Sept. 4, 2010
Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 
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Today’s game was a sellout (70, 585). Iowa has recorded a sell out in 43 of its last 45 games, dating back to the 2003 season.
Iowa improves to 89-31-2 in season-opening games. The Hawkeyes have won 10 straight and are 10-2 under Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa also improves to 3-1 in games played on Sept. 4.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 114 of its last 131 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 116-of-137 games under Ferentz. Iowa games vs. Ohio State (11/14/07), 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 17 games.
Iowa collected 435 total yards of offense, while Eastern Illinois was held to 157 yards with 81 yards coming on its scoring drive that included a 36-yard run on a fake punt in the second quarter.
Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive, while Eastern Illinois did not. Last season, Iowa scored on its initial possession in four of 13 games last season. 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 allowed just two opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four, both in 2009) to score on their opening drive in its last 27 games.Last season Iowa scored the first points of the game in eight of 13 contests. Also in 2009, Iowa scored 35 straight points at Iowa State, 21 at Penn State and 20 at Wisconsin.
Iowa true freshmen to play against Eastern Illinois included TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, LB James Morris, LB Christian Kirksey, DB B.J. Lowery, DB Tanner Miller and K Michael Meyer.
Iowa players starting for the first time today were OL James Ferentz, OL Nolan MacMillan, OL Markus Zusevics, DL Mike Daniels, DB Micah Hyde, LB Bruce Davis and LB Tyler Nielsen.
Iowa’s 21 points in the first period are the most for Iowa since scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter of a home win over Indiana last season. Iowa had not scored 21 points in the opening period of a game since a 42-0 win over Florida International in 2008.
Sophomore RB Adam Robinson rushed for a career-high three touchdowns. The three scores are the most for an Iowa player since Brandon Wegher had scored 18 points in a 2009 win over Indiana. Robinson led Iowa’s ground game with 24 attempts for 109 yards. He also had matched a personal best with three receptions for 43 yards.Robinson rushed for 834 yards and five touchdowns a year ago on 181 carries to lead the team in rushing. Robinson rushed for over 100 yards for the third time in his career and first since Iowa’s win at Michigan State last season.
Senior QB Ricky Stanzi completed 18-23 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown and no interceptions. He completed his first nine passes of the day. Stanzi improved his career totals to 339-585 for 4,602 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Junior TE Brad Herman had three receptions for 57 yards. Prior to today, Herman had just one career reception. Three Iowa tight ends combined for eight receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. Ten Iowa players had at least one reception.
Senior RB Paki O’Meara recorded a blocked punt and 42-yard return for a touchdown in the opening period. O’Meara scored two rushing touchdowns in 2008. The blocked punt is the first for Iowa since Adrian Clayborn had a block and touchdown return in a 2009 win at Penn State. O’Meara also rushed four times for 34 yards on the day.
Today was the first time Iowa’s defense and special teams recorded a safety and blocked punt for a touchdown in the same game since the Penn State game last year.
DT Karl Klug and LB Tyler Nielsen each recorded a team-high six tackles, including 1.5 TFLs. DT Mike Daniels, DB Micah Hyde and LB Jeremiha Hunter each had five stops. Daniels also recorded a sack and 1.5 TFLs. As a team, Iowa’s defense registered seven TFLs.
Iowa was 4-6 in the red zone, collecting three rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown. Iowa lost a fumble in the third period and run out the clock in the fourth quarter. Iowa has scored on 67 of the last 75 red zone possessions (43 TDs and 24 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 48-56 combined inside the red zone its last 17 games.
Eastern Illinois was 1-1 in the red zone with a passing touchdown in the second period. Iowa opponents were 24-29 in the red zone last season, with 10 FGs and 14 touchdowns.
While Iowa did not collect a turnover, the Hawkeyes did score seven points on a blocked punt return. Iowa collected at least one turnover in 11-of-13 games last season, with no turnovers vs. Michigan State and Ohio State. The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 44 of its last 49 games, dating back to 2006.
Eastern Illinois did not score following two Iowa fumbles in the second half.
Instant replay was not used.
Iowa is at home again next weekend, hosting Iowa State (2:36 p.m., ABC).