown. Nebraska then went for an onside kick which Texas recovered, and ran out the clock. The Longhorns knocked freshman Husker quarterback Taylor Martinez out of the game not due to injury but because he was so ineffective. For the season Texas is outscoring their opponents 24-19 and outgaining them 345-245. The Longhorns are rushing for 143 yards a game. The Longhorns employ a three headed running attack with Foswhitt Walker (58 carries, 262 yards, and 2 touchdowns), Cody Johnson (54 carries, 219 yards and 3 touchdowns), and Tre’ Newton 37 carries, 138 yards, and 3 touchdowns). The Longhorns might have discovered a new weapon as quarterback Garrett Gilbert rushed for 2 touchdowns against Nebraska, Gilbert has been inconsistent throwing the ball, as he has 1,213 yards 4 touchdowns and 5 intereceptions. The Longhorns have had a problem protecting the ball as they are -4 in turnovers for the season. Penalties are also a problem for the Longhorns as they give up 66 yards a game on penalties. Defensively Texas has forced 18 sacks. They are great at stopping the run (108 ypg) and even better at stopping the pass (138 ypg).
Iowa St was disheartened after the 52-0 loss to Oklahoma last week, because the Sooners were much more physical than the Cyclones. The Cyclones were dominated on both sides of the ball, especially on the offensive and defensive lines. If Iowa St hopes to pull off the huge upset in Austin, or even compete, they have to improve on that. For Texas’s part, they have to build on the huge upset last week and try to continue their streak of 10 win seasons which they have done for 9 straight seasons.
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