Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Kickoff to Big Ten Glory: Iowa Football Prepares for the Challenge Ahead!

Starting point is 00:00:00 Degenerates reunite. We have the return of biz back with us here today as we talk a little Hawkeye football. A thought of the non-conference. What did we see and what do we expect come Big Ten play? Plus, we'll make some picks all today. Locked on Hawkeye. You are locked on Hawkeyes.

Starting point is 00:00:22 Your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. And I'm Trent Condon, that's Biz, and this is the Locked on Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked on Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you find podcasts. You can also watch us on YouTube. Hit subscribe while you're there. Helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans.

Starting point is 00:00:47 Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Biz, good to see you again. It's been a couple of weeks after the first two weeks over at Kinnick Stadium. Took the week off last week for a little 10U softball, but ready to see the Hawkeyes in action again this weekend up in Minneapolis. How are you doing?

Starting point is 00:01:10 Good. As I told you, I assumed my career as a podcaster was over. I assumed I'd retired at this point. So I assume Arkansas Alley probably had something to do with this. She was in town a couple weeks ago and asked me if we were ever going to do this again. I told her probably not. So I don't know if she reached out to you or was one of my five other fans in the world. But good to be back.

Starting point is 00:01:33 Happy to chat and help out whenever I can. No, it's all on me. This was just bad work out of me. Honestly, I just forgot. And got so busy that I was like, oh yeah, during football season, we were doing a weekly podcast. We need to have that happen again. So I always enjoy talking football with you, obviously, Biz, and our conversations on the Hawkeyes. So for people that don't know, Jason and I grew up, he's a couple of years older than me, together in college,

Starting point is 00:01:59 together, been friends for a really long time. And we look at Iowa a little bit differently from time to time. Sometimes I get a little bit differently from time to time. Sometimes I get a little bit more emotional than you do. You are, for the most part, pretty down the middle. And I consider myself probably on the better end of that spectrum, but you can't take it to another level. This non-conference season has been inconsistent at best. We've seen two excellent halves of football from Iowa, an excellent quarter against Iowa State. And then there's been some lapses. And for me, kind of the crazy part about this is the lapses are just some places you don't normally expect.

Starting point is 00:02:32 Giving up the long plays defensively and not just giving up one that's going to happen, but it's been multiple now throughout the course of the season. The back end of the defense, the special teams play on Saturday, the punting game that's obviously taken a step back with no more Torrey Taylor. It's just, it's areas that I guess I normally don't anticipate we're going to see pretty major concerns, at least to this point in the non-conference. Your thoughts overall, Biz? Yeah, I mean, I think you're right. It's been a bizarre three weeks because there's been some areas of inconsistency you just don't expect with Iowa football. But anybody that's listened to us in the past knows I'm a true football nerd when it comes

Starting point is 00:03:10 to, you know, line play. And I think line play, both sides, offense and defensive line, is what fuels Iowa football and always will. And I think when you look at both sides of the line, I think on the offensive side, I see a lot of positives. You and I, you know, people have listened to me in the past. I've been incredibly negative towards Iowa's offensive line the last few years. I just think they've been completely inept. And I'm sick and tired of hearing the same excuses over and over that they're young and that they're, you know, inexperienced and you know, this and that and the other, and they're close because they haven't been.

Starting point is 00:03:45 They've been terrible the last few years. And so what we've seen in these first three games is mostly very positive. Have they made their occasional just boneheaded, nobody touch anybody and get killed in the backfield plays? Absolutely. But I would say 90% of the plays, the offensive line has looked really good. And to me, that's the key to Iowa football. When our offensive line is clicking, we can be a capable offense

Starting point is 00:04:10 even without a capable quarterback. And I think, unfortunately, again, we're going to have to admit that we probably don't have a capable quarterback. Cade McNamara is what he is at this point. He's not very good. He's an average to below average quarterback, and nothing that Brendan Sullivan has shown me has shown that he's any better at this point.

Starting point is 00:04:31 So you've got to lean on the line. And the offensive line has looked good. But on the flip side, I think the main reason we lost that Iowa State game was just complete inability to get any pressure whatsoever on Rocco Beck in the second half. He was able to sit back there and Rocco Beckton in the second half. He was able to sit back there and just pick us apart in the second half. And it doesn't matter how good your back seven is. If you can't get pressure on the quarterback, you're going to eventually wear down.

