Florida Gators Football: Keys To Defeating Iowa Hawkeyes In Outback Bowl

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Austin Appleby (12) throws against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second quarter of the SEC Championship college football game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Florida Gators football team will face the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl on January 2, 2017. What must Florida do to achieve victory?

The Florida Gators football team has endured one of the most grueling seasons in program history. Eight starters were lost to severe injuries at some point of the 2016 season, including quarterback Luke Del Rio and linebacker Jarrad Davis.

On January 2, 2017, the Gators will have an opportunity to end this trying season on a high note by defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl.

Florida and Iowa have a rich history of meeting in bowl games, and the Outback Bowl projects to be another memorable encounter. Both teams enter the Outback Bowl at 8-4 and are hoping to end the season on a high note with National Signing Day looming.

A win for the Gators wouldn’t necessarily clinch commitments from prospects who are on the fence, but it would go a long way towards changing the tone that JIm McElwain has set in Gainesville.

Florida finished the 2015 season at 9-4, but it did so by losing three consecutive games, including its bowl game. The Gators would be 9-4 again with a win over Iowa, but it’d snap a two-game losing streak and improve McElwain’s legacy accordingly.

The question is: what must the Florida Gators do in order to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl?

Nov 12, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators place kicker Eddy Pineiro (15) kicks a 54 yard field goal during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Florida Gators defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 20-7. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

5. Special Teams

The Florida Gators and Iowa Hawkeyes are two of the most dominant defensive teams in the country. Both can contain the run and dominate against the pass, which creates the potential for a low-scoring affair.

If Florida struggles to move the ball against Iowa’s defense, then it will be on the special teams units to make plays in every phase.

For starters, All-SEC punter Johnny Townsend must pin the Hawkeyes deep in their own territory when he comes onto the field. Florida’s defense is elite, but if the offense won’t help it, then special teams must.

That also means the Gators’ punt and kick coverage teams must prevent the Hawkeyes from coming away with explosive gains.

Kicker Eddy Pieniro struggled early in 2016, but he needs to continue to play at what’s become a high level. He’s made nine consecutive field goals, but he can’t psych himself out; Florida will need him to convert.

Offense and defense receive more praise, but it’s the special teams that often determine the tone of a big game. That will be the case in the Outback Bowl.

Nov 25, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard (16) looks to throw a pass during the first quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

4. C.J. Beathard

The Iowa Hawkeyes have a quarterback who either shows up with a stellar showing or struggles. The Florida Gators have two of the Top 5 cornerbacks in the country in Teez Tabor and Quincy Wilson.

If Florida is going to emerge victories from the Outback Bowl, then the secondary and pass rush must force Beathard into a poor showing.

Beathard was 8-of-19 for 66 yards against the Michigan Wolverines and 9-of-17 for 80 yards against the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was 10-of-15 for 144 yards and three touchdowns in his most recent appearance, however, and that proves him to be quite the threat.

Beathard has 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions in 2016, and while he may not be the best quarterback in the country, he puts up points and takes care of the ball.

In order for Florida to win this game, the secondary must take advantage of the opportunities it has to force turnovers. Collapsing the pocket will go a long way towards doing that, but this is the type of game where simply playing intelligent football should win out.

Beathard hasn’t reached 250 passing yards in any game this season, but Florida cannot take the threat of the pass lightly.

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators running back Jordan Scarlett (25) runs the ball against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter of the SEC Championship college football game at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

3. Establish The Run

It’s no secret that the Florida Gators rank amongst the worst offensive teams in the country. Florida ranks No. 13 out of 14 teams in the SEC in total yards accumulated, which is heavily influenced by inconsistency at quarterback.

Due to the erratic nature of the Gators’ passing attack, the key to offensive execution will be establishing the run.

Florida has two of the most promising running backs in the country in Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine. Scarlett has run for 795 yards and six touchdowns on an average of 4.8 yards per carry, while Perine has 402 rushing yards and a score on an identical average of 4.8 yards per carry.

Together, Scarlett and Perine have the raw talent and balance in running style to give the Iowa Hawkeyes trouble in the Outback Bowl.

Unfortunately, this will be yet another battle with an elite defense. Iowa is admittedly allowing 153.2 rushing yards per game, but it’s held its past three opponents—Michigan, Illinois, and Nebraska—to a combined 23 points.

Florida will need Scarlett and Perine to run like they did against the LSU Tigers if this game is going to end in an ideal way.

Oct 8, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Akrum Wadley (25) rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Hawkeyes won 14-7. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

2. Contain The Run

As previously established, the Florida Gators have one of the better combinations of running backs in the country. Both Jordan Scarlett and Lamical Perine have the ability and upside to become legitimate stars in the SEC.

The Iowa Hawkeyes aren’t developing star-caliber running backs, however, as they already have two on the roster.

LeShun Daniels Jr. leads the Hawkeyes with 1,013 rushing yards 10 touchdowns on an average of 5.1 yards per carry. He has three different games with at least 150 rushing yards, including each of Iowa’s past two outings.

If Florida succeeds in containing Daniels, then it will still have to deal with one of the most explosive players in college football: Akrum Wadley.

Wadley has run for 966 yards and 10 touchdowns on an average of 6.6 yards per carry. He has five 100-yard games, as well as 32 receptions for 294 yards and three touchdowns to round out his borderline elite presence at running back.

No matter what Perine and Scarlett manage to do for the Gators, the defense will need to step up and contain both Daniels and Wadley.

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Austin Appleby (12) passes the ball during the first quarter of the SEC Championship college football game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

1. Austin Appleby

If the Florida Gators are going to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl, then Austin Appleby will need to step up. The senior quarterback will have one last game to solidify his legacy in Gainesville.

The potentially good news for Florida is that Appleby has played Iowa in the past and has actually performed rather well.

Appleby, who transferred from Purdue to Florida, has played Iowa in three different Big Ten games. He went 5-of-6 for 83 yards and a touchdown in 2013, but was just 2-of-6 for 11 yards and an interception in 2014.

Purdue lost the third outing, but Appleby produced strong numbers by completing 23 of his 40 throws for 259 yards and a touchdown.

If Appleby were to do exactly that in the Outback Bowl, it would likely be enough for the Gators to pull out a victory. The threat of the pass would be established and both the running game and the defense would have a lightened burden.

No matter what type of numbers Appleby posts, he must be able to complete the necessary throws and take care of the football.

The Florida Gators can improve to 9-4 and end the 2016 season with a win, but they’ll need to step up in these five areas in order to do so.