Friday, October 28, 2011

WWIC BIG Food Drive - Nov. 12th

WWICers,

The Seattle area alumni clubs and fans of all the B1G universities will band together next month for a Northwest Harvest Food Drive to help fight hunger in Washington State during the Thanksgiving season.

The WWIC B1G Food Drive will take place on 11/12 during our Iowa game watch against Michigan State (time of kickoff TBA) at Buckley's on Queen Anne. Collection will take place at the all of the local B1G game watches and will be a friendly competition between all 12 teams to gather the most items.

By "friendly competition", we mean bragging rights because there wasn't a consensus on a "prize" at the Seattle B1G Clubs recent board meeting. Got any good ideas for a friendly prize? Lemme know.

Here's a list of food items that Northwest Harvest recommends for donation. We have much to be thankful for, Hawkeyes. Let's share with those less fortunate, and show the Seattle B1G which club has the biggest heart and best participation.

I will send this same message out each week leading up to the collection as a reminder.

GO HAWKS!

Game Watch Week 8: Minnesota

Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2, 2-1) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-6, 0-3)
Saturday, October 29th, 12:30pm kickoff PST
TV: Big Ten Network

Come on down to Buckley’s on Queen Anne this Saturday for the annual rivalry game versus the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Hawkeyes look to bring Floyd of Rosedale back to Iowa City after being upset by Minnesota in 2010. Iowa has won eight out of the last ten meetings with the Minnesota. A win this weekend will make the Hawkeyes bowl eligible for the 11th straight season.

The Gophers are having a rough season under new head coach Jerry Kill. They are last in the Big Ten in rushing offense, total offense, scoring offense, passing efficiency, and turnover margin. Versus Big Ten opponents they have been outscored 144-31 and have been outgained by an average of 274 yards per game. Yikes. But before you get too comfortable, remember that this is a trophy game, and Minnesota very well might be treating this game as their biggest game of the year.

**Random Hawkeye/Gopher Notes**
• Marvin McNutt’s record setting performance against Indiana (3 TDs, 6 catches for 184 yards earned him co-offensive player of the week honors from the Big Ten.
• Iowa leads the Big Ten in Red Zone Offense with scores in 26 out of 27 possessions.
• Iowa leads the Big Ten in fewest penalty yards per game.
• Iowa has lost two out of the last three visits playing at Minnesota.
• The Gophers are the only team yet to intercept a pass in conference play.
• Minnesota holds a 40-34-2 advantage in the series with Floyd of Rosedale on the line.
• Iowa is continuing to average over 31 points per game, which they have not done since the 2002 season.

**Future game announcement, Iowa’s game vs Michigan on November 5th will be a 9am PST start time and will be televised on ESPN.

Hope to see you Saturday and Go Hawks!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Game Watch Week 7: Indiana

Indiana Hoosiers (1-6, 0-3) @ Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2, 1-1)
Saturday, October 22nd, 9:00am kickoff PST
TV: Big Ten Network

First off, thanks for everyone that came to the game watch last weekend, the atmosphere at Buckley’s was electric! Special thanks as always to Mike for rock’n the trombone all game long. This Saturday, the Hawkeyes celebrate homecoming with the struggling Indiana Hoosiers coming to town. The WWIC will be watching the game at Buckley’s on Queen Anne, so come on down for some breakfast and Hawkeye football.

The Hawkeyes are looking to build off of last week’s big win, but in the last couple of years Iowa has struggled against the Hoosiers. In 2009 Iowa rallied from a 14-pt second half-deficit to defeat the Hoosiers and in 2010 a dropped TD pass by Indiana at the end of the game helped the Hawks squeak out a victory.

The 2011 Hoosiers are having some struggles under new head coach Kevin Wilson. In their three Big Ten losses, the Hoosiers have been outscored 116-37, including last week’s 59-7 loss at Wisconsin, in which Indiana used three different quarterbacks. Their lone win of the season came against South Carolina State in week 3.

**Random Hawkeye/Hoosier Notes**
• Iowa holds a 41-27-4 advantage in the series with Indiana that began with a 13-6 Iowa victory in 1912.
• Iowa has scored 31 points or more in five of its first six games. The last time the Hawkeyes accomplished this was 2002.
• Last Saturday, Marvin McNutt, Jr tied the Iowa career record for TD receptions. He is now tied with Tim Dwight (1994-97) and Danan Hughes (1989-92).
• Iowa holds a 53-41-5 record in 99 homecoming games.
• Iowa has won 53 of its last 64 games at home in Kinnick Stadium.
• The Hoosiers haven’t finished about .500 in Big Ten play since 1993.

