Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa, Kinnick Stadium, the place great teams go to die.
For years the Hawkeyes have cultivated more than corn, specializing in tough, physical defense. A game in Iowa City stays with you, a rock 'em, sock 'em brand of football featuring bruising tight ends and crashing cornerbacks, a brisk, raucous environment where the cheerleaders wear stocking caps and warm leggings and ruddy-cheeked nose tackles collapse the line of scrimmage and root like prize hogs.
Iowa's defense ranks No. 2 in the country, giving up just 235 yards a game and 4.01 yards per play, a rock-wall intensity that starts up front with Max Llewellyn, Aaron Graves and Ethan Hurkett, who have combined for 14 sacks.