1. Iowa in November is a very scary thing

Entering the game, Iowa had won three out of the last four match-ups against AP Top 5 teams, the lone loss to Penn State earlier this year. One team that has always seemed immune to Kinnick’s “voodoo” is the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes have only lost in Iowa City once in the last 30 years, losing in 2004, 33-7. What has always seemed as an easy road trip, turned into a house of horrors on Saturday for Urban Meyer and company. The Hawkeyes set the tone right away with Amani Hooker’s pick-six on the first play of the game. Nate Stanley was at his finest, completing 20 of 31 passes for 226 yards and five touchdowns, including one with Sam Hubbard grasping for his ankles.

Someone forgot to tell Nate Stanley that Sam Hubbard is a feared pass-rusher. #CoolCalmCollectedpic.twitter.com/6QqXABEQhS

— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) November 6, 2017

Iowa’s defense made their presence known against Heisman-contender J.T. Barrett and made him look like a third-string quarterback for most of the day. Joshua Jackson had one of the most dominant games an Iowa defensive back has had in a long time. Jackson recorded three interceptions for the Hawkeyes, the last one possibly being a candidate for “Catch of the Year” in College Football.

Another one.

And this latest @HawkeyeFootball interception by Joshua Jackson might be the Pick Of The Year: pic.twitter.com/arsEEViZ84

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 4, 2017

November has always been the time that Kirk Ferentz coached Iowa teams perform at their best. Anyone who draws the Black and Gold in November should at the very least have great respect for them. Iowa travels to Madison on Saturday to face the undefeated Badgers, Paul Chryst will have to have his troops ready for the Hawkeyes.

2. Michigan State is back

Following the Spartans surprising 3-9 finish in 2016, many didn’t expect the Mark Dantonio and company to improve much in 2017. But as he’s done for most of his career in East Lansing, Dantonio has proved the doubters wrong. The Spartans are 7-2 following their upset win over #7 Penn State in a game that featured a three hour and 22 minute lightning delay. Those who stuck around saw freshman kicker Matt Coghlin drill a 34-yard field goal, dashing any remaining hope of Penn State’s playoff hopes.

Slip ‘N Slidin’ Spartans.

Go Green, Go White, let’s Go Home. @MSU_Football edges No. 7 Penn State with Matt Coghlin’s game-winner: pic.twitter.com/wIpxh7b8jh

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 4, 2017

Michigan State quarterback Ben Lewerke was slinging the ball left and right, completing 33 of 56 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Junior receiver Felton Davis III had a monster game with 12 catchers for 181 yards and a touchdown, clearly becoming Lewerke’s favorite target. The Spartans next travel to Columbus to take on a beat up Ohio State team that is essentially a de facto division title elimination game. It should be a heavyweight fight for sure come Saturday.

3. Northwestern is Clutch

Another week, another overtime win for Pat Fitzgerald’s crew in Evanston, this time stunning Nebraska at Memorial Stadium. With their win over the Huskers, Northwestern became the first school in college football history to win three consecutive overtime games. All four Wildcat touchdowns came on the ground, as senior running back Justin Jackson carried the load for Northwestern. Jackson finished with 31 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Clayton Thorson finished with two rushing touchdowns, along with throwing for 243 yards.

Once again, Tanner Lee struggled for Nebraska. While he did throw two touchdowns, Lee also fired three interceptions, two of them going to Northwestern safety Kyle Quiero. The Husker running game was stagnant once again as running back Devine Ozigbo finished with 23 carries and 72 yards. Nebraska only finished with 112 yards rushing as a team. But this Northwestern team showed that they can answer the bell when called upon, as Thorson was able to lead the drives that tied and ultimately won the game. The Wildcats take on a stingy Purdue team next Saturday at Ryan Field.

The post Big Ten Football: Week 10 Takeaways appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Another lackluster performance on the road means trouble for the Hawkeyes, who dropped today’s contest against Northwestern by a score of 17-10 in overtime.

Despite early success, the offense sputtered in the second half, and the injury-filled defense could not hold on the whole time.

The Hawkeyes got into Northwestern territory on each of their firs two drives, but came away empty each time. Neither team managed to get points on the board in the first quarter.

