Iowa-Ohio State Winner gets Whiff of the Roses

KCRG & AP

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By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Nov 13, 2009 at 2:51 PM CST

Story Updated: Nov 13, 2009 at 6:42 PM CST

COLUMBUS, Ohio - On Saturday the Iowa Hawkeyes face, arguably, their toughest and most important game of the season when they play the Ohio State Buckeyes... and they are still down a quarterback.

On Friday afternoon, the Hawkeyes left for Columbus, Ohio. The team now rests in the hands of freshman James Vandenberg after a second week without first string QB Ricky Stanzi. Fans say they are nervous, but expect a Hawkeye win.

"I know its kind of nerve racking with Stanzi how he is but I think they'll pull through," said Hannah Schlenker.

"I absolutely feel in my heart that the Hawkeyes are definitely going to whoop up on the Buckeyes," said Larry Lawrence.

Amid all the talk and headlines about how lucky Iowa was to win its first nine games, a nagging concern crept up on Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

His 2002 team was subjected to the same put downs. Some even called that squad, which won seven games by seven or fewer points, the Luckeyes. And all it did was win the national championship.

Now 15th-ranked Iowa (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten) and No. 10 Ohio State (8-2, 5-1) will square off on Saturday before 105,000 on senior day at Ohio Stadium with the winner guaranteed a spot in the Rose Bowl. No matter what happens a week later in the regular-season finales, the victor would grab at least a share of the Big Ten title and win all tiebreakers.

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