Starting point is 00:04:55 That's what happened. And so, I mean, just looking at the lines, that to me is the key going forward. Can the offensive line keep it up and continue to be as good as they have been when it comes to Big Ten play? Because if they have, I think our offense can be serviceable. On the flip side, defensive line, I mean, obviously against Troy, they look better, but they've got to be better than they were against Iowa State. I mean, Iowa State's offensive line was supposed to be one of their weak spots, and I think probably will be one of their weak spots going forward, and I think probably will be one of their weak spots going forward.

Starting point is 00:05:30 And they completely neutralized a defensive line that's got a ton of experience. And so that's the key to me. Can the two lines, can the offensive line keep it up, and can the defensive line improve? Because the other parts of the game, I'm not worried about giving up the big plays. Phil Parker will figure that out. I'm sure Phil is about ready to have a heart attack the last couple weeks. That will get figured out. Iowa football is what it is.

Starting point is 00:05:51 We've seen Phil Parker for 25 years, and I trust that that part is just an anomaly and will get fixed. We're not going to be giving up big plays every game for the next eight, nine games. That will get fixed. So, to me, the O-line, D-line is the big question. Where do those things go going forward? I think it's a good way to look at it. And they go seven deep on Saturday against Troy.

Starting point is 00:06:10 Didn't even see kind of those deeper rotational pieces. Brian Allen, he certainly showed some juice and we're seeing a more consistency out of him. Max Llewellyn also helping out. And Jeremiah Pittman, you know, if he can just be adequate as a backup defensive tackle, give them 15, 20 snaps a game, be able to give both Graves and Y.A.

Starting point is 00:06:27 Black a little bit of a breakout there, a series here and there. I think that's going to go a long ways with this squad. The offense as a whole, I'll talk about quarterback, obviously, with McNamara and Sullivan. That's been a big conversation piece going back to even last week. But this offense, it looks a lot different. It really does. And you see what they're doing with the blocking schemes, the red zone inefficiency against Iowa State. That was a

Starting point is 00:06:49 big headliner as well. But I'm liking the early returns. I'm liking what we're seeing. It's a scheme that I think makes a lot of sense for what Iowa is and what Iowa wants to do. And it's adding elements to the game, just simple couple of RPO plays, things like that. And I still think there's more that can be unleashed. And that's what gives me some optimism still with this squad because we haven't seen a ton of the jet sweep motion. We haven't seen some of the other elements that have been there, but they've just been in small doses.

Starting point is 00:07:16 I think there's still upside for this Iowa offense. And if McNamara's just okay with improved offense and offensive scheme, they're going to be all right against those midweights, right? The Wisconsin's, the Nebraska's, teams like that that are good defensively, Michigan states of the world, they're going to be okay. Do you see the same thing? Yeah, you mentioned the midweights. It's funny, Trent, because for years people have ripped on the Big Ten West

Starting point is 00:07:40 and talked about how Iowa's schedule has been relatively easy. Well, for one last year, we've still got that. I mean, you look at our schedule. If we can pull out the win this Saturday and assuming we lose at Ohio State, there's absolutely no reason we're not going to be favored in five straight games after that. I mean, we play five very, very mediocre opponents leading up to the Nebraska game.

Starting point is 00:08:05 I mean, Wisconsin seems to be average at best. You know, Maryland seems to be average at best. And then the other three, Michigan State, Washington, UCLA, are all three in complete rebuilding projects right now. I know Michigan State's looked better than people expected, but you've got to beat those three teams because they're all three completely rebuilding. Are they going to be good three teams because they're all three completely rebuilding. Are they going to be good in a year or two?

Starting point is 00:08:28 Maybe, probably. But right now, I mean, this is the window for Iowa football. And that's why, to me, this Saturday is so unbelievably important because, I mean, you really can't overestimate the importance of Saturday's game because you lose it, you're looking at probably being two and three, and really your season, all the hopes you had and the goals you had are kind of out the window before the end of September. You win it, and every goal you had is still there.

Starting point is 00:08:58 Are you disappointed about the Iowa State loss? Absolutely. But every goal is still there. You can still win the Big Ten title. You can still be a playoff contender all the way down to the end. I mean, if we're 8-2 going into those last two games at Maryland and home versus Nebraska, we're going to be in the conversation. We'll probably be in the top 12 at that point,

Starting point is 00:09:15 but we'll be a top 20 team and at least have hope going down the stretch. So, I mean, Saturday is incredibly, incredibly important for Iowa football. So, I mean, we've got to find a way to win this game on Saturday. Saturday is incredibly, incredibly important for Iowa football. We've got to find a way to win this game on Saturday. We'll get into the Minnesota game a little bit more. We'll also talk about the quarterback play and give business thoughts as we saw Brendan Sullivan, the red zone package. Kirk said yesterday that we'll see if we're going to increase that a little bit more and see him maybe in more situations, third one, fourth one, and the like.