It looked as though a scoreless first half was a possibility until just 40 seconds remained in the first half. That’s when Nate Stanley found a wide-open Noah Fant for a six-yard touchdown pass. The Hawkeyes took the 7-0 lead into halftime.

At the half, Iowa had outgained Northwestern 238 yards to 107 yards. Northwestern’s star running back Justin Jackson had carried the ball nine times for just 30 yards.

But that was just the first half.

In the second half, Iowa’s offense did not move the same way it did before intermission. Each of the first three possessions resulted in punts, two of which were three-and-outs.

“I don’t know. I don’t have the answer to that right this second,” Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz said when asked about the differences from first half offense to the second half. “First half we moved the ball pretty well…the second half was clearly something different. It comes down to details.”

The Hawkeyes finished the game with 312 yards of total offense. That’s means they produced just 74 yards in the second half and overtime.

All the momentum shifted to the Wildcats. While the Hawkeyes were going three-and-out, the Wildcats tied the game on a Jeremy Larkin six-yard touchdown run with 7:19 to go in the third quarter.

The Wildcats would get a field goal from Charlie Kuhbander two possessions later to take a 10-7 lead with just over eight minutes to play.

Looking to get something moving a couple drives later, Stanley fired a deep ball to Ihmir Smith-Marsette, but the freshman receiver had cut his route off short. The miscommunication led to an easy interception for JR Pace. But again, the Iowa defense stopped the Wildcats on fourth down.

The Hawkeyes marched on the next drive and found themselves facing a fourth-and-inches situation at the Northwestern 26-yard line. A false start from three Hawkeyes forced the field goal unit to come on instead, and Miguel Recinos knocked in a 48-yarder to tie the game with 1:30 on the clock. Northwestern ran it out and went to overtime.

In overtime, the Wildcats scored on their first possession. Quarterback Clayton Thorson rushed up the middle for a one-yard touchdown to go up 17-10. The play was set up by a 23-yard catch and run from Justin Jackson, in which he made four Hawkeyes miss tackles. Jackson would finish the game with 132 all-purpose yards (93 rushing, 38 receiving).

Iowa gained just seven yards on its first three plays in overtime and was forced to go for it on fourth down. Stanley targeted Fant on the same play as their first half touchdown.

This pass hit Fant square in the numbers, but he couldn’t bring it in. The drop ended the game and dropped Iowa to 1-3 in the Big Ten.

The defense put up another great fight in this one, and did so most impressively without their two main signal callers. Josey Jewell and Brandon Snyder each missed the game due to injuries sustained during the Illinois game two weeks ago.

Jewell injured his right shoulder during the Illinois game and was not cleared to play today’s game. Snyder’s knee saw swelling after getting his first action since tearing his ACL, so he also was unable to go.

Instead, senior linebacker Kevin Ward got the start on the outside as Ben Niemann moved into Jewell’s middle linebacker spot. Jake Gervase started in Snyder’s place at free safety.

The defense picked up their missing teammates. Linebackers Bo Bower and Niemann were first and second on the team in tackles with 12 and 11 respectively. Gervase added six tackles, while Ward had four in his first career start.

“It’s just something that Iowa football has always been proud of, that ‘next man in’ philosophy,” said Gervase. “A couple guys had to step up. I think we had a pretty good game as a defense, we just gave up a couple crucial downs that cost us.”

The defense rose to occasion again, engaging the Wildcats in your traditional, smash-mouth, grit-filled Big Ten football game. In the end, it wasn’t enough as the offense had its struggles.

Stanley was 13-for-19 in the first half, but finished the game just 19-for-33 passing. Akrum Wadley was bottled up for much of the game too. On 26 carries, he still managed to find his way to 90 yards, his longest run being good for 22 yards.

“We’re a better football team when we can run the ball efficiently, it’s always been that way,” Ferentz said. “That is our plan, and it will continue to be our plan, so we have to do a better job there.”

For whatever reasons, the offense wasn’t ready coming out of the bye week. The offensive line wasn’t able to get a push like it did two weeks ago against Illinois. Apparently, there is still work to be done on that front.

Next week, the Hawkeyes (4-3, 1-3) return home next week to take on Minnesota in the Floyd of Rosedale trophy game. Start time is 5:30pm CST on FS1.

The post Offense Fades in Second Half, Hawkeyes Fall to Wildcats in OT appeared first on KRUI Radio.