Sept. 8, 2007
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
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Tonight marked Iowa’s 25th straight sellout in Kinnick Stadium, as 70,585 fans watched tonight’s game. The last Hawkeye game not sold out was vs. Buffalo (9/6/03). All six home contests are expected to be sellouts, with the first five already sold out.
Kirk Ferentz coached in his 100th game as Iowa’s head coach tonight, improving his Iowa record to 57-43. He boasts the second most victories by a Hawkeye head coach.
Iowa’s 35-0 win marks the last time it recorded a shutout since defeating Ball State 56-0 (9/3/05).
Iowa’s defense allowed only 103 total yards offense and five first downs, ranking as fewest total yards and first downs allowed under Coach Ferentz. Additionally, Syracuse completed only seven passes, its second fewest (6 by Penn State in 2004)by an Iowa opponent under Coach Ferentz.
Iowa’s defense yielded only one total yard and recorded a takeaway on Syracuse’s seven first half possessions. The Hawkeye offense posted 241 total yards in the first half. Iowa had 13 first downs compared to Syracuse’s zero in the first half. Syracuse didn’t post its first, first down until the 9:35 mark of the third quarter.
For the first time under Coach Ferentz, Iowa has not allowed a touchdown in back-to-back games.
Both Iowa and Syracuse failed to score on their opening possession. Both Iowa and Northern Illinois failed to score on their first offensive possessions last week.
Iowa has won 28 of its last 32 games in Kinnick Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season. The Hawkeyes have won 46 of their last 63 regular season contests. Iowa has now won six straight non-conference regular season contests, dating back to 2005.
Iowa improves to 87-29-1 in home openers, including winning the last seven. The Hawkeyes improve to 3-1 against Syracuse and 5-3 against current Big East teams.
Tonight was the sixth night game played in Kinnick Stadium’s history, with Iowa holding a 3-3 record. Tonight was the third true night game in Iowa City.
In the last six years, Iowa is 39-5 when leading at the half and 44-3 when leading after three periods.
Iowa started the game on offense, as Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 86 of its last 94 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 88 of 100 contests under Kirk Ferentz.
QB Jake Christensen completed 23-32 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns, all career bests. Christensen threw his first interception of the year in the second period on a pass that deflected off WR James Cleveland’s hands.
TE Tony Moeaki posted career highs tonight in receptions (8), receiving yards (112) and touchdowns (3). His previous high in receiving yards was 49 yards in last year’s win at Illinois (10/23/06).
RB Albert Young rushed 11 times for 25 yards and had three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown. He now has 3,163 all-purpose yards and moves into 11th place in Iowa career annals, passing Fred Russell (3,142 yards).
RB Damian Sims rushed for 62 yards on 12 attempts and scored a touchdown. He also had one catch for 20 yards. Sims now has 1,177 career rushing yards moving him from 29th to 26th in Iowa career rushing.
QB Jake Christensen connected on a 52-yard touchdown pass to TE Tony Moeaki for the first score of the game in the first period. The 52-yard passing play marked career longs for both Christensen and Moeaki. Christensen’s previous long was a 47-yard pass play against Northern Illinois (9/16/06), while Moeaki’s previous high was a 36 yarder vs. Northern Iowa (9/17/05).
LB Mike Humpal intercepted a pass in the second quarter, Iowa’s fourth takeaway of the season. The interception was the fifth of his career. Tonight marked the second straight contest Humpal collected a theft; he had three picks last season.
RB Albert Young caught a 36-yard touchdown from Christensen on Iowa’s third possession. The touchdown reception is only the second of Young’s career. Young caught a touchdown in last year’s season opener vs. Montana (9/2/06). The scoring pass was Christensen’s second of the contest. The last time Christensen tossed two touchdowns in a single-game was vs. Northern Illinois (10/28/06).
QB Jake Christensen completed 9-12 for 128 yards in the first quarter. Last week, the sophomore completed 12-29 passes for 133 yards for the entire contest.
DE Bryan Mattison lined up as a tight end on a fourth-and-goal on the one-yard line in the second quarter. It marked the first time in his career that Mattison played on offense. RB Damian Sims scored on the play, the 11th rushing touchdown of his career. Sims posted six last year as a junior.
WR Andy Brodell had a 49-yard punt return in the second period that setup another Iowa touchdown. Last week, Brodell had a career-long 56 yarder vs. Northern Illinois that also set up a touchdown.
Iowa scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions after failing to score on its first drive.
DE Bryan Mattison collected three sacks for minus 11 yards, recording a career high; he had two sacks at Michigan (10/21/06). Mattison led the team with six total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.
Iowa had six new true freshmen play in tonight’s contest, bringing Iowa’s season total to nine: DT Cody Hundertmark, DB Cedric Everson, DE Christian Ballard, LB Jacoby Coleman, DB Diauntae Morrow and LB Dezman Moses. The ten true freshmen are the most that have seen action under Kirk Ferentz in a single season. Iowa had seven true freshmen play in 2003 and 2000.
DE Kenny Iwebema blocked two Syracuse field goal attempts, tying an Iowa single-game record. The blocks were the third and fourth of his career. He blocked the first kick in the second quarter and the second in the third period. The last time Iowa blocked a field goal was against Illinois in 2005, also by Iwebema. In a 35-7 win over Illinois, he tied an Iowa single-game record by blocking two field goal attempts.
Iowa improves to 23-0 when allowing 10 points or fewer and 33-2 when scoring 30 points or more under Ferentz.
Iowa returns to the road next week, traveling to Ames to play Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium. That game has a 12:35 p.m. start and will mark Iowa’s first appearance on the Versus network.