How Michigan's Physicality is Preparing the Iowa Hawkeyes for Ohio State

It's an understatement to say the Iowa Hawkeyes played a physical game last week. The Michigan Wolverines brought a physical nature to that game that Iowa matched.

Iowa can take that game into this week's matchup against Ohio State. The Hawkeyes, a physical team each year, can use that lesson from last week to prepare for Ohio State, which is also physical, but in a different way.

Ohio State is physical in a different way

Ohio State and Michigan aren't too different in some ways, despite being rivals. Both play a physical brand of football, something that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has made a point of emphasizing.

While physical, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz noted how the Buckeyes are also built differently, specifically larger in the trenches.

"At least we know what it's like. They're different, but they're the same. They're very similar teams in that they're really talented. They've got good size. They're built differently, if that makes any sense. Like, you can tell what Ohio State's goal is.

"They're just a really big -- they're big on both lines. Their guys are all -- on the defensive front, basically they're all 300-pound-plus guys. It's a little different, whereas they're a little bit different builds and abilities last week, all those guys inside were 300-plus easily," Ferentz said of the game against Michigan helping Iowa this week.

The Big Ten is a test of physicality

Iowa knows what it signed up for in the Big Ten with this schedule. You have to be a physical team, or things simply won't work out well for you in this conference. It's the reality of Big Ten football.

Ferentz went on to mention that this is the norm he is trying to prepare his players for. Each game is physical. Each opponent is physical. Knowing what's coming is one part of the test for Iowa. Being able to handle it is the next.

"They're both talented. They both have good size. You play a game like that last week where it was really pretty intensity physical, and you turn around, and you've got one more like it, the same way. I imagine a week from now won't be much different either.

"That's kind of Big Ten play, if you will. You're either learning, or you're not. But I think at least we've been there once, and now here we go, another test," added Ferentz.

Add us as a preferred source on Google