Starting point is 00:09:44 We'll talk about the quarterback play as we continue as this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Today's episode of Locked On Hawkeyes is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook. You've heard us talk a lot about FanDuel. It's America's number one sportsbook. Well, we have something a little bit different for you. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers, that's right, both new and returning customers can bet $5

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Starting point is 00:12:05 Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Biz, the quarterback conundrum happening in Iowa City. You mentioned it. Kate McNamara, he's not great, but if he could just be okay. And what we saw Saturday was okay. The completion percentage was through the roof, but he's also aided. A diving catch by Jacob Gill. A low pass to Luke Lachey.

Starting point is 00:12:25 He missed some throws as well, but overall, we see a guy that he's not making mistakes. If he can make the makeables out there, it's something we've been begging for for what, the last four years? And they can get it, I think, from McNamara, but I know Brendan Sullivan is intriguing for a lot of people. How about you? Yeah, I mean, I'm so tired of the conversation with the quarterback. I'm ready to move forward with Cade and just stick with it. But here's the thing to me. What I liked about Cade McNamara last year is I thought he just had an arrogance and a confidence about him that you need a quarterback.

Starting point is 00:12:58 I thought that was always one of Spencer Petras' biggest flaws. He just didn't seem very confident and didn't seem to be willing to, you know, he didn't have much belief in himself sometimes, I'm not sure, but Cade was, Cade had an arrogance about him, and I think up until halftime of that Iowa State game, he was starting to get that arrogance back. You saw the second half of the opener, he played great, and then the first half against Iowa State, played well, and then all of a sudden, they come out, he throws one of the worst passes you'll ever see to start the second half into triple coverage, five yards short, crossed his body across the field. And from that point forward, he seems to have kind of lost that moxie.

Starting point is 00:13:35 And the rest of that Iowa State game, he looked timid. And I thought last week he looked fine, but he also didn't look – he didn't have that confidence level that I like to see about him. but he also didn't look, you know, he didn't have that confidence level I like to see about him. So what I hope, you know, he has, he has plenty of experience going into big places and winning games. You know, at Michigan, he won games on the road. He won at Iowa State to start last year and, you know,

Starting point is 00:13:56 it wasn't always pretty, but he's handled it well. So I think he needs to be the quarterback because I think he has the ability to go on the road and put us in decent situations. So I hope we get to see that confidence in Moxie back a little bit because I worry he just hasn't looked. I don't know if he's still slightly injured or what the deal is, but he just doesn't seem to have that swagger that he when he has. I think he's a different quarterback. So so to me I don't see it as a controversy Cade's our quarterback move on but I do like what we did with Sullivan last week I think like bringing him in for that package I think it provides something different but I don't

Starting point is 00:14:35 see that package expanding you know another component to this is I think there's some people out there that believe that you see the weak arm from Cade McNamara and think that, well, the backup's got to have a stronger arm than that. That's not Brendan Sullivan's strength. If you look at his time in Northwestern, you go back and watch even his best game that he had against Maryland. That's not his strength either. He is a physical runner. He has that ability and he can make the makeables himself. But if you think that suddenly you're going to get some kind of gunslinger, that's going to be able to chuck it down the field, that's not Brendan Sullivan's game either. So I think some people maybe have this different picture, this different version of what Brendan Sullivan actually is as a quarterback.

Starting point is 00:15:14 And that's just not the reality of what he is. So that's a huge conversation. I think you nailed it, though. This is our guy. Cade McNamara is going to be the guy. And I maintain, if I was going to hit the Heights this year, and they're already kind of working behind the eight ball a little bit with the lost Iowa State, but if they're going to have a special 10 and two type of season, I still believe Cade McNamara is the quarterback that gives them the best chance

Starting point is 00:15:36 to get there. I just, I don't see that kind of upside with Brennan Sullivan. Well, the ironic thing is Trent, if you're that fan complaining about arm strength, then I guess you must have loved Deacon Hill and Spencer Petras because they had arm strength at the Wazoo. They couldn't do anything else. They can throw it a long ways. So, I don't know. To me, at the college level, I don't really care about arm strength all that much.

