The Minnesota Golden Gophers enter Saturday looking to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Iowa Hawkeyes. If P.J. Fleck and the Golden Gophers are going to leave Iowa City on Saturday with a win, they'll need to hit on each of these three keys to success.
1. Get the run game going early and often
If Minnesota is going to win this game on Saturday, it will be imperative for the Golden Gophers to get the ball moving on the ground, whether that means doing so with Darius Taylor or not. Everyone knows Iowa's game plan coming into this game, it will be to run the ball an extensive amount and milk the clock. The Gophers game plan is likely to be similar to that in that the majority of their offensive success will likely have to come on the ground and not through the air. Additionally, it will likely have to be more than just one running back for the Gophers on Saturday. If Taylor is ready to go, expect to see some the Gophers also work in a little bit of Sean Tyler, or Zach Evans.
2. Play clean, fundamental football
If there's one thing you can't do against the Iowa Hawkeyes, it's give them additional opportunities. For the Golden Gophers, it is going to be vastly important for the Gophers to keep their hands on the ball. The Hawkeyes this season has been solid in forcing turnovers, with 11 forced through seven games. Not great news for a Golden Gophers' offense this season have turned the ball over eight times in their six games including having two turnovers, three times this season. In those three games, the Gophers are 1-2 on the season with losses to North Carolina and Michigan - their lone win came against Western Michigan.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Gophers will have to play fundamentally sound football but also gap sound football while ensuring they're ready to be physical for 60 minutes. The Iowa offense and rushing attack is going to look to wear down the Gophers. For a Gophers defense that isn't going to rotate a ton of players, playing just about 20 players any given week - the Gophers defense is going to be challenged by Iowa's rushing attack and physicality.
3. Find a way to slow down Iowa's rushing attack
To build off key no.2, the Minnesota defense is going to have to find a way to slow down Iowa's rushing attack. The Golden Gophers' defense this season has struggled against the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry, and has allowed 175+ yards three times, including in each of their last two games. While this isn't an Iowa offensive line that is overly dominant, the Hawkeyes still have the edge in the trenches in this game, that doesn't bode well for the Gophers. Over the last three seasons, Iowa is 15-3 when rushing for 100 or more yards. Their three losses have come against Kentucky, Michigan, and Nebraska.
Of course, keeping the Hawkeyes to less than 100 yards doesn't necessarily mean victory is certain, the Gophers found that out last year. Last November, the Gophers kept Iowa to just 59 rushing yards but wound up losing 13-10 despite rushing for 312 rushing yards of their own.
That being said, with Iowa's issues with passing the ball this season and an inexperienced quarterback in Deacon Hill leading the way, stopping Iowa's rushing attack on Saturday could set it up to be a very long day for Iowa's offense.
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