Iowa Will Try To Shake Up The College Football Landscape For The Second Week In A Row.
Week Ten of the college football season was an exciting one. The teams that looked like the best in the Big 1o were both upset. Ohio State was dominated by Iowa and Penn State fell to Michigan State.
This week has a great batch of games compared to what there have been over the last few weeks. There are seven games where both teams involved are ranked in the top-25.
Here are two worth checking out:
#20 Iowa at #8 Wisconsin, 3:30 pm on ABC
Iowa shocked the world last week. They not only beat Ohio State but they beat them badly, the final score was 55-24. It was the best the Iowa offense has looked all season.
Wisconsin comes into this game with a record of 9-0. They have one of the best defenses in the country and enough offense to get the job done. The Badgers are most likely the Big 10’s only remaining team with a shot to make the college football playoff.
The centerpiece of Iowa’s offense is junior running back Akrum Wadley (pictured above). Through nine games this season Wadley has accumulated 761 yards on 181 carries and has scored five rushing touchdowns. He has also caught 22 passes for 308 yards and three more scores. Wadley is a fun player to watch, especially when he can get in space and use his elusiveness to make big plays.
Defensively Iowa is led by one of the best linebackers in college football, junior Josey Jewell. Jewell has been productive this season racking up 88 tackles, nine and a half tackles for loss, two and a half sacks and an interception.
Wisconsin’s top draft prospect is probably senior tight end Troy Fumagalli. Fumagalli possesses the size needed to play tight end in the NFL at 6’6” and 248 lbs. Unlike many tight ends in college football, Fumagalli is a pretty good blocker. This will help him stand out amongst his peers when teams are evaluating tight ends. He also uses his big frame to his advantage as a receiver. So far this season he has reeled in 30 passes for 401 yards and three touchdowns.
Another Badger to look for is junior linebacker T.J. Edwards. He’s played well at inside linebacker for Wisconsin this season.
#1 Georgia at #10 Auburn, 3:30 on CBS
Georgia has looked like one of the best teams this season. They are 9-0 and haven’t been challenged much outside of their week two matchup against Notre Dame.
Auburn sits at 7-2 with losses against Clemson and LSU. They have handled every other game with ease.
Georgia’s offense features two of the best running backs in college football in senior Nick Chubb and senior Sony Michel (pictured above). Both have been great this season. Chubb has carried the ball 140 times for 867 yards and nine touchdowns. Michel has rushed for 710 yards and nine scores on 90 carries.
Chubb is the better draft prospect of the duo, however, both will likely be selected in the early rounds of the 2018 draft.
Georgia’s best defender this year has been junior Roquan Smith. Smith is on the smaller side for a linebacker at 6’1” and 225 lbs. but he is fast and is a smart football player.
Auburn has a talented quarterback in redshirt sophomore Jarrett Stidham. Stidham is listed at 6’3” and 214 lbs. and has a big arm and pretty decent accuracy to go with it.
Junior running back Kerryon Johnson has emerged as a difference maker for Auburn this season. Johnson has rushed for 868 yards on 166 attempts and is tied for third in college football with 15 touchdowns.
Another breakout player for the Tigers has been junior outside linebacker Jeff Holland. Holland has been a beast this season collecting 11 tackles for loss, eight sacks and has forced four fumbles. NFL teams love pass rushers so Holland could become a sought-after prospect if he declares after this season.
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