Starting point is 00:15:57 I care about the ability to get into the right play and the ability to make the simple plays. And right now, my biggest worry with Cade McNamara is his accuracy is terrible right now. Like when's the last time you saw him just hit somebody in stride, in rhythm? I guess the one throw to Weechin last week was a good one where Weechin got the go. But, I mean, most of the catches right now, there's not a lot of yards after catch right now. It's diving and having to make difficult catches on plays that probably shouldn't be that difficult.

Starting point is 00:16:28 So his accuracy is just not where it needs to be for somebody who's a six-year quarterback at this point. Because I think, I mean, watching the last few games, I think the scheme is better, and I think we do a better job of getting guys open in space a little bit. Now we've just got to hit them in space so they get things moving. I mean, you touched on it earlier. I think through three games, I'd give Tim Lester a solid B

Starting point is 00:16:55 as an offensive coordinator. I think he's put us in a lot of good situations. Has he been perfect? No. But I think we've seen more people open and in space and given us more opportunities in the passing game than we have in multiple years. And, you know, part of that's due to the fact that both Vander Zee and Gill are better than what we had for options last year. But, you know, I'm really impressed with Jacob Gill. I think he's I think he can be a fully capable, you know, option for the next couple of years.

Starting point is 00:17:21 Is he a superstar? No, but he's certainly he's certainly a, he certainly looks the part some better than some of the other wide receivers. He can actually run a route and make a catch, which we've had difficulty doing those things in the past. A real high bar wide receiver room. Half decade for the Iowa football team. All right, biz, let's come back here and let's talk about my favorite rivalry game on the schedule every year for Iowa. It's the matchup against the Gophers playing for the pig.

Starting point is 00:17:47 What Phil Fleck has up there. We'll talk about the matchup, make a pick in the game, and have something intriguing for the people out there outside of the state of Iowa. We'll talk about that as we continue here on Locked on Hawkeyes. Today's episode of Locked on Hawkeyes is brought to you by Roy Hawkeye fans. Have you heard about Roy? It stands for return on you. It's a new platform that lets you, the fans get involved in NIL like never before by making contributions

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Starting point is 00:19:38 Back with you one final time here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Trenton Biz cutting it up, talking a little Hawkeye football as we make our way into Big Ten play. It opens with a road trip up north to take on the Gophers. Biz, a couple of North Iowa guys. I know you love the matchup with Floyd every year as well. Yeah, well, and I know you despise PJ probably more than any human on earth. So I will say he has really rejuvenated this rivalry.

Starting point is 00:20:06 I mean, I've always loved the Iowa-Minnesota rivalry, but now that you have Fleck there, it really adds an extra level of spice to it and just hatred in general because he's so easy to hate. I mean, he's just somebody that his arrogance makes it pretty easy for him to dislike. But on the flip side, he's also made them very competitive. And so it's very, you know, every game against them is a battle. And it'll be a battle on Saturday also. But if there's one person on earth that hates Phil Fleck more than you,

Starting point is 00:20:35 it may be Kirk Ferentz. And that's always, to me, the huge thing with this rivalry game is Ferentz hates him and despises him. And we always come ready to play against Minnesota because of that. I mean, you know, we always talked about, I wish, I wish Ferentz would have found a way to hate what the hell's the name? The old Purdue coach. He's not Louisville. He didn't hate Brom. And so he struggled with Purdue.

Starting point is 00:20:58 He didn't seem to hate Fitzgerald. So he struggled against Northwestern, but you know, he despises Fleck. And so the combination of what happened last year plus his general hatred of PJ leads me to believe we're going to come ready to play on Saturday. Last year, that's going to be a component. That one rankled Kirk for a long time, and he can definitely see that one. I think this is not going to be like we saw Saturday. I don't know if it was overlooking the opponent, a hangover, whatever it is. This is going to be a locked in team. This is going to be a team that

Starting point is 00:21:28 is ready to go. Will they be good enough? Will fluky things happen? Look, that's football. As Kirk famously said back in 2014, weird things can happen at that one. But I really like Iowa's opportunity in this one. In the last couple of weeks, Minnesota with a couple of shutouts against a couple of tomato cans. You don't read a ton into that. But they're going to be like Minnesota's built themselves into. And as much as I hate the carnival barking aspect of Phil Fleck, as a football coach, there's actual substance behind what he is. He is not just one of those guys that is all flash and no substance.

