Oct. 18, 2003
Recap?|?Final Stats?|?Photo Gallery
Iowa began the game on offense for 47th time in its last 49 games. Iowa has started on offense in 49 of 55 games under Kirk Ferentz.Today’s attendance of 105,044 is the 11th largest crowd Iowa has played in front of, and the largest crowd to see Iowa play at Ohio State. Last season, Iowa won its only two games (at Penn State and at Michigan) that drew more than 100,000 fans.Ohio State became the third Iowa opponent to score on its first possession. Miami, OH also opened the game with a field goal, while Michigan State opened with a touchdown drive. Today marked the fourth straight game Iowa’s opponent has been the first to score. Arizona State led Iowa 2-0 before Iowa won 21-2, Michigan State led 14-0 in a 20-10 win over Iowa and Michigan led 14-0 before Iowa rallied for a 30-27 win. Today marks the third straight game in which Iowa has trailed by as many as 14 points.Iowa’s offense failed to score on its first possession for the fourth consecutive game and fifth time in seven games. Iowa began the win over Buffalo with a touchdown drive and opened the win at Iowa State with a field goal. Today’s game vs. Ohio State marked the third time in seven games Iowa’s defense did not allow the opponent to score an offensive touchdown, as both OSU touchdowns came on special teams. Miami, OH scored only a field goal and Arizona State scored only a safety.The OSU punt return for a touchdown was the first by an Iowa opponent (other than a blocked punt) since Michigan State’s Cedric Henry had a 70-yard return for a score in 1999.When OSU blocked a punt in the third period, it marked the first blocked punt for an Iowa opponent since Michigan scored on a blocked punt in a win in Iowa City in 2001. OSU added a safety in the fourth quarter, the second scored against Iowa this season (the other was Arizona State on an Iowa fumble).Chandler’s 51-yard completion to Ramon Ochoa, which set up Iowa’s only touchdown, is the longest completion for the Hawkeyes this season. The previous long was 44 yards, from Chandler to Maurice Brown in the win over Buffalo.Senior tackle Robert Gallery was in Iowa’s starting line-up for the 38th straight game. His starting streak is the longest current streak in the Big Ten among offensive linemen. OG David Walker missed his fourth straight game after starting the first three games of the season. Eric Rothwell started at center in place of Brian Ferentz, who did not play. Rothwell, who did not play at Iowa State, started the first two games at left tackle and Iowa’s most recent three games at left guard.Mike Jones, a true freshman, started at left guard and became the seventh true freshman to play for Iowa this season. The others are QB Drew Tate, QB/WR Eric McCollom, WR James Townsend, FB Champ Davis, RB A.J. Johnson and WR Scott Chandler.Junior RB Jermelle Lewis saw his first action of the season. Lewis, who had just two rushing attempts vs. OSU, underwent knee surgery after suffering an injury during spring practice.OSU’s touchdown on the blocked punt marked the first points allowed by Iowa in the third period this season. With OSU failing to score in the second quarter, Iowa has allowed just nine points in the second quarter through seven games.Today marks the fifth straight game Iowa has held its opponent to less than 75 yards rushing. The Buckeyes rushed for 56 yards. Buffalo, in the second game of the year, is the only team to rush for over 100 yards against Iowa in seven games this season.Senior DB Bob Sanders was in the starting line-up for the second straight game. Sanders surpassed 300 career tackles against OSU as he entered the game with 297 career stops. Sanders played in the opening win over Miami and returned to action in the loss at Michigan State after missing three games. WR Ed Hinkel returned to action after missing two games, WR Maurice Brown missed his fourth straight game and FB Champ Davis missed his fifth straight game.Senior PK Nate Kaeding, improved his career scoring mark to 313 points with his 36-yard field goal in the first quarter, and he later increased that total to 320 points when he scored a touchdown on a fake field goal and added the PAT early in the fourth quarter. The touchdown for Kaeding was the first of his career. Kaeding also holds the Iowa rercord for career PATs, with 144. Tom Nichol held the previous mark of 142. He has made all nine field goal attempts and all 20 PAT attempts this season. Kaeding has made 56-68 career field goal attempts, including 21-26 outside of 40 yards and 3-3 outside 50 yards, and 146-148 PATs. Kaeding ranks fourth all-time in kick scoring in the Big Ten Conference with his 314 points. The native of Coralville, IA, has converted three field goals or more in two games this year. Kaeding converted four field goals at Iowa State.RB Fred Russell rushed 22 times for 42 yards, improving his career rushing totals to 389 carries for 2,173 yards. He now ranks eighth in career rushing yards. Russell has rushed for at least 100 yards four times in seven games (three straight games coming into the OSU game) in 2003 and in 12 games in his career.