This is a rare occasion where you play the same team in back to back bowl games. Now Nebraska was nothing special this year, but I believe the revenge factor with all the time to prepare is going to be a factor. Georgia also has been killed by injuries all year and now they are without their most important player in Aaron Murray as Hutson Mason will have his work cut out for him.
Georgia has not done well against run first teams and Nebraska has an excellent running game with a top 5 running back in Ameer Abdullah. Georgia was 2-4 vs. teams that ran the ball 37+ times this year in a game and their wins were by 7 and 3 points. Nebraska averaged 45 carries per game and had just 2 games with less than 37 carries in losses against Minnesota and Michigan State.
Iowa's staple defeat was ironically Nebraska who we are backing and I don't think it was very impressive when you look at how banged up Nebraska was for that game then you add in the fact that they had 4 injuries during the game and it's not shock that a physical team like Iowa lost that game. Whenever Iowa had to step up their play to play an elite team they lost. They lost by 12 to Michigan State 10 to Ohio State and 19 to Wisconsin. I would not call Northern Illinois an elite team, but they do have a dominant rushing attack and Iowa lost to them as well. LSU is of the same caliber running the ball as Wisconsin and Ohio State and although Iowa was 18th vs. the run this year and feature some of the best linebackers they allowed 273 and 218 to those two teams. LSU should be able to move the ball on the ground even without the threat of Zack Mettenberger's arm. If anything I think Anthony Jennings will provide for a better rushing attack, because he is also a threat to rip off yards in chunks. Cam Cameron is a very good offensive mind and the extra time will allow him to put things into the game that fit to Jennings who has a ton of upside. It will help that Iowa is among the worst in the nation at getting to the QB ranking 75th in sack %. Jennings also has a pair of NFL ready receivers in Landry and Beckham that just don't exist in the Big Ten.
On the flip side LSU's defense is young and really emerged as the season went on. They held Johny Football to 10 points and the elite Auburn attack to 21 points. I really think the extra time benefits LSU's defense the most in this game and I don't Iowa can put up 10 points. Iowa lacks any type of player that can stretch a defense and change the game and LSU knows it. LSU has some great athletes and they should be able to cheat up and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. LSU owes their fans for the last two years with the collapse against Clemson and their shocking defeat in the Championship vs. Alabama. Iowa is not in the caliber of those two teams and I see LSU cruising to an easy victory by double digits.