Hope to see you Saturday and Go Hawks!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Game Watch Week 6: Northwestern

Northwestern Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) @ Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 0-1)
Saturday, October 15th, 4:00pm kickoff PST
TV: Big Ten Network

What better way to forget about last week’s tough loss than joining the WWIC at Buckley’s in Queen Anne in watching the Hawkeyes take on the Northwestern Wildcats in a special Black and Gold Spirit night game at Kinnick Stadium. If you’re going to the game, be sure to check http://www.hawkeyesports.com/ for your seating sections designated color. Hopefully a little home cookin’ at Kinnick will rally the Hawks to a must-needed win to draw level in Big Ten play.

Northwestern has recently owned Iowa on the gridiron as they have beaten the Hawks the last three games, and five out of the last six. Northwestern comes into town with a three game losing streak which includes their first two Big Ten games. In those two games, they have blown second half leads and have been outscored 56-21 in the second half and 35-7 in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats are led once again by QB Dan Persa, who is a couple of games returned from the achilles injury he suffered vs Iowa last season.

**History Lesson** Northwestern has had some bad blood towards the Hawkeyes in recent years; here’s a little history about why they do. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald played linebacker for the Wildcats from 1993-1996 under Gary Barnett. Barnett took over as head coach for the Wildcats in 1992. At the beginning of the 92 season he looked at his teams schedule and decided to focus in particular on beating one team, and he chose the Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes at the time had just gone to the Rose Bowl the previous season and were tops in the Big Ten. That year when the two teams faced off Iowa punished NW 56-14 (even pulling off an on-side kick just for good measure). After the game during the coach’s handshake Hayden Fry told Barnett, “I hope we didn’t hurt any of your boys.” Barnett just stared back at him and later on in an interview said, “That took (the rivalry) to warp speed.” To add to that, a couple of years later, during the 1995 season the Wildcats were led to the Rose Bowl by linebacker Pat Fitzgerald. However, Fitz was unable to play in the bowl because in the second to last game of the season he broke his leg against, you guessed it, Iowa. So let’s just say, Fitz has a special place in his heart for beating the Hawks.

Hope to see you Saturday and Go Hawks!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Game Watch Week 5: Penn State

Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1, 0-0) @ Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1, 1-0)
Saturday, October 8th , 12:30pm kickoff PST
TV: ABC or ESPN (check regional coverage)

Come on down to Buckley’s on Queen Anne this Saturday and join the WWIC in watching the Hawkeyes travel to Penn State to open the Big Ten season. I know everyone is craving some Hawkeye football after the bye week and this one should be a great game with Beaver Stadium and it...s 107,000 rowdy fans providing the atmosphere. Hopefully the bye week won’t slow down Iowa ’s recently explosive offense and has given the defense more time to continually improve.

Iowa has been the thorn in the side of Penn State recently winning the last 3 meetings, and 8 out of the last 9. It hasn’t come without some memorable moments, such as the comeback wins of 2008 & 2009. And who can forget the thrilling 6-4 victory in 2004.

Nobody is sure what to expect of the Nittany Lions this weekend. They are coming off a lackluster performance in their win at Indiana this past Saturday. In five trips into the red zone PSU didn’t score a single touchdown, they had three field goals, and two turnovers. But they still managed to win the game behind their defense, which ranks 5th nationally in total defense.

**Fun fact from the archives. In every season that Iowa started 3-1 in the Fry/Ferentz era, Iowa has gone on to at least 7 wins and a bowl game. Below are the seasons where Iowa started 3-1, the final record, and the bowl game.

1981: 8-4 – Rose Bowl
1983: 9-3 – Gator Bowl
1987: 10-3 – Holiday Bowl
1990: 8-4 – Rose Bowl
1991: 10-1-1 – Holiday Bowl
1996: 9-3 – Alamo Bowl
2001: 7-5 – Alamo Bowl
2002: 11-2 – Orange Bowl
2008: 9-4 – Outback Bowl
2010: 8-5 – Insight Bowl

Hope to see you Saturday and Go Hawks!

Followers