Third ranked MMCRU will battle number-two Saint Ansgar in the Class A championship game of the high school football playoffs in the UNI-Dome this (Thursday) afternoon. The game will put an MMCRU defense that gives up less than six points per game against a Saint Ansgar offense that averages 10 yards per carry and makes no secret of its intention to run the football.

That’s MMCRU coach Kyle Oswald, who says the Royals must be able to handle the deception in the Saint Ansgar run game.

Oswald says the Saint also have a solid defense.

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Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith says the Spartan offense will face a difficult task on Saturday when they visit Iowa. The Spartans are 0-7 in the Big Ten and are averaging just over 19 points per game in conference play.

The Spartans beat the Hawkeyes last season in East Lansing but Smith says the Iowa offense is vastly improved this season.

Kansas is still trying to become bowl eligible as the Jayhawks get ready to visit Iowa State. Kansas is 5-5 and has won the last three games in the series.

That’s Kansas coach Lance Leipold, who says a string of injuries derailed Iowa State’s title chances.

Leipold says The Kansas offensive will have a difficult challenge against the ISU offense.

The competition for the 12th ranked Iowa State women is ramped up Thursday night when the Cyclones visit Drake. ISU coach Bill Fennelly has reminded his team the Cyclones lost at Northern Iowa last year and two years ago lost to the Bulldogs in Des Moines.

Fennelly says the in-state games always have added emotion.

The Iowa Hawkeye men take a 4-0 record into Thursday night’s game at home against Chicago State. To this point the Hawkeyes are shooting 58 percent from the field.

That’s Iowa coach Ben McCollum who feels the most important stat offensively is points per possession.

Junior forward Alvaro Folgueiras has been a spark off the bench. He led the way with 16 points in Tuesday night’s win over Southeast Missouri State.

Chicago State is 0-5 and coming off a 66-54 loss at Minnesota Tuesday night.

Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen is looking forward to their first major test of the season. The 19th ranked Hawkeyes travel to Orlando and will take on seventh ranked Baylor of Thursday night as part of the WBCA Showcase. The Hawkeyes will also play Miami on Saturday.

The Hawkeyes are 4-0 and the average margin of victory has been 46 and-a-half points.

Jensen has been working on depth but as the competition gets tougher the rotation off the bench may get shorter.

Iowa safety Koen Entringer will take part in Senior Day when the Iowa Hawkeye host Michigan State. The Michigan native is third on the team in tackles and could return for another season.

Entringer says his focus right now is ending the season on a positive note.

Entringer is in his first season as a starter and was elected a team captain.

Linebacker Jaden Harrell says it will be emotional for all of the seniors but the focus is on beating Michigan State.

Defensive end Ethan Hurkett says Senior Day will make him reflect on the journey.

Iowa State offensive tackle Tyler Miller is motivated to end the home season with a win. The Cyclones take a 6-4 record into Saturday’s game against Kansas and it will be the final game in Jack Trice Stadium for Miller and 15 other Cyclone seniors.

Miller is nearing the end of a career that has seen him make ever start the last three years.

After a four game losing skid the Cyclones bounced back with a win at TCU and now look for a string finish.

Miller says the offense faces a test against the Kansas defense.