Phil Parker's Iowa defense enjoys a well-deserved reputation for toughness and grit, plus one other factor that's crucial to their success.
For the last 26 seasons (Parker's been there since 1999) they've excelled at limiting explosive plays. They choke off opponents with pursuit, scheme and great tackling, rarely giving up chunk yardage through the air or on the ground. They grind opponents down, make them earn it, turning football into a 100-yard war.
Prior to the Oregon game they'd given up just 19 plays of 20 yards or more, just 15 runs of 10 yards or more.