GoMiddle Predicts MTSU/Iowa

Middle Tennessee State is coming off of a bye week.

Saturday at 11 Central they will face off against the Iowa Hawkeyes on ESPN 2.

The Iowa Hawkeyes are currently ranked 14th in the nation. You know the drill by now.

Below are the staff picks for the game.

MTSU will be on the grand stage of a nationally televised game Saturday against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa is currently 14th in the nation. It will be a very tall task for the Blue Raiders to compete Saturday. It will be even more of a tall order to come out victorious.

Last week against the Duke Blue Devils, MT was exposed at the line of scrimmage.

The Blue Devils mauled MT on both sides in the trenches.

By all accounts, the Iowa Hawkeyes have even better lines.

I do not expect MT to be scared or back down, but I think this game has all the makings of a mismatch.

That being said, I don't expect Iowa to win by 50 or anything. That is not their style. The Hawkeyes are a grind and ground it out team who emphasizes ball control.

Look for Iowa to out physical MT from the jump and cruise to an easy win.

Redshirt Sophomore Quarterback Asher O'Hara had another impressive performance after tallying 201 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-27 passing; However the Blue Raiders fell to the Blue Devils by 23.

The Blue Raiders come into this week's matchup having lost their last five matchups against Big Ten opponents.Iowa

Senior Quarterback Nate Stanley is tenth in the Big Ten with 689 yards and six touchdowns.This game will be close at Halftime with MT coming off a bye week; however I think the Hawkeyes will pull away in the second half and drop the Blue Raiders to two games under .500.

Middle Tennessee 17, No. 14 Iowa 42

Middle Tennessee (1-2) travels to face No. 14 Iowa (3-0) this Saturday. It’s the Blue Raiders second matchup against a Power 5 opponent and I don’t expect it to go well for the Blue Raiders.

Iowa is a well-coached, disciplined football team led by Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeye defense is stingy, limiting teams to an average 10.30 points a game and gaining 6 turnovers this season.

With a one-dimensional Blue Raider offense coming to town, the Hawkeye defensive gameplan is simple - shut down Asher O’Hara.

The Blue Raider defense, however, has an equally difficult task - slowing down the powerful Iowa offense. With an undersized defensive line, the Middle Tennessee defense will struggle to stop the Hawkeye rushing attack.

In the end, Iowa wins this game 52-7

Another big time opponent for Middle Tennessee this weekend. Iowa has some big boys and it's going to show when they matchup against MTSU, especially in the trenches.

If Michigan, Iowa's next opponent, wasn't awful this season I'd say there's a chance for the Blue Raiders to cover the -23.5 spread in a look ahead game. But Michigan is nothing to look ahead to this year.

So, Iowa will absolutely take care of business. They'll run all over them 42-14. MTSU will get paid and the goal is to just get out of there without any serious injuries.