Big Ten Championship: Top Michigan State vs Iowa X-factors
Sep 26, 2015; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) prepares to throw a pass during the second quarter against the North Texas Mean Green at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
3. Iowa QB C.J. Beathard
Junior QB C.J. Beathard is one of the biggest reasons Iowa is 12-0. The first year starter is completing over 60 percent of his passes and has thrown for 2,354 yards with 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He is somewhat similar to Connor Cook in his first season in that he doesn’t make many mistakes and is a game manager.
Beathard takes advantage of red-zone opportunities better than any QB in the nation outside of TCU‘s Trevone Boykin with a 94.4 QBR in the redzone. He’s also never turned the ball over in the redzone and has six rushing touchdowns.
Iowa leans heavily on its ground game to open up the pass with play action passes. The Hawkeyes average 203 rushing yards per game. In its last 3 games, Michigan State has allowed only 105 rushing yards per game, including holding Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett and Ezekial Elliot-led offense to just 86 yards rushing and less than 3.0 yards per attempt.
Michigan State’s passing defense has also taken major strides in recent weeks thanks to the return of cornerback Darian Hicks and the improved play of Montae Nicholson and Arjen Colquhoun.
The return of Hicks allowed Demetrious Cox to move back to safety, his natural position. As a result, the unit has cut down on big plays and is now fairly solid. In its last three games, Michigan State has given up an average of only 175 passing yards per game. That number does include the weather-influenced passing stats against Ohio State, where the Spartans gave up only 46 passing yards on 16 attempts.
If Michigan State shuts down Iowa’s ground game, will Beathard be able to beat the Spartans with his arm against a healthy, vastly-improved secondary? If Michigan State forces Iowa to be one-dimensional on offense, it will bode well for the Spartans.
Next: 2. Will Trevon Pendleton play?