Hawkeyes welcome unbeaten Minnesota for Big 10 opener - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

After a surprising loss to Central Michigan last Saturday, the Hawkeyes can't wait to get that bad taste out of their mouths and play somebody else. Iowa has to refocus on the start of the Big Ten schedule as 4-0 Minnesota comes to Kinnick this week. 

The Gophers have beaten Iowa the last two seasons, but their last win in Iowa City was in 1999. Besides a 44-7 win over New Hampshire, Minnesota's other three wins have been by a combined 15 points, including a 17-10 win over Syracuse last Saturday.
 
Iowa is favored by six and a half points, but with a 2-2 record and two home losses, the Hawks know they'll have to play well to win the Floyd of Rosedale trophy back.

"I don't think we're going to have to talk a lot to get guys going for this game because it's a huge game for us, a rivalry game, a trophy game against a team we haven't had success against the last two years," said quarterback James Vandenberg. "I think we're all looking forward to the opportunity to play them in Kinnick."

"This whole winter they had a trophy case out where we go to our lockers to get our clothes back. We walk past them every day and we don't like that so we gotta take care of business this Saturday," said tackle Brandon Scherff. "Trophy games are big games.

Iowa and Minnesota play at 11:00 AM on ESPN 2.