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Minnesota won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa had started on offense in 16 straight games prior to the Purdue game a week ago. The Hawkeyes have started on offense 63-of-71 contests under Coach Ferentz. As was the case vs. Purdue, the Iowa defense did not allow points on the opponent first drive and Iowa score on its first possession.
Iowa improves to 36-4 when leading at the half and 39-2 when leading after three quarters under Coach Ferentz. The win over Minnesota is Iowa’s third of the season by two points (6-4 at Penn State and 23-21 over Purdue).
Iowa has won 36 games over the last four years, a total that ties for the second-most over any four year span. The record of 37 was set from 1984-87.
Iowa has won six straight conference games. The 2004 Iowa Hawkeyes become only the third Iowa team to record at least six consecutive home victories (1991 – 7, 2002 – 8). With the win at Minnesota, Iowa clinched no worse that sole possession of third place in the Big Ten.
Minnesota failed to score on its first possession, becoming Iowa’s seventh opponent not to score any points on its opening drive. Illinois and Arizona State are the only opponents to score on their opening drive, as both posted touchdowns.
Iowa outscored Purdue 10-3 in the first quarter. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 75-25 this season in the opening quarter.
Iowa’s 23 points in the first half match its season high for a half. The Hawkeyes had 23 points in the first half vs. Kent State and 23 in the second half of the win over Ohio State.
Iowa scored a field goal on its opening possession. The Hawkeyes have scored on their opening possession in six of 10 contests.
Iowa’s offense scored points on its first four possessions of the game, the first time this season Iowa has scored on four straight drives. The Hawkeyes scored on three straight possessions in the season-opening win over Kent State.
Iowa started three different players, including center Ben Cronin and left tackle Ben Gates on offense and OLB Edmond Miles on defense. Today marked the first career start for Cronin, the second for Gates (right guard at Michigan) and the second for Miles (Michigan State).
Minnesota is just the second Iowa opponent to rush for more than 100 yards. Michigan State rushed for 204 in its loss in Iowa City. The 79-yard run by Minnesota in the second quarter was just the second rushing play this season of over 20 yards by an Iowa opponent.Minnesota’s 27 points are the most points Iowa has allowed since Michigan State tallied 30 on Sept. 25.
DB Sean Considine had his second interception of the season on Minnesota’s first possession, leading to an Iowa field goal. Considine previous interception this season, at Penn State, also led to an Iowa field goal. Considine has five career interceptions. Considine had eight tackles, one shy of his career high (vs. Florida).
LB Chad Greenway had his third interception of the season (and his career) in the second quarter, leading to an Iowa field goal. Greenway had his first two thefts in the season-opening win over Kent State, returning one of those for a touchdown.
DB Jovon Johnson had his second theft of the season in the second quarter, Iowa’s third of the first half. Johnson has 12 career interceptions, moving into a fourth place tie on Iowa’s career list with Steve Wilson, who played at Iowa from 1966-68.
With three interceptions in the first half and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, the Iowa defense has created 16 turnovers in the last four games. Minnesota, prior to the Iowa game, had not had three interceptions in a game, having a season high of two in a loss at Michigan State.
Minnesota entered the game ranked ninth in the nation in turnover margin and the Gophers came into the game with just six turnovers in their first 10 games. Minnesota had five turnovers (four fumbles, one interception) in a loss in Iowa City in 2003.
QB Drew Tate completed 24-39 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. Tate has thrown two touchdowns in four of the last five games (none vs. Penn State). Tate has 15 TD passes this season, a total that ties the eighth best total at Iowa for a season. Tate has passed for over 300 yards in three games (vs. Michigan State and Ohio State in consecutive games). Tate’s totals for the season include 198-319 for 2,313 yards, which is the eighth best single-season total at Iowa.
Clinton Solomon had a 41-yard scoring reception in the first quarter. Solomon’s scoring reception was the fourth of his career. His first career scoring catch was vs. Minnesota in 2002 as a true freshman. Solomon vs. Minnesota collected career-highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (157). The native of Ft. Worth, TX, has 48 receptions and 724 receiving yards this season. His 724 yards ranks 18th-best in a single season.
Iowa’s scoring passes of 60 yards to James Townsend and 41 yards to Clinton Solomon are the two longest Iowa’s pass plays for a TD this season. The previous best was 36 yards (Tate to Solomon vs. Ohio State).
WR James Townsend had the first scoring reception of his career, a 60-yard catch in the second quarter. Townsend, coming into the Minnesota game, had five career receptions for 38 yards and his previous long was 14 yards.
PK Kyle Schlicher scored 17 points vs. Minnesota, including a career-best five field goals. He converted 2-2 PATs and 5-5 field goals (36, 22, 20, 38, 49 yards). Schlicher converted three field goals vs. Purdue and the sophomore made two field goals in three games (Kent State, Ohio State, Penn State). Schlicher made eight consecutive field goals before missing a 47-yarder in the third quarter vs. Purdue. He has converted 17-22 field goals (12-13, 20-39 yards, with the miss being blocked) and 23-26 PATs this year. Schlicher is Iowa’s leading scorer with 74 points.
Schlicher’s five field goals and 17 kicking points are both Iowa single game records. Nate Kaeding had four field goals in four different games, while Todd Romano, Rob Houghtling and Dave Holsclaw each had four in one game. Kaeding had 16 points kicking points twice.Three Iowa kickers (Schlicher, Kaeding, Holsclaw) have converted four field goals or more in a game vs. Minnesota.The Big Ten record is seven, set in 1900. A Big Ten kicker had made five field goals in a game on 17 occasions.
Instant replay was used in the third quarter, and the play being reviewed was changed to a Minnesota completion. Instant replay has been used on seven plays in Iowa games this season, with the play today just the second that was changed from the call on the field.
The attendance was 64, 719, the fourth largest in Minnesota history. Four of Minnesota’s top five attendance games have been against Iowa.
DB Marcus Paschal had a career high 12 tackles for Iowa’s defense, including seven solo tackles and a forced fumble.