Soil Compilation

Sports
Around the Big Ten – Week Four

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Week three of college football was the final tune-up for the Big Ten before the conference schedule began. This week, we’ll talk about Iowa’s 55-0 victory over Northern Iowa, Northwestern’s final game before moving into Ryan Field, and the Southern California showdown between USC and Oregon.

Music
Gin Blossoms Live at Hy-Vee Ampitheater

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On a cool night, somewhere in between the last days of summer and first days of fall, the finale to the Hy-Vee Ampitheater’s inaugural season took place. Starring Arizona’s Gin Blossoms, hundreds turned out on their feet for the band in North Liberty’s newest venue.

Sports
Iowa Hawkeyes Football

Holiday Revenge? Iowa gets first crack at USC since 2003 in San Diego

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The last time Iowa faced off with the historical West Coast power based out of Los Angeles, it started off with a bang with CJ Jones returning the opening kickoff 100-yards for a touchdown to open the 2003 Orange Bowl. It would be the only fireworks Iowa had all night. After Iowa took a 10-7 lead, USC put up 31 unanswered points behind the arm of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Carson Palmer and pummeled Iowa in a 38-17 ballgame. It was a bitter end to what had been a storybook season for Iowa under fourth-year head coach Kirk Ferentz. Now, fast … Continued

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#20 Iowa 23, #8 Minnesota 19: Cooking Bacon with Oars

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All week moral seemed to be at a low-point for the 2019 season as Iowa yet again whiffed at the chance to vault themselves towards a Big Ten West championship. While the overall outcome in Madison was disappointing, there were still positives to take away. Nate Stanley played his best half of football in the second half and the offensive line handled a deceiving Wisconsin front rather well for most of the game. But after such a disappointing loss, many wondered how Iowa would respond, especially with a 9-0, top ten Minnesota team coming into Kinnick with the Floyd of … Continued

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Tuesday’s With Kirk: Part Northwestern

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Coming off a 26-20 win against Purdue on Saturday, the mood was lighter around the Hansen Football Complex on Tuesday compared to the previous week. With the Boilermakers behind them, head coach Kirk Ferentz turned his attention to the 1-5 Northwestern Wildcats. “You look since Pat [Fitzgerald] has taken over, they’ve done a really, really nice job. The bottom line is they’ve got an identity,” Ferentz said. “I think that’s a byproduct of their stability in the program not only as Coach Fitzgerald has been there, but a lot of stability in their staff.” Fitzgerald has been the head cat … Continued

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#23 Iowa 26, Purdue 20: It Wasn’t Pretty, But When is it Ever?

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A chorus of boos rained down on Iowa at the end of the first half as the Hawkeyes ran the clock out a 9-7 halftime lead. It was a half that had Iowa reach or cross the Purdue 25-yard line three times. It only came away with three, Keith Duncan field goals. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz shared some frustration on how the half ended for his team as well. “I was a little ticked, we must’ve had a lack of communication on the kick return,” Ferentz said. “I thought it was a returnable ball and we fair caught it, … Continued

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Tuesday’s With Kirk: Purdue Edition

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It’s certainly been a long two and half weeks for Iowa fans. With tight losses to Michigan and Penn State and poor offensive play in both games, the fanbase is slowly starting to wonder if maybe the Hawkeyes weren’t what they were made out to be throughout the preseason. Ferentz isn’t as worried with the “sky is falling” mentality himself as much as making sure his players don’t read into as much. “They have exposure to the real world. All of a sudden the NFL Network and ESPN coming in or going out, there’s not a lot of Iowa talk … Continued

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It’s Just Cy-Hawk: #19 Iowa 18, Iowa State 17

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It was two hours and 55 minutes…no, not the game length. That was the total time each team spent in the locker room due to severe weather in the Ames area on Saturday afternoon. In any normal Saturday, the lightning delay would’ve been the big story. But, with College Gameday, A quirky game, and a group of students storming the field during the delay, it was an act in a four-part play. The 19th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes took down Iowa State for their fifth straight win in the Cy-Hawk Series. The final score was as quirky as the game itself: 18-17. … Continued

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#19 Iowa vs. Iowa State: The Breakdown

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It’s been a fun week of playful trash-talk, but since we’re now in the period of time where people are taking it too seriously, it’s time to see what’s expected on Saturday. It’s obviously the most anticipated Cy-Hawk game in the history of the series, especially with ESPN’s College Gameday on-site in Ames for the 1st time ever. People will be giddy over whether or not Coach Corso dons Cy or Herky at the end of the show. Fortunately, as Kirk Ferentz alluded to in his weekly press conference, what happens on College Gameday has no bearing on the game. … Continued

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First To The Punch: Iowa’s offensive line aims for quicker starts in 2019

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A phrase heard often among the Iowa offensive lineman on Friday was “First to the punch”. The phrase came about from the group’s desire to start games faster in 2019 than in 2018. Iowa’s stalwart offensive tackles, Tristan Wirfs and Alaric Jackson, echoed that sentiment while talking to the media. “A big thing for us is just starting fast, coming out here to practice we want to set the tempo and set the tempo in the game,” Wirfs said. “Coming off the ball, hitting people in the mouth is gonna be a big stepping stone in getting our run game … Continued

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Recinos, Hawkeyes survive Nebraska on last-second field goal

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Miguel Recinos had watched one miss the uprights earlier in the fourth-quarter: “It all started with my hips when I missed that first one…I struck the ball really well, it just didn’t behave the way I thought it would,” the senior kicker from Mason City said. But following Nate Stanely’s pass to T.J. Hockenson to convert a 4th and 8 on Nebraska’s 37-yard line, Recinos had a chance at redemption. He did not disappoint. Miguel Recinos game-winning field goal to give Iowa a 31-28 win over Nebraska #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/exYMjTSiuN — Quinn Douglas (@QuinnDouglas_FS) November 23, 2018 Recinos drilled a 41-yard … Continued

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