Nov. 7, 2009
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 
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Northwestern snapped Iowa’s 13-game winning streak, dating back to last year, with today’s 17-10 win at Kinnick Stadium.
Northwestern scored 17 straight points after Iowa had opened the game with 10 points on its first two drives.
Iowa had won eight straight home games since a loss to Northwestern last season. Northwestern has won two straight games in the series and three straight at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa leads the all-time series 46-22-3.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive to start the game. Iowa has started on offense in 111 of its last 127 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 113-of-133 games under Ferentz.
Iowa games vs. Indiana (10/31/09), 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 13 of the 16 games.
With today’s attendance of 70,585, Iowa has sold out 41 of its last 43 home games. The home finale against Minnesota (Nov. 21) is also sold out.
Northwestern maintained possession for 34:20, while Iowa had the ball for 25:40. The Wildcats were 9-of-18 on third downs today, while the Hawkeyes were 4-of-14 on third down plays.
LB Pat Angerer recorded a game and career-high 17 tackles today. LB Jeremiha Hunter was also credited with double-digit tackles (10). DT Broderick Binns equaled a personal best with nine tackles. As a unit, Iowa collected six tackles for loss, including three sacks.
Redshirt freshman QB James Vandenberg saw his most extensive action of the season today, replacing the injured QB Ricky Stanzi. The redshirt freshman completed 9-27 passes for 82 yards today.
Iowa punter Ryan Donahue punted five times for 235 yards and a 47.0 average. Three of his punts were downed inside the 20 and he boomed a 73-yard punt.
Iowa WR Marvin McNutt had a 74-yard reception for a touchdown on Iowa’s opening drive, his third scoring reception in three weeks. McNutt ended the game with two receptions for 91 yards. He had a 92-yard scoring reception vs. Indiana and a seven-yard touchdown grab on the final play at Michigan State. WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos added six receptions for 63 yards for the Black and Gold.
RB Brandon Wegher had 19 carries for 63 yards to lead Iowa’s running backs today.
Iowa scored a touchdown on its first possession, opening the game with a scoring drive for the fourth time in 10 games. Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive vs. Arizona and Arkansas State, and a field goal on its opening drive vs. Northern Iowa. Iowa did not score on its opening drives at Iowa State, at Penn State, vs. Michigan, at Wisconsin, at Michigan State and vs. Indiana.
Northwestern did not score on its opening possession. Iowa has allowed just two opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four) to score on their opening drive in its last 23 games.
Iowa has scored the first points in five of 10 games. The opponent has scored first in all four road games, as Iowa State, Wisconsin and Michigan State opened with a field goal and Penn State opened with a touchdown. Iowa scored 35 straight points at Iowa State, 21 at Penn State and 20 at Wisconsin.
Iowa was 1-1 in the red zone against Northwestern, collecting a field goal. Iowa has scored on 56 of the last 60 red zone possessions (35 TDs and 21 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 37-41 combined inside the red zone its last 13 games.
Northwestern was also 1-1 in the red zone (passing TD). Iowa opponents are 21-24 in the red zone this season, with nine FGs and 12 touchdowns.
Iowa failed to score after an interception in the second period. Iowa has at least one turnover in nine of 10 games, with no turnovers vs. Michigan State. The interception was Iowa’s 19th of the season. Iowa entered the Northwestern game leading the nation in interceptions and ranking fourth in total turnovers. Iowa has scored 81 points (10 TDs, four FGs) following 28 opponent turnovers (19 interceptions, seven fumbles, one blocked punt).
Iowa has recorded at least one takeaway in 42 of its last 44 games, dating back to the 2006 campaign. Before the win at Michigan State (no turnovers), Iowa had collected at least one turnover in 20 consecutive games, dating back to the final contest of the 2007 season.
Northwestern scored seven points following four Iowa turnovers, all in the second period. Iowa opponents have scored 47 points following 20 Iowa turnovers (14 interceptions, six fumbles). Michigan, Arkansas State and Arizona returned interceptions for touchdowns and Northern Iowa scored field goals following two Iowa fumbles. Penn State scored three points following an interception. Indiana scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble on an Iowa punt return and added a field goal following a third period interception. Northwestern recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
Senior DB Joe Conklin had the first interception of his career in the second period, with the theft coming in the endzone to stop a Northwestern drive. Conklin started for the first time in his career in place of the injured Brett Greenwood. Greenwood had started 29 consecutive games before missing the Northwestern game due to injury. OL Dace Richardson, RB Adam Robinson and WR Colin Sandeman all missed their second straight game, while QB Ricky Stanzi did not return following a second period injury. Stanzi completed 4-9 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown before being injured.
Iowa’s second lost fumble in the second period marked the first fumble by an Iowa running back since the opening game of the season. As a team, Iowa had lost four of six fumbles in nine games, with two of the fumbles (one lost) occurring on punt returns.
Iowa had turnovers on four straight possessions in the second quarter, two interceptions and two lost fumbles. Northwestern recovered a Ricky Stanzi fumble for a touchdown and scored a touchdown following one of the interceptions. Stanzi left the game following the play. In a win over Indiana, Iowa was guilty of turnovers on five straight possessions in the second half.
Iowa has outscored its opponents 148-57 in the second half in 10 games, including 107-44 in the fourth period. The 10 points scored against Northwestern marks Iowa’s season low (15 at Michigan State). Iowa did not score in the second half for the first time this season.
Instant replay was not used in the game.
Iowa plays at Ohio State next Saturday in its final road game (2:36 p.m. CT, ABC). The Hawkeyes host Minnesota on Nov. 21 to close the regular season.