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Iowa dismantles Illinois, 63-0, in Big Ten road contest

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – The Iowa Hawkeye football team completely embarrassed the Illinois Fighting Illini in their home stadium Saturday with a dominating 63-0 win to snap a three-game losing streak.

Iowa (7-4, 4-4) defeated Illinois (4-7, 2-6) on Saturday, 63-0, at Memorial Stadium.
The 63-point margin of victory is Iowa’s largest in the Ferentz era and ties for the 12th-biggest in program history. The 63-point win is its largest shutout win since a 66-0 win over Northern Iowa in 1997 and its largest Big Ten victory since a 64-0 triumph over Northwestern in 1981.

Iowa’s 63 points are the most scored in a single game since a 62-16 victory over North Texas on Sept. 26, 2015.

The 63-point win over Illinois is the largest margin of victory in the 74-game series history, besting a 59-0 win over the Fighting Illini in 1985.

Kirk Ferentz became the fifth coach in conference history to win 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (150).

QB Nate Stanley threw three touchdowns. He has 47 career touchdown passes, fourth all-time in school history. (Chuck Long 74; Drew Tate 61; Ricky Stanzi 56).

QB Nate Stanley threw for 178 yards today, moving past QB Jake Rudock and into ninth place in career passing yards (4,985).

K Miguel Recinos scored eight points today (all PAT’s), raising his career total to 164, 17th all-time. He passed K Daniel Murray (158) and RB Ladell Betts (162) today on the all-time list.

TE Noah Fant had one receiving touchdown today, raising his career total to 19. He ranks fourth all-time in career touchdown receptions (Marvin McNutt 28; Danan Hughes 21; Tim Dwight 21). Fant had a team-best 54 receiving yards, raising his career total to 1,071 yards receiving.

TE T.J. Hockensen had two receptions today, both going for touchdowns (11 yards and 37 yards). It is his second career multi touchdown game (at Indiana). He has career 983 receiving yards. He is the 40th player in program history with 1,000+ receiving yards.

In a two minute span in the second quarter, DE A.J. Epenesa forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, scored a touchdown (19 yards, first of his career), recorded a sack, and blocked a punt. Iowa scored on its first play following the blocked punt. The touchdowns were 1 minute, 59 seconds apart.

WR Kyle Groeneweg returned a punt 61 yards in the third quarter. It ties for the 22nd longest in school history (Tim Dwight vs. Michigan in 1997). It is Iowa’s first punt return for a touchdown since Riley McCarron (at Illinois in 2016).

DB Michael Ojemudia had his second interception of the season. LB Amani Hooker intercepted his fourth pass of the season. Iowa has 15 interceptions over its last seven games.

Iowa had two running backs score two touchdowns today: Mekhi Sargent and Toren Young. Sargent recorded his third multi-touchdown game of the season. He has a team-high eight rushing touchdowns this season. He rushed for a career- high 121 yards on 17 attempts and became Iowa’s first 100 yard rusher since Akrum Wadley at Nebraska in 2017).

Iowa set a school record in 2018, averaging 42.8 points in five road games. Iowa scored 214 points in five road games this season, a school record for most points scored on the road in a single season.

The Hawkeyes have held five opponents to a season-low in points (Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois).

Iowa has two shutouts in 2018 (Maryland, Illinois), the most since 1997 (three shutouts, two against Big Ten teams).

Iowa led 35-0 at halftime. It is the most points scored in half this season, and the most points scored in a single half of a Big Ten game since outscoring Nebraska 42-0 in the second half on Nov. 24, 2017. It’s the most points scored in a first half since scoring 35 at Purdue on Oct. 15, 2016. The 28 points scored in the second quarter are the most since scoring 28 in the third quarter against Nebraska in 2017.
The Hawkeyes have won 13 of the last 16 meetings, 10 of the last 11, and five in a row against Illinois.

Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. The Hawkeyes have played 251 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 187 times (115-73). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 63 times (35-28).

Instant replay:
1) Illinois incomplete pass (confirmed) 2) Iowa touchdown run (confirmed)

The Hawkeyes host Nebraska on Friday, Nov. 23 at Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. (CT). The game is televised on FOX.

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