At halftime of No. 10 Iowa’s game with Maryland, the Hawkeyes are leading 21-0.

By Danny Payne
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Well, Maryland isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be (this is what happens when I have two weeks to think myself into something), but the Terps still aren’t good by any stretch of the imagination.

There is some individual talent there, but as a team, they are bad at the game of football. Anyway, here are some first-half observations.

• Running backs, man, running backs. It’s probably fair to call Akrum Wadley the team’s most talented back, but LeShun Daniels Jr. and Derrick Mitchell have been a good compliment. Overall, Hawkeye running backs have 90 yards on 19 attempts and three touchdowns. All three backs have a score.
• I’m giving Wadley’s cuts their own bullet point. Man, is that guy explosive after cuts and hitting holes. He’ll be a treat to watch for Hawkeye fans over the next few years.
• Defensively, Miles Taylor has been the star so far. He’s all over the field, has a pick (he fumbled that interception on the return), and has totaled 3 tackles.
• C.J. Beathard doesn’t look sharp. He’s 10-of-18 with 160 yards, but the timing just isn’t there. The reason is probably a combination of his health and not practicing a ton. Kirk Ferentz said he won’t be 100 percent until January on the radio before the game, so take that for what it’s worth.
• Marshall Koehn missed a 45-yard field goal in the first quarter. He’s now only made one of his last three.
• Maryland’s offense is amazingly one-dimensional. It seems like every play is a stretch run, an option, or quarterback Perry Hills missing his target.
• Aaron Mends had a blocked punt before the half in the end zone. That led to a 19-yard touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard Derrick Mitchell Jr. touchdown run.
• Here are your stats, thanks for following along. Kepe with us during the second half and after the game. We’ll talk to you guys soon