For all that was made earlier this season of Michigan's dominance against Joe Paterno in past years, little has been said of Iowa's run of success against Penn State. Coach Kirk Ferentz has dominated the Nittany Lions, guiding his Hawkeyes to five straight wins.
But that statistic hasn't been dissected this week. Circumstance has obscured everything.
These teams are underachieving mirror images: Both have dominating defenses but are winless in conference play and starving for offensive production. So, when they meet at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow in Beaver Stadium, it could be a reenactment of their last meeting, a dismal 6-4 Iowa win in 2004.
If nothing else, tomorrow will be a chance for both teams to partially reconcile some problems that have been plaguing them. And, of course, getting a win against a conference opponent is the prime goal.
"They're just as hungry to get their first Big Ten win as we are," Penn State linebacker Sean Lee said. "They're coming in a situation where we both didn't expect to have this record at this point of the year. I think they'll come out full-go and fighting."
For the first time since 2001, Iowa is 0-2 in the Big Ten. The team finished 1-10 that season. Penn State is 0-2 for the first time since 2004, a season in which the Lions finished 4-7.
Both the Lions (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) and Hawkeyes (2-3, 0-2) can fall back on defensive units that rank among the top 10 nationally. But they've struggled to find consistency on offense.
"It's important for us to get back into a positive track," Penn State cornerback Justin King said. "Two losses is something that I have never experienced, and I [didn't] plan on."
For the Lions, those offensive troubles have centered around quarterback Anthony Morelli.
Morelli has shined at times this season but has faltered in crucial late-game moments. His performance last weekend against Illinois essentially encapsulated the struggles he's endured this season. He had a career day, passing for 298 yards on 21-for-38 passing. But those numbers were dwarfed by his three interceptions and one costly lost fumble, which rendered the offense useless when it mattered most.
"You can easily attribute where their shortcomings have been," Ferentz said. "They've had some critical turnovers at critical times."
Iowa has had a hard time rousing production from an offense ranked 92nd nationally, but its troubles are harder to pin to one area. Sophomore quarterback Jake Christensen has shown his inexperience, appearing uncomfortable and indecisive in the pocket. However, he hasn't had a fortified line for protection, and the Iowa rushing game hasn't been as good as expected.
A telling statistic for Iowa is the fact that the Hawkeyes have lost their last seven conference games dating back to Oct. 7, 2006. But they'll be facing a Penn State team that's had its struggles. So, for Iowa, tomorrow will be a chance to end the drought against conference opponents.
For Penn State, tomorrow will be a chance to snap the five-game skid against the Hawkeyes. And, perhaps more importantly, get in gear against conference opponents.
"Hopefully, we've learned from the last two weeks and we'll be better," Paterno said. "I don't think we can think beyond that. We just can't. We're not in a position to do that."
