Three things to watch for against Iowa

After a tough 23-3 loss to Wisconsin, Northwestern is back in action this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST. They will face the Iowa Hawkeyes, who suffered a 32-20 loss to Michigan State. Northwestern is currently one game behind Iowa as it looks to overtake the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten standings and get back to .500 for the season. Here are three things to pay attention to during the game:

Runs it up

Before the Wisconsin game, the rushing game was a big question for Northwestern. Up to this point, Cam Porter had not been able to be reintegrated into the offense after his injury. The Wildcats had that mission in mind last Saturday when Porter scored 14 runs during the game. However, those attempts resulted in just 48 yards against Wisconsin’s 62nd-ranked run defense, allowing just 139.9 rushing yards per game. Regardless of the stats from last game, Northwestern will still want to rely on Cam Porter and the running game. Iowa has the 29th ranked run defense in the country and only allows 112 rushing yards per game, so it will be a struggle for Cam and his team.

Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson is in a similar situation. Last week against Michigan State, Johnson had 14 carries that he converted into 98 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Spartans. Don’t expect him to have such a good game on Saturday. While Michigan State has the 53rd ranked run defense with 131.1 rushing yards per game, NU ranks 17th in run defense and only allows a measly 103.4 rushing yards per game. Northwestern’s defensive line seemed unstoppable against Maryland, but faltered against Wisconsin, allowing Tawee Walker to rush for 126 yards. A rebounding game is needed for the Wildcats’ defensive line if they want to combat Johnson’s game. Ultimately, Saturday’s game will be decided in part by whose run defense/running backs are superior.

A deadly combination against a stacked unit

The running game won’t be the only deciding factor in Saturday’s game. Another key factor will be the role AJ Henning and Bryce Kirtz play in getting open – assuming Henning is ready to go. Last week the receivers had arguably their worst performance of the year, as Kirtz caught just two balls for 23 yards and Henning ran once for two yards. Henning entered the medical tent in the middle of the Wisconsin game and did not return.

Iowa’s secondary is led by safety Sebastian Castro, who has 28 tackles and one interception this season. Castro may be the best NFL defender on the team and is supported by free safety Quinn Schulte, who has 33 tackles and one interception. Cornerback Jermari Harris has 17 tackles, three interceptions, five pass deflections and one touchdown this season, while cornerback Deshaun Lee has 19 tackles and one pass deflection. Although Lee is not listed on any injury reports, he did not play against Michigan State. He’s someone to look for come Saturday. It will be the job of Bryce Kirtz and Henning to get open and control this formidable defense if the Wildcats want to have a chance to establish a passing game. Kirtz and Henning are also looking for a week of relaxation. However, it is still unclear whether Henning will play on Saturday. He is currently listed as questionable due to an undisclosed injury.

QB redemption time

Speaking of resurgence: Nobody is looking for a resurgence like Jack Lausch. Even if Kirtz and Henning can assert themselves, it is Lausch’s job to get them the ball. Last week, Lausch threw for 82 yards and completed just nine of his 24 pass attempts. When Lausch had his best game of the season against Maryland, he played the 119th pass defense in college football. Last week he faced Wisconsin, the seventh-best pass defense in college football. This week, Lausch faces Iowa’s mediocre 83rd-ranked pass defense, which allows 224.9 pass yards per game. Expect Lausch to throw better ball this week while continuing his run production from last week. His performance will be crucial to the outcome of this game.