Starting point is 00:22:00 He's a football coach. He does have that acumen. He's built Minnesota in a way that if the Gophers are going to compete, that's how you have to build Minnesota. They're going to be huge upfront on the offensive line. They're going to be attacking defensively. This is a matchup and there's a reason these games have been so close throughout the years. They match up well with Iowa and they do some things that have given Iowa trouble here. This is not one where Iowa can just show up and think they're going to get the victory. They're going to also have to play well on Saturday.

Starting point is 00:22:28 Oh, definitely. But I think we match up well with them also because the one thing, our defense, when you look at our defense and everybody's, you know, jumping on the fact that the, you know, the three big plays that we've given up, and rightfully so, that's not Iowa football, and that Iowa State put up over 200 yards on us

Starting point is 00:22:43 in the second half. But the one constant for the Iowa defense in three games is run defense. Our run defense has been great. And you look at Minnesota's run game, I don't think it's as good as it was a couple years ago. They haven't exactly ran the ball down the throat on some pretty mediocre teams. I'm not sure they've had a game yet where they've ran for 200 yards rushing, which that used to be kind of an automatic with Minnesota. And the other thing is

Starting point is 00:23:07 I don't think, you know, we've struggled with really athletic, quick wide receivers. We saw that last week. We saw that against the Clones. You know, I watched pretty much all of that Minnesota-North Carolina game. The Gophers wide receivers are very, very mediocre this year. I just don't see a wide receiver on that team that they're going to be able to, you know, to exploit like they have the last couple weeks against us. So I think we match up well against them also. But it's going to come down to, I mean, it's going to be a classic Iowa-Minnesota game,

Starting point is 00:23:38 which team can get the 21 points first. If we can score 21 points, we'll win the game. Yeah, I think it's as simple as that. I think you nailed it. Well, let's get into our pick of the game brought to you by Fiendual Sportsbook. Two and a half currently the number in this one. I mentioned an intriguing number out there. So I heard this in passing.

Starting point is 00:23:54 Here in the state of Iowa, we've got plenty of people outside of the state. If you're into sports wagering, you cannot bet on individual player props for in-state athletes. So that means Caleb Johnson rushing or Cade McNamara passing touchdown, things like that. They're not available in the state, but they are available outside the state. Last week, the over-under for Caleb Johnson against Troy rushing yards was 100. Obviously, he surpassed that one against one of the worst rush defenses in America. For this week, the number for Caleb Johnson is 80. Again, not available here in the state of Iowa, but is available outside of the state. Boy, that's an intriguing number. And

Starting point is 00:24:30 certainly if Iowa gets there, I mean, talk about a same game parlay, correlated parlay there. Caleb Johnson over 80 yards and Iowa on the money line. That seems like a pretty good one-two punch. So you say you reached out to our friend Melton, Illinois, and had him play some bets for you? Is that what the moral of the story is? It's not a bad idea. I like how you're thinking over there. Yeah, absolutely. But that number, I don't know.

Starting point is 00:24:52 I guess I just thought it'd be a little bit higher. I thought it'd be approaching 90 yards, something like that. Minnesota's run defense is usually pretty good. But with the improvements we've seen, certainly in run blocking the last couple of years, Caleb Johnson gets even 20 carries. I think he's going to get to 80, don't you? Yeah, I mean, if I had to bet it, I would take the over. I don't love it, though, either.

Starting point is 00:25:14 I mean, I think we're – I mean, Minnesota's going to sell out on stopping the run, and they're going to force us to do anything other than – and I think they're sound enough. I mean, the thing with kael johnson is i mean i like kael johnson i think he's a very good running back i don't think he's a star running back because i don't think he does a very good job of making two yard carries into four or five yard carries he's been great this year he's been better yes i'll give him credit he's better but i don't think that's his game and so i don't think he's going to grind out a 24 carry

Starting point is 00:25:47 89 yard performance he's either going to have 17 carries for 150 or 17 carries for 52 and it all comes down to does he bust one or two or three of them because as we've seen if you give him a straight line crease he's going to hit it He's going to get 30 every time. I mean, he is phenomenal at that. I mean, he glides through that hole about as smooth as you can get. I saw somebody compare him to my all-time favorite running back on earth, Eric Dickerson. I mean, the reason I'm a Rams fan is because of Eric Dickerson.

