AMES, IOWA – It’s a Hawkeye state, once again, as Iowa (2-0) defeated Iowa State (1-1), 44-41, in the first overtime Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium to retain possession of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk trophy for the third-straight year.
Iowa’s offense rushed 41 times (164 yards) and passed 41 times (333 yards) for 497 total yards.
Four of Iowa’s five touchdown drives in regulation were 89 yards or more (plays-yards: 10-76, 10-91, 11-94, 11-92, 7-89).
Former Mason City Mohawk Miguel Recinos kicked a 23 yard field goal with just over 5 minutes left in the game to tie the score. Iowa led 14-10 at the half.
Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley is the fourth quarterback in the Ferentz era to make his first true road start at Jack Trice Stadium. The others include Nathan Chandler (W, 40-21, in 2003), Jake Christiansen (L, 15-13, in 2007), and Jake Ruddock (W, 27-21, in 2013).
Stanley established career highs in completions (27), attempts (41), yards (333), and touchdowns (5). He has seven touchdown passes in his first two career starts, more than any other quarterback in the Ferentz era. He is the first Iowa quarterback with 300-plus passing yards and five-plus touchdown passes since Chuck Hartlieb vs. Northwestern in 1987.
Stanley completed passes to nine different receivers. WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (4), TE T.J. Hockenson (2), and RB James Butler (1) recorded their first career receptions as Hawkeyes. FB Drake Kulick had a career-high two receptions for a career-high 29 yards.
Stanley is only the second Big Ten Quarterback in the last 20 years with 300-plus pass yards, 5-plus pass TDs and 0 interceptions in a road game.
Iowa running back Akrum Wadley rushed a career-high 28 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. He has rushed for 100 yards in four straight games. Wadley has 11 career 100-yard rushing games. His 1,997 career rushing yards rank No. 15 in program history. Wadley had four receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. His 46-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the longest reception of his career and tied the game, 38-38.
Iowa wide receiver Matt VandeBerg had three receptions for 42 yards and one touchdown. He is the only player in the Ferentz era to have a receiving touchdown in three different games against Iowa State. He has 19 receptions for 285 yards and three TDs in his last three meetings against Iowa State. He has at least one reception on 21 consecutive games played. He has 111 career receptions, 16th all-time.
Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette made his first career start. He had four receptions for 36 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 5-yard TD reception in overtime. He had one carry for nine yards. He entered the game with no career statistics.
Smith-Marsette said after the game, “The last play was something we have been practicing hard in practice. It is a play that we know if we need something, we can go to it. We were down at the goal line so it was a perfect play to run. We knew exactly what we wanted out of it, they played the perfect coverage to go against it, and we executed.”
He was also asked, “What does it say about coaches going to him as a true freshman?”
“It shows that they believe in me. Last week I had a minor setback, but this week I came back and they showed they believed in me and I took advantage of it.”
Iowa wide receiver Nick Easley is the first player under Ferentz to have a TD reception in each of his first two career games. He had a career and team-high seven receptions for 48 yards and one touchdown. He has 11 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns in two games.
Iowa defensive end Parker Hesse’s fourth quarter interception was the second of his career and set up a field goal to tie the game, 31-31. Hesse added a career-high seven tackles, including five solo and a tackle-for-loss.
Five Hawkeyes set career highs in tackles: Hesse (7), FS Jake Gervase (6), DB Josh Jackson (6), DB Michael Ojemudia (4), and DE Sam Brinks (3).
Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell had seven tackles today, tying for the team lead. He has 322 career tackles, 16th in program history.
Iowa leads the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, 5-2. (Iowa has wins in football and soccer. Iowa State has a win in volleyball.
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz improved to 10-9 all-time against Iowa State.
Iowa has won three straight in the series for the first time since winning three in a row from 2008-2010. Iowa has won its last three trips to Ames.
Iowa is 7-4 all-time in overtime games. The Hawkeyes and Cyclones went to overtime for the second time in 65 all-time meetings. Iowa State won the last meeting by an identical 44-41 score (3OT) in 2011.
Kirk Ferentz’s 137 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference ranks sixth in league history. Ferentz entered the game tied for sixth (Henry Williams of Minnesota). He is six wins from tying Hayden Fry as the Hawkeyes’ all-time winningest football coach.
Iowa won the toss and deferred to the second half. In 19 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have opened the game on offense in 178-of-229 games (108-70). Iowa has started the game on defense 51 times (29-22).
Instant replay was used five times today:
1) Iowa State punt downed, Ojemudia blocked into ball (call confirmed, first down Iowa).
2) First down Iowa, Smith-Marsette reception (call overturned, short of line to gain).
3) Matt VandeBerg TD reception (call was confirmed)
4) Hockenson fumbled out of bounds at 1-yard line (call was confirmed)
5) Iowa State (Montgomery) rushing touchdown (call was confirmed)
The Hawkeyes play host North Texas on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 2:30 p.m. at Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
