WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA – Iowa dropped its opening game, 24-20, to Purdue as the Big Ten finally took the field this football season.
Purdue scored in the first quarter on a David Bell 9-yard touchdown reception to take a 7-0 lead.
Iowa bounced back in the second quarter, as QB Spencer Petras scored on a 1-yard touchdown rush and then Mekhi Sargent scored on a 1-yard touchdown rush. Iowa led 17-14 at halftime.
A scoreless third quarter led to Purdue seizing the game in the fourth. Iowa could only muster a Keith Duncan 33-yard field goal. Purdue matched that with a J.D. Dellinger 29-yard field goal and then the winning score was a David Bell 6-yard touchdown run.
In a bright spot for the Hawkeyes, Iowa QB Spencer Petras finished the game with 265 yards passing, the most by a Hawkeye quarterback in his first career start since Jon Beut- jer in 2000 (380). Petras started the game 1-for-6 with three passing yards, and finished the first half compleng 13 of his 15 throws for 171 yards. He was 14-of-21 in the first half for 174 yards passing. He added one rushing touchdown. Petras is the fifthh Hawkeye quarterback in the Ferentz era to make his first career start on opening day (Petras, Stanley, Rudock, Tate, Chandler).
Other Iowa highlights:
TE Sam LaPorta led Iowa with a career-high 71 receiving yards.
RB Tyler Goodson ed his career-high with five recepons. His 40- yard recepon was a career long.
FS Jack Koerner led Iowa with 13 tackles, tying a career high. DB Riley Moss added a career high seven tackles. DT Daviyon Nixon (7) and CB Julius Brents (4) also ed their career best in tackles.
LB Barrington Wade had a career-high five tackles and added his first career sack (9 yards) and intercepon (9 yards).
Iowa had 460 yards total offense, its highest total in a Big Ten game since 2018 against Indiana (479).
Purdue scored first, marking the first me since Nov. 9, 2019 (vs. Wis- consin) that Iowa trailed in a game. The Hawkeyes ended 2019 on a four-game winning streak and did not trail in any of those four games.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. The Hawkeyes have played 267 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 201 mes (126-75). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 66 mes (36-30).
The Hawkeyes host Northwestern on Oct. 31 at Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. (CT). The game is televised on ESPN.
