FACTS & STATS: Site: Ryan Field (47,130) -- Evanston, Illinois. Television: Local. Home Record: Iowa 3-1, Northwestern 3-2. Away Record: Iowa 1-4, Northwestern 2-2. Neutral Record: Iowa 0-0, Northwestern 0-0. Conference Record: Iowa 2-4, Northwestern 2-3. Series Record: Iowa leads, 45-20-3.

GAME NOTES: Coming off a thrilling double-overtime win against Michigan State last Saturday afternoon, the Iowa Hawkeyes shoot for just their second two-game win streak of 2007 as they challenge the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten Conference bout at Ryan Field. After winning the first two games of the season versus Northern Illinois and Syracuse at home, the Hawkeyes have struggled on the gridiron. However, the team should gain some confidence from their exciting 34-27 win against the Spartans last Saturday at home. The win was the second in the last three games for Iowa, which will host both Minnesota and Western Michigan to close out the regular season in the next few weeks. As for the Wildcats, they had been riding a three-game win streak until running into Purdue, a meeting that left the visitors with a 35-17 setback in West Lafayette. The loss dropped Northwestern to 5-4 overall this season, with precious few opportunities remaining to become bowl eligible. As far as the all-time series is concerned, Iowa holds a 45-20-3 edge over the Wildcats entering this contest. Northwestern won last year's meeting on the road by a score of 17-7, giving the squad two straight victories in the series.

Jevon Pugh had just two carries on the afternoon, but it was his second effort that made all the difference for the Hawkeyes as he tallied the winning touchdown in the second overtime period versus MSU at home. Carrying much more of the load was Albert Young who registered 179 yards and two touchdowns for the hosts. Quarterback Jake Christensen converted only 5-of-15 passing, but still had one completion result in a touchdown. The signal-caller doesn't put up huge numbers and has completed just 52.6 percent of his attempts, yet he still has a total of 12 TDs against only three interceptions. Young has upped his production on the average significantly, now coming in at 80.2 ypg on the ground, even though he has just three TDs to his credit. Iowa is not much of an offensive threat this season, ranking last in the Big Ten and 115th in the country with a mere 17.1 ppg. In terms of total offense the group is 110th in the nation with 303.8 ypg.

A look at the offensive numbers for the Spartans give every indication that the visitors should have taken this game rather easily, but in the end even allowing MSU to control the ball for more than 36 minutes and generate 468 yards was not enough to keep the Iowa defense from getting the job down at the most crucial time. Three players were credited with double-digit tackles for the Hawkeyes, with Mike Humpal accruing a game-high 18 stops. Three times this season the Hawkeyes have held an opponent to six points or less, which explains how the group is ranked third in the conference and 19th in the nation in points allowed this season with just 18.2 ppg permitted. The squad has also benefited from turnovers, ranking first in the league and 11th in the country this week with a plus-1.0 turnover margin. With his team-high four interceptions, Charles Godfrey has had a lot to do with that stat.

C.J. Bacher threw for 208 yards and a touchdown on 20-of-39 passing last Saturday versus Purdue, but the news was not good from an overall standpoint because the youngster was also sacked five times and tossed three interceptions in the setback. Omar Conteh added an 11-yard TD run for the group, yet he finished with a mere 10 yards on five attempts, the team 89 yards on 29 total carries in the losing effort. Conteh leads the group in rushing with 447 yards and five touchdowns, but he is far from a dominating runner by Big Ten standards. Bacher has been known to put up big numbers with his 311.8 ypg passing, ranking him first in the conference and seventh in the nation in total offense, but he's still has just four more TDs (15) than he does interceptions (11) through nine games. The rushing offense is last in the league and 95th in the nation entering this week with 120.8 ypg.

Purdue's Curtis Painter didn't put up huge passing numbers with 182 yards, but he did keep from making mistakes and finished with two TDs against the Northwestern defense nonetheless. The Wildcats also permitted the home team to roll up 220 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Overall, Northwestern surrendered more than 400 yards and watched as the Boilermakers controlled the ball for almost 35 minutes on the day. The Wildcats have been unable to supply any sustained effort at the point of attack and in the trenches this season, ranking last in the conference and 107th in the country with less than five tackles for loss per game and 112th in the country with just one sack per game. Corey Wootton, who has one of the unit's two blocked kicks thus far, has been one of the most aggressive tacklers up front with his team-high six TFLs, not to mention pacing the group with six passes defended and five broken up. Take away the shutout tossed by the unit in the season opener versus Northeastern and their scoring defense (30.6 ppg) would be a lot worse than 84th in the country.

Iowa's offensive production last weekend was rather uncommon for the group, but being at home had to have helped the cause. Considering the Hawkeyes are on the road for this one and the Wildcats still have a shot at making it into the postseason, Northwestern has to be the favorite.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Northwestern 24, Iowa 16

Saturday, November 3rd, 12:00 p.m. (et).