Iowa Hawkeyes make ominous depth chart change following injury

Riding high after their 23-20 win over No. 4 Penn State, the Iowa Hawkeyes suffered a heavy dose of reality when starting cornerback Riley Moss was removed from the depth chart following a knee injury. The school has not released an official diagnosis or timetable for his return yet.

Riley Moss was removed from Saturday’s game after the injury, which occurred in the aftermath of a key interception. Following his second quarter pick, the senior defensive star tied the national lead with four interceptions throughout the season. His replacement was junior cornerback Terry Roberts, who is now listed at starter on the Iowa depth chart.

With big shoes to fill, Roberts finished Saturday with one pass deflection. So far this season, he has recorded nine tackles, three pass deflections and one interception.

The Iowa secondary has carried the load, leading college football with 22 turnovers through just six games. The plus-14 turnover margin has helped lead the Hawkeyes to multiple upset wins on their way to becoming Big Ten favorites.

Kirk Ferentz on ratings hype

Iowa is rapidly rising in the latest rankings after defeating Penn State in a top five matchup on Saturday. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 2 in the latest AP top 25 Poll following the win. After the win over Penn State, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz talked about Iowa’s rise, saying that there is a lot of football to be played.

“So these rankings are still kind of — there’s a lot to be decided,” Ferentz said of Iowa’s rapid rise in rankings. “But, nonetheless, these were two good teams today. And it’s true all the time for us, but especially in a game like this where, you know, the competition is about as good as it’s going to get.”

Now 6-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country, Iowa begins preparation for Purdue, followed by a road trip to Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes will not face another ranked opponent through the rest of the regular season, including four games against sub-.500 teams in the Big Ten.

“For us to have a chance, it sure helps if we’re hitting and complementing all three. And I think that’s what ended up happening today. So that was really huge. That’s where I go back to — I was teasing Jason Baker. He really changed field position in 2000. It was the same thing with Tory today. A little different, but he was really pinning them in there and making them go the long field.”