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This game will be a homecoming of sorts for Bob Stoops.

The former Iowa Hawkeye football player will face off against his alma mater when he takes his Oklahoma Sooners to the Insight Bowl to face the Hawkeyes. Although Stoops has coached the Sooners for 13 years, he has never faced his former school.

In fact, the only time these two storied programs hooked up came in the 1979 season opener, when Barry Switzer’s Sooners beat Hayden Fry’s Hawkeyes 21-6 in Norman.

Our current Insight Bowl line list Oklahoma as 14-point favorites, while the total has been posted at 58 points.

Iowa

Iowa began the year 3-1, then 5-2, but has alternated wins and losses in each of the last six games, ending the regular season with a 20-7 loss at Nebraska. The Hawkeyes have been 1-4 away from home, with two of the losses by a combined four points.

The Hawkeyes rate 42nd in the nation in defense (23 points per contest), giving up 388 yards per contest (228 via the pass, 160 via the run) while recording 20 sacks and enticing 18 turnovers – with two being taken back for scores (Tanner Miller and Shaun Prater, interceptions).

James Morris anchors the defense with 105 stops (adding an interception), while Christian Kirksey has 103 stops (two forced fumbles, sack, pick, fumble recovery). Mike Daniels has seven sacks with 62 stops, while Miller has three interceptions, 71 stops and a forced fumble and Prater has four forced fumbles to go with 46 stops.

Iowa rates 53rd nationally in points scored (29 ppg) while compiling 379 yards per contest (236 through the air, 143 on the ground). James Vandenberg has connected on 59 % of his throws for 2,806 yards with 23 TDs and six picks. The offensive line has given up 26 sacks.

Marvin McNutt is the best pass catcher with 78 catches (33 more than anyone else) for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Marcus Coker leads the ground attack with 1,384 yards and 15 scores on 4.9 yards per carry.

Oklahoma

After a 6-0 start, the Sooners are just 3-3 in the second half of the season and are coming off a 44-10 loss to their in-state rivals Oklahoma State. OU is 4-2 away from home, but has dropped the last two games to ranked teams (Baylor, OSU).

Oklahoma ranks 10th in the country in scoring offense (40 ppg) while generating 532 yards per contest (365 via the pass, 167 via the run). Landry Jones has completed 63 % of his throws for 4,302 yards and 28 touchdowns with 14 INTs. The offensive line has given up nine sacks.

Ryan Broyles (out for the season: knee injury) was the top receiver with 83 grabs (25 more than any other player) for 1,157 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Roy Finch and Dominique Whaley (out for the season: ankle injury) led the running game with a combined 1,228 yards and 12 touchdowns on 5.6 yards per carry.

Defensively, the Sooners rank 37th nationally in points allowed (23 ppg), giving up 384 yards per game (244 via the pass, 140 via the run) while recording 37 sacks and forcing 25 turnovers – four of which have been returned for touchdowns (Jamell Fleming, Tom Wort and David King, fumbles; Demontre Hurst, pick).

Aaron Colvin and Travis Lewis pace the defense with 80 and 79 tackles, respectively, adding two forced fumbles, two recoveries and a pick combined. Frank Alexander has 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, adding 51 tackles, a pick and a fumble recovery, while Tony Jefferson has four interceptions, 67 stops, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

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