Iowa 15, Michigan State 13

Oct. 25, 2009

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Iowa has started the season 8-0 for the first time ever. Also, Iowa boasts a 12-game winning streak for the first time under Head Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has won 12 straight games for the first time since winning 20 straight games between Nov. 6, 1920 and Oct. 20, 1923. Iowa had a 9-0-1 unbeaten streak in 1956 & 1957. Iowa’s winning streak is the second longest in the nation behind Florida.

With the win, Iowa leads the series against Michigan State by a 21-18-2 margin. Iowa’s victory is the first for the Hawkeyes in East Lansing since a 21-7 win in 1995. The home team had won the last nine games in the series.

Iowa wins with a touchdown on the last play of the game for the first time since the 2005 Capital One Bowl. In that contest the Hawkeyes scored on a 56-yard pass from Drew Tate to Warren Holloway for a 30-25 win.

Dating back to 2008, Iowa has won its last six games away from Iowa City, including wins at Minnesota, Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State, and over South Carolina in the 2009 Outback Bowl. Iowa has allowed just 46 points in those five games.

Iowa becomes the second Big Ten team ever to win road games at Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State in the same season. Michigan completed the trifecta in 1997.

With the win at Michigan State, Iowa improves to 4-0 on the road this season, with a Nov. 14 contest at Ohio State remaining. Iowa has won at Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Iowa won all five road games in 2002 before a neutral site loss to Southern Cal in the 2003 Orange Bowl.

Michigan State won the toss and deferred, with Iowa electing to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 110 of its last 125 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 112-of-131 games under Ferentz. Iowa has started on offense in 10 straight games. Iowa deferred after winning the toss last year in a win over Purdue and the Boilermakers elected to receive on a very windy day in Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa games vs. Purdue (11/15/08), Penn State (11/08/08), Wisconsin (10/10/08), Minnesota (11/10/07), at Northwestern (11/3/07), vs. Michigan State (10/27/07), at Penn State (10/6/07), vs. Iowa State (9/16/06), vs. Minnesota (11/19/05), vs. Michigan (10/22/05), at Purdue (10/8/05), at Minnesota (11/13/04), vs. Purdue (11/6/04), at Miami, OH (9/7/02) and at Michigan State (9/27/03) are the only contests that the Hawkeyes didn’t start on offense. Iowa won 12 of those 15 games.

Iowa did not score on its first possession of the game. Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive vs. Arizona and a field goal on its opening drive vs. Northern Iowa. Iowa also did not score on its opening drives at Iowa State, at Penn State, vs. Michigan, at Wisconsin and at Michigan State.

Michigan State did not score on its opening possession. Iowa has allowed just one opponent (Penn State, game four) to score on its opening drive in its last 21 games. The Spartans became the fourth Iowa opponent to score the first points of the game with a field goal in the first period.

Iowa was 4-4 in the red zone against Michigan State, with three field goals and a touchdown. Iowa has scored on 51 of the last 56 red zone possessions (32 TDs and 19 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 34-38 combined inside the red zone its last 11 games.

Michigan State scored six points on two drives inside the Iowa red zone, collecting two field goals. Iowa opponents are 16-17 in the red zone this season, with eight FGs and eight touchdowns.

Michigan State’s second field goal of the game of 23 yards came after the Spartans has a first and goal at the Iowa one. Including an offside penalty on Iowa, MSU ran four straight plays for no gain before getting the field goal.

Iowa RB Adam Robinson had career bests in rushing attempts and yards (27-109). He had 20 attempts at Wisconsin and 101 rushing yards vs. Arizona. This becomes his second game this season with over 100 rushing yards (Arizona).

Iowa has outscored its opponents 113-51 in the second half in eight games. The 15 points scored at Michigan State mark the lowest total for Iowa this season (20 at Wisconsin).

There were no turnovers in the game. Michigan State had two fumbles, but retained possession.

Iowa had at least one turnover in its first seven games, with a low of one in wins over Northern Iowa (fumble) and Arizona (interception). Iowa entered the MSU game leading the nation in interceptions (15) and ranking second in total turnovers.Iowa, in its first seven games, scored 67 points (eight TDs, four FGs) following 23 opponent turnovers (15 interceptions, seven fumbles, one blocked punt).

Iowa had recorded at least one takeaway in 40 of its last 42 games before MSU, dating back to the 2006 campaign. Iowa had collected at least one turnover in 20 consecutive games, dating back to the final contest of the 2007 season.

Iowa opponents have scored 30 points following 11 Iowa turnovers (eight interceptions, three fumbles). Michigan, Arkansas State and Arizona returned interceptions for touchdowns, Northern Iowa scored field goals following two Iowa fumbles and Penn State scored three points following an interception.

Iowa’s opponents have scored the first points of the game in all four Iowa road games this season. Iowa State, Wisconsin and Michigan State opened with a field goal, while Penn State started with a touchdown. Iowa scored 35 straight points at Iowa State, 21 at Penn State and 20 at Wisconsin.

Iowa PK Daniel Murray had a 37-yard field goal in the second period and two 20-yard kicks in the fourth. He tied his career-high of three field goals, which came earlier this season in a win over Michigan (in four attempts). He made field goals of 37 and 48 yards at Wisconsin. He made 2-3 field goals in a win at Penn State. The 48-yarder at Wisconsin is a career best. Murray has made 14-18 field goal attempts this season and all 19 PAT kicks.

DE Adrian Clayborn had another solid game for Iowa, collecting four tackles, including three tackles for loss and two QB sacks. He forced a fumble in the third period as well.

Instant replay was not used tonight.

After two straight road games, Iowa returns home next Saturday for the first of two straight games in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes host Indiana (11 a.m.) next week and Northwestern on Nov. 7.

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