Desert Hawks

Although technically Iowa football isn't Chicago Sports, Illinois and Iowa do share a border. And,I figured enough suburban Chicago high school students underachieve on their ACT and look to the Iowa City Ped Mall and ultimately the University of Iowa for solace, happiness, and some passionate college football. If you think that I am debasing the undergraduate enrollment at Iowa in any way, you're wrong. I didn't get in. But hell, I visited enough times in college and attended more classes (1, college level Math course. If you don't believe me, email jack.groot@coyotelogistics.com) than Pierre Pierce, so I consider myself an alumnus. With the lofty expectations for the football team still high after beating Eastern Illinois (didn't cover, Spoo's a genius) and then subsequently embarrassing Iowa State in Kinnick like they were playing Liotta, Costner, and James Earl Jones (Amy Madigan-ISU cheerleader) in a backyard football game at the Kinsiella farm in Dyersville. Still, in order to keep their BCS hopes alive, Iowa must ditch the sweet corn and stuffing pre-game meals and travel down to the desert to face Arizona. Where the weather and salsa are hot, but often times the 3rd year psychology students are hotter--sounds like trouble for Ricky Stanzi.

On paper, Iowa no doubt looks like chalk in this match up. The Hawks boast maybe the most otherworldly front 4 in college football in Binns, Ballard, Clayborn and Klug. Iowa's defense has put pressure on the quarterback without blitzing, which will be a complete shift in gears for Arizona pretty-boy QB Nick Foles, who has faced only the illustrious defenses of the Citadel, and the Toledo Rockets (seriously thinking about whether the Houston Rockets could formulate a better football team, Yao's a big target at TE, Aaron Brooks a shifty back, Battier a tough, heady QB...nevermind). I'm thinking when Foles sees Adrian Clayborn in his personal space, one of those 'shifting too many gears at once so the chain falls off and now you're pedaling rapidly but going nowhere' type situations occur and his 174.7 QB rating drops at least Eight Below his normal average. Still, Arizona is a well-coached team and coach Mike Stoops comes from a proven family of winners (shout out Matt DeMars), so with Arizona Stadium (where the Cardinals play as well) rockin' loud as soon as all the house drugs kick in for the U of A fans, the Wildcats certainly won't roll over and die. Also, Stanzi and Foles' haircuts are getting worse by the week, something's gotta give.

But if Iowa fans are feeling nervous at all about Saturday night's game in the desert, it is because Ricky Stanzi and the 'Stanziball' are still yet to rear its ugly head this season. If there is any way Iowa could lose to an inferior team on the road, Rick and the 'Stanziball' could be what does Iowa in. If you're not sure what I mean when I'm referring to the 'Stanziball', think about this: Stanzi had a pick 6 in 4 different games last year (Arizona, Michigan, Arkansas St.?!?, and Georgia Tech). The last thing Iowa needs is to be locked in a defensive, field position battle in the first half and have Stanzi come in and drop one of those arid passes into Arizona's secondary and have them run away with the momentum. Now, Stanzi has been near perfect so far this year, except for that hiccup fluke torn ACL he almost suffered in week 1 against that stingy, EIU D. So, with his completions (29-41), yards (433), and TD's (3) piling up, that 'Stanziball' is just lurking in Stanzi's shoulder waiting to come out. Iowa fans know, they don't want to mention it. Because every time Stanzi drops back Saturday night, the theme from JAWS will be playing in the collective minds of Iowa. Now I know Stanzi watches plenty of film between Thursday Night 'smush sessions' with Iowa coeds in the Union Bar bathroom, but I'm telling you, it's coming, maybe not this week, but it's coming.

Still, I think Iowa will rely enough on the dual ground attack of Adam Robinson and the newly reinstated Jewel Hampton enough to keep Stanzi throwing safe routes to his big TE Allen Reisner, and wideouts Marv McNutt and DJK. So overall, I think Iowa wins in this Big-10/Pac-10 showdown in the desert. In fact, on some betting websites Zona is getting a point. But, I'm still thinking black and yellow (pending a Stanziball) with a final score of Iowa-24 Arizona-13. There you have it, go hawks.

As for Pick of the Day, the Pulse Man's fall from grace this week has been a harsh reality check with the weekend football spread lying ahead of him. Below he has listed the Saturday 6 pack, complete with his 'big ticket' Pick of the Day for Saturday, as well as the Sunday teaser in which he started (1-0) last week. Let's see how the weekend shapes up in both college and professional football.

Saturday 6 pack:

2 team parlay: Illinois (-7) vs. NIU, Alabama (-24)@ Duke - (+281)

3 team parlay: USC (-12)@ Minnesota, Nebraska (-3) @ Washington, Northwestern (moneyline)@ Rice - (+411)

Big Ticket Pick of the Day: Iowa (+1)@ Arizona (-105)

Sunday Teaser

7 point teaser: Eagles, Colts, Falcons- (+140)

Record: (20-13-0)