#10 Iowa at #11 Ohio State in the Horseshoe for all the Roses today, 2:30 CT on ABC/ESPN

David vs. Goliath

As defined by ESPN's "College Game Day" today; and others throughout the week leading up to today's game. Iowa has "zero chance" in a game where Vegas calls Iowa as high as a 17 1/2 point underdog on the road today.

The #11 Ohio State Buckeyes (8-2, 5-1 in the Big Ten) host the #10 Iowa Hawkeyes (9-1, 5-1 in the Big Ten) in their famous stadium know as the Horseshoe. The game will determine who the Big Ten representative is in this year's Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, California.

Ohio State is going for their fifth outright or shared Big Ten title in the past five years. Ironically, the Buckeyes haven't played in the Rose Bowl, since 1996, since they have played in three BCS title games. Iowa hasn't played in the Rose Bowl, since 1991. The Hawkeyes haven't beat Ohio State in Columbus, since the 1991 season.

The Hawkeyes opened up to a 9-0 start for the first time in the school's history this season. But, in the second quarter last week, the Hawkeyes lost their #1 QB, in Ohio native Ricky Stanzi, and the likely bowl-bound Northwestern Wildcats pulled out the win at Kinnick Stadium 17-10.

It's Iowa in the David role and Ohio State in the Goliath role. If Iowa QB James Vandenberg is looking to make it a solo role for David, then Iowa has no chance on Saturday. Championships are won by teams, not individuals in football. The Big Ten Conference will determine who is heading to the Rose Bowl today. It will be one of the 'eyes. Either Hawk or Buck ...

Iowa needs to Just Do It! The time and opportunity will be there for 60 minutes in Columbus today. As former Iowa head coach J. Hayden Fry used to say, "scratch where it itches." Iowa, especially QB Vandenberg, needs to take what the defense will give. Iowa's defense will have to play some of their best football of the season. Iowa's special teams will have to play the best football of the season, as well.

Iowa football under coach Kirk Ferentz is clearly "not sexy." Opponents often know what the Iowa Hawkeyes are planning to do. The philosophy is fueled on execution and taking care of one's own individual assignment. When Iowa beat Duke in basketball in the 1990s, under former head basketball coach Dr. Tom Davis... the Duke coach talked about the "sum of the parts" the Iowa team displayed that day.

It will take a Team effort today. Solid offense, special teams and defense pulling together and taking care of the their individual assignments and executing the play. Our coaching staff will have to be at the top of their game too. We can't afford a high mix of turnovers, miscues and penalties in Columbus. We need to win the battle of the breaks. We need to put the Buckeyes in poor field position, long downs and force them to march down the field. The defense must come up big! As we know, defense wins championships!

Just Do It Iowa!

peace

I will not likely be seeing this game. I have a conflict, which is part of the landscape of life. I didn't see the game in 1987 either, which was Iowa's first win in my lifetime in the Horseshoe. Let's hope our tight ends step up in today's game.

Robin Tucker

By the way, Iowa is a Nike school, so ... Just Do It!