Starting point is 00:26:18 And not in any way comparing him to him, but they do have that same upright kind of gliding running style. And so when he gets the hole, he's going to, he's going to make it, he's going to make some, he's going to go for 30 every time. But the question is, can he go for six when it's not there? And so, you know, I do what I, if I had to bet it, would I take the over? Yes. But I don't love it the way you do. So I'm not going to be going over state lines to make the best.

Starting point is 00:26:46 Yeah. And you're a little bit closer to a state line than I am here right in the middle of the state. All right. Two and a half is the number. I'll be honest. I think it's going to come down to the wire. I think this is a coin flip type of game.

Starting point is 00:26:58 And because of that, I'll grab the points. I'll grab the two and a half. I know people are sitting there waiting for, Oh, can we get a three? If you're on the Minnesota side of things? I'm happy taking this.

Starting point is 00:27:07 I wouldn't be surprised if this thing's 17-16, 20-19, something in that range. I think it comes down to the wire. And in a game that I believe is going to be that close and that tight, I'll grab the points. This is the ultimate Homer pick. Give me the Hawks. And the main reason why is trent as the optimistic

Starting point is 00:27:25 iowa fan i just this team's got too much experience and too much heart i mean i think there's a lot of guys that came back with huge expectations this year uh you know it's rare to see so many and i mean we've never seen this before because of covid but uh you know you've never seen a team with this many fifth and sixth-year seniors, and I just think they're going to go up there and play with a ton of heart because I certainly am not ready for this season to be a complete disappointment in September, and I'm sure as hell thinking they're not either.

Starting point is 00:27:55 And so, you know, the Iowa State game was heartbreaking. I think it probably doesn't surprise me there was a hangover last week, but I think we're going to get to see the best the Hawks have to offer on Saturday. I think they're going to come out ready to play. And, again, this is the homer in me, but I think when the Hawks play their best, they're better than Minnesota. And so I think we're going to see a good performance by Iowa on Saturday, and I think we'll see a cover.

Starting point is 00:28:21 But, again, that might just be me wishful thinking and thinking please, I want to have a fun year and not a year where we're talking about what could have been. Absolutely. Two and two would not feel very good come Sunday, Saturday night. With that biz... It's also me trying, I mean I said it earlier, but this

Starting point is 00:28:40 is Iowa's window. I mean, we're going to be a rebuilding team next year. Our schedule is only going to get harder down the road. As an Iowa fan, you and I know better than anyone, with the new 12-team playoff, we're going to be in a position to get in the playoff. History tells us maybe once every eight to ten years, we've got an opportunity. This year's the opportunity. It really is. It's a window where we can be in the conversation in mid to late November,

Starting point is 00:29:07 but to be in that conversation, we absolutely will have ourselves to win on Saturday. And then we have to go acquit ourselves decent at Ohio state. We don't have to win. Right. We just have to be in the ball game so that when people look back and say, well, you lost a heartbreaker at Iowa state, you lost the, you know, there's no bad losses in there. And you can say our 10 and two matches up against LSU's 10-2

Starting point is 00:29:28 or, you know, somebody else's 10-2. So to get there, you have to win on Saturday. And I just think we're going to be locked in and ready to go. So, but again, that may just be looking at it with the gold-colored glasses. Miz, good to catch up again. Good talking with you. You'll be in Minnesota.

Starting point is 00:29:43 I'll be in Minnesota, though. I think our agendas are a little bit different coming up this weekend. Enjoy the cross country. Yeah, I'll be in Minnesota to watch 15 minutes of pure excitement at the girls' cross country and then not seeing the Iowa game. I'll be back home on my couch in time for that. Well, good to hear that you don't sound real bitter about it. No.

Starting point is 00:30:04 Bring home the pig, Trent. We will. Absolutely. Biz, good to hear that you don't sound real bitter about it. No. Bring home the pig, Trent. We will. Absolutely. Biz, we'll talk to you again next week. And thanks for jumping out again. I'll remember to send you an invite next week too, okay? I'll be ready when you call me in 2025.

Starting point is 00:30:18 That's Biz joining us here. This is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Biz is on the Hawks. I'm on the Gophers and the two and a half coming up this weekend. We will be back with you tomorrow. Still a lot more coming up. We will dive deeper into the matchup, the importance of this one, and

Starting point is 00:30:35 also a little basketball news we haven't got to this week. We'll do that as we continue. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks!

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