I'm a big believer that your stars win you big games. This game for the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road against the 6-2 Northwestern Wildcats is going to take star power playing at its highest level to get the job done.
Iowa is 6-2 and ranked No. 19 in the College Football Playoff rankings at the moment. Win against Northwestern, and you are suddenly three wins away from being a 10-2 team making the 12-team field. It starts at Northwestern, and I think three of Iowa's top stars are going to shine brightly.
Earlier this week, I discussed how Iowa is going to slow down the Northwestern Wildcats on offense. Chip Kelly's new-look offense, with all of its gimmicky formations, motions, and hidden players, starts with a strong ground game. That's where Northwestern makes its hay. Stop that to have a chance.
That's where Cam Buffington comes into the picture. He is Iowa's best defensive player this season, relying on length, speed, and a very high football IQ. He leads Iowa in tackles, and that isn't by accident. He has a massive job ahead of him on Saturday.
Northwestern is going to get its two backs, Caleb Komolafe and Joseph Himon II, going, with a heavy dose of quarterback runs from Aidan Chiles mixed in, too. Buffington's speed and quick reads are the key to setting Iowa's defense up in favorable down-and-distance situations.
The thing about Phil Parker's defense is that it builds on itself. If Cam Buffington and Iowa can slow down the Northwestern run game, it forces the offense to operate from behind the sticks in situations where the pass is much more likely. Life's a lot easier when you can sit on the pass.
Zach Lutmer has the speed and talent to sit on the pass and break on balls against Northwestern in those situations. He should get a lot of freedom this weekend to roam around and trust his instincts. That's when he is best, be it in pass coverage or quickly coming up in run support.
Tony Diaz was reintroduced to the Iowa offense in a big way last weekend, and I don't think he's going to go dormant any time soon. He is the most talented wide receiver Iowa has had during the 2020s. Tim Lester knows this. He also knows he has to scheme him touches.
This year's Iowa offense has a touch more explosiveness than previous seasons, which makes scoring a lot easier, as opposed to trying to sustain 10-play drives all game. On a fast track in Ryan Field, Tony Diaz could get free against the 95th-ranked pass defense in the country.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa as It's All On the Line: 3 Iowa Hawkeyes Set to Shine vs. Northwestern .
