College Football: Offense provides crucial big play to help Iowa defeat Wisconsin, 15-6

MADISON, WISCONSIN - Iowa (6-1, 3-1) defeated Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1), 15-6, on Saturday afternoon inside Camp Randall Stadium to maintain possession of the Heartland Trophy.

Published on October 15, 2023
by NIT Publisher

MADISON, WISCONSIN – Iowa (6-1, 3-1) defeated Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1), 15-6, on Saturday afternoon inside Camp Randall Stadium to maintain possession of the Heartland Trophy.

Running back Leshon Williams raced 82 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to put Iowa up for good. Iowa’s bruising defense and NFL-caliber punting kept the Badgers frustrated all day.

The victory is Iowa’s second straight over Wisconsin (for the first time since 2008 and 2009) and the Hawkeyes have won three of the last four games in the series.

It is Iowa’s first victory in Madison since 2015.

The Hawkeyes are 26-8 in their last 34 rivalry trophy games.

Iowa earned its sixth win of the season to become bowl eligible for the 22nd time in the last 23 seasons under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Back-to-back wins against Wisconsin for the first time since 2008 and 2009.

The Hawkeyes are 2-0 in trophy games this season.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

RB Leshon Williams recorded his second 100-yard game of the season (and career), finishing with a career-high 174 yards on 25 attempts and one touchdown – an 82-yard run in the second quarter.
- The 82-yarder is Iowa’s longest rush since 1997 (82, Tavian Banks vs. Iowa State).
- It is the Hawkeyes’ longest rush all-time against Wisconsin (previous best was Tyler Goodson in 2020 (80 yards)
- The rush is Williams’ career long, Iowa’s longest play of the season and the fourth longest rush in the nation this season.
- It is the first time since 2021 that Iowa has had a 100-yard rusher in consecutive games (Tyler Goodson).
- It is the first time since 2020 that Iowa had two different 100-yard rushers in consecutive games (Goodson, Mekhi Sargent).
LB Jay Higgins finished with 10 tackles, his fifth double-digit tackle game this season (and sixth of his career).
DL Yahya Black had a forced fumble in the end zone, which resulted in a Wisconsin safety.
DL Aaron Graves had a forced fumble.
P Tory Taylor had 10 punts for 506 yards for a 50.6 average. Five punts traveled 50+ yards (two 60+ yard punts), including a 62-yarder, tying a season-long, and four that were downed inside the 20. (Current Career high punts is 10 for 479 yards, 52.3 avg).
K Drew Stevens made a 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter – his second-longest make of the season. He is 12-of-15 in field goal attempts in 2023.
Stevens has two or more field goals in a single game in nine career games.
DB Sebastian Castro registered his second career interception in the fourth quarter.

MISCELLANEOUS

Iowa’s rushing attack finished with 200 yards against Wisconsin – the program’s most against the Badgers since 2008 (254 yards).
Iowa shut out Wisconsin in the first half. It was just the fourth time in the last 20 years that the Badgers were shutout in the first half in Camp Randall Stadium.
- Iowa knocked Wisconsin starting QB Tanner Mordecai out of the game late in the first half.
Iowa recorded a safety in the fourth quarter on a Yahya Black forced fumble (and Wisconsin recovered). It is Iowa’s second safety of the season (Western Michigan) and the team’s second straight year with two safeties.
- Iowa’s defense has scored 10 points in 2023 and 50 points since the start of the 2022 season.
Iowa has held seven teams without a touchdown since the start of the 2022 season.
The unit has allowed one touchdown or less in five of the first seven games of 2023 and 14 of the last 20 games.
Iowa has allowed 14 or fewer points in 13 of its last 20 games.
The Hawkeye defense allowed 332 yards of total offense. It is the 21st consecutive game the unit has allowed 400 or fewer yards, the longest active streak nationally.
The Hawkeyes have played in front of seven consecutive sellouts to open the 2023 season.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. The Hawkeye have played 308 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 226 times (145-81). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 82 times (47-35).