[SBR Andy]

The Iowa/Minnesota game this weekend currently has the lowest tracked total (32.5) going back to 1995:



This is Iowa's 7th game this season with a total in the 30's. I guess that's what happens when you have the 130th ranked offense and 3rd ranked defense. First team to double digits wins - who's taking the under?

[jjgold]

Why is it so low?

Weather?

[RM Logic]

Why is it so low?

Weather?

Have you watched Iowa's offense?
It is like watching 1950's football.
It is historically bad.

[hubie69]

Have you watched Iowa's offense?
It is like watching 1950's football.
It is historically bad.

You failed to mention the Iowa D is historically good.

[jjgold]

Iowa also needs new coaching regime, new direction a must in future

[brock]

A lot of black and gold at Perkins Saturday morning.

[Fishhead]

Iowa two wins away from the BIG TEN title TITLE GAME

[Brock Landers]

Iowa two wins away from the BIG TEN title TITLE GAME

Purdue plays northwestern and Indiana, they have a much easier path to get obliterated by Ohio St

[KVB]

Why is it so low?

Weather?

SBR Andy was kind enough to tell you in the OP, at least part of the reason.

Here are the FBS NCAAF Top 10 ranked, not rated, Defensive Teams, ranked by Yards per Game...

RK	TEAM	YPG	YDS/PLAY	OPP TDS
1	Michigan	232.8	3.99	13
2	Illinois	246.9	4.19	13
3	Iowa	260.7	3.81	14
4	Boise St.	263.9	4.47	20
5	Air Force	264.6	5.13	16
6	Georgia	269.8	4.47	10
7	Ohio St.	271.5	4.39	19
8	Minnesota	274	4.83	14
9	Marshall	276.4	4.33	19
10	Iowa St.	280.4	4.69	20

Here are the FBS NCAAF Offensive stats for the LAST 10 teams on the list, ranked, not rated, by Yards per Game...

RK	TEAM	YPG	YDS/PLAY	TDS
122	Western Mich.	307.8	4.62	22
123	Miami (OH)	300.8	4.99	21
124	Colorado	298.7	4.67	17
125	UConn	296	4.85	26
126	Colorado St.	288	4.79	12
127	New Mexico St.	287	5.05	22
128	Nevada	280.1	4.17	22
129	Massachusetts	278.6	4.12	13
130	Iowa	251.1	4.18	15
131	New Mexico	239.5	4.11	14

As far as number of games and number of plays almost everybody has 10 games (a couple of teams have played 9 and a couple have played 11) and the number of plays makes sense...

	Plays
	DEF	OFF
Iowa	684	600
FBS mean	682.3	687.7
FBS median	688	690
FBS SD	55.58	52

You can see that the defense gets the job done and is on the field slightly more than the FBS average number of plays, that's because the offense can't hold the ball. The number of offensive plays is well below a full standard deviation (FBS SD) of the 131 FBS teams.

They can't sustain a drive, and while the defense is good, and limit the number of plays a team has each drive, they just keep getting back on the field thanks to the offense.

Guess who has the second most punts and most punt yards in the FBS.

It's Tory Taylor of Iowa...

RK	TEAM	PLAYER	PUNTS	PUNT YDS
1	New Mexico	Aaron Rodriguez	65	2863
2	Iowa	Tory Taylor	64	2913
3	Indiana	James Evans	64	2869
4	Georgia Tech	David Shanahan	62	2692
5	Miami (OH)	Dom Dzioban	62	2651
6	Old Dominion	Ethan Duane	58	2475

[Hawkeye94]

Here is the thing I will say about coaching regime, as an Iowa alum, there are times when Kirk and co. can be very frustrating to us fans. But, one can look to Iowa's western border for a perfect example of how firing coaches goes, just to go get another. Nebraska anyone?? Special teams and defense is rock solid, so more than half of the game is taken care of. That leaves you with just the offense. 2 things this year, 1) a young offensive line. This is normally not an issue with Iowa. Most of the line this year has been underclassmen. (sophs). 2) And this is the biggest issue year after year is the loyalty to jr. and sr. QBs. Ferentz will not pull a multi year starter, even if the underclass reserve QB is better. Best example I can give, besides this year, is 2001, when Brad Banks came in for Kyle McCann during Michigan game. Banks was visibly better. When McCann was able to play in the following weeks, back in he went. Iowa went on to a so-so season. The following year when Banks was a senior and McCann having graduated, Iowa goes to the Orange Bowl that year. Banks is second to USC Qb Carson Palmer in the closest Heisman vote ever. My point is, Banks just suddenly didn't become that good over the summer. He was that before, but for some reason was never allowed to show his talent. Say what you will about Brian Ferentz, he did orchestrate a tremendous rout of Ohio St. in 2017, when Iowa had an older O-line and better QB. Iowa will never pull talent like a Mich., OSU, or southern schools. This coaching staff does great at getting the best out of the talent they have. Just be a little more flexible and creative on offense, we will be ok.

[DrunkHorseplayer]

Iowa is 7-3 to the under, Minny is 6-3-1 to the under.

[Fishhead]

IOWA's D is arguably the best in the country.

If they had an AVERAGE offense, they may be undefeated.

Thought this may be the 3rd best IOWA D in my lifetime, but they may be challenging for #1.............JACK CAMPBELL at MLB is all-world and this is without question the best secondary they've had.

[kyhawk]

Starting offensive linemen all soph's.

I remember getting excited when Iowa was guaranteed a winning season.

Any Big Ten school would love having Iowa past record, besides the usual behemoths of Mich and Ohio ST

[jjgold]

Excellent material

Although taking over

[RM Logic]

You failed to mention the Iowa D is historically good.

Not really.
They play in the West where there are zero good offenses.

The only good offense they have played all year is Ohio State.
Ohio State scored 54.
Certainly not all the defense's fault but they had little hope covering the Buckeyes' WRs. Their DBs are slow as mud.

[BIGDAY]

Iowa….

[las8]

I have been betting the under every game this year. I told my friend if we kept this pace 33 would be the number of this game. Last year the total was like 36 and they scored 70 some points.

[DrunkHorseplayer]

IOWA's D is arguably the best in the country.

If they had an AVERAGE offense, they may be undefeated.

Thought this may be the 3rd best IOWA D in my lifetime, but they may be challenging for #1.............JACK CAMPBELL at MLB is all-world and this is without question the best secondary they've had.

Did you see the chart KVB posted? The fact that five of the top eight defenses in the country (in terms of YPG) are in the Big 10 tells me that it's much more likely that the Big 10 has shit offenses as opposed to great defenses. If Iowa makes the championship game, they'll be rolled again by Michigan or OSU.

[BuckyOne]

Hey, guys, it is going to be damn cold and windy and the Gophers QB is ?

[KVB]

Did you see the chart KVB posted? The fact that five of the top eight defenses in the country (in terms of YPG) are in the Big 10 tells me that it's much more likely that the Big 10 has shit offenses as opposed to great defenses. If Iowa makes the championship game, they'll be rolled again by Michigan or OSU.

Interesting point, good take from the basic rankings.

[las8]

HAWKS!

I think this is their best D ever. I really only remember the 2000s so I'm glad fishhead might agree with me. TMFS is my favorite player ever but Campbell is creeping up there.