Oct. 2, 2010
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No. 17 Iowa won tonight’s game 24-3 over No. 20 Penn State. Iowa improved to 4-1 with the win. Iowa has won 48 of its last 57 home games, dating back to 2002, and the Hawkeyes are 16-2 since the start of the 2008 campaign.
The Hawkeyes are 4-0 in home games this season (Eastern Illinois, Iowa State, Ball State, Penn State), and have outscored its opponents 141-17.
Tonight’s win is Iowa’s first over a ranked opponent in 2010. The last time the Hawkeyes defeated a ranked opponent at home was a 24-23 triumph over Penn State on Nov. 8, 2008.
The three points allowed to Penn State tonight mark the second lowest point total scored by the Nittany Lions in the 23-game series. Iowa won the first meeting 19-0 in 1930 and won by a 6-4 margin in 2004.
Iowa has won its last two homecoming contests. The Hawkeyes improved to 53-41-5 on homecoming. Iowa defeated Michigan last season on homecoming.
Iowa improved to 5-7 in Big Ten openers under Ferentz.
DB Shaun Prater intercepted his fourth career pass late in the fourth quarter and returned the theft 33 yards for a touchdown. It marked the second time this season an Iowa defender returned an interception for a touchdown (Broderick Binns, 20-yard touchdown at Arizona on Sept. 18). 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 48 of its last 54 games, dating back to 2006.
Junior WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. led Iowa receivers with four receptions for 73 yards in the first half. He ended the game with five receptions for 93 yards. His career bests are six receptions (at Ohio State) and 155 yards (vs. Indiana) in 2009.
Senior WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos scored Iowa’s first touchdown on a nine-yard reception in the first period. He ended the game with four receptions for 64 yards. Johnson-Koulianos improved his career totals to 148 catches for 2,204 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ranks third in career receptions and receiving yards. He is just the fourth Iowa receiver with over 2,000 career receiving yards. Johnson-Koulianos is tied for 11th on the career list with 11 touchdown receptions.
Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 118 of its last 135 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 120-of-141 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 scored on its first possession for the third time in five games. Iowa collected a 20-yard field goal on its first drive. Iowa began games vs. Eastern Illinois and Iowa State with touchdown drives.
Penn State did not score on its first possession. Iowa has allowed just three opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four, both in 2009, and Arizona, 2010) to score on their opening drive in its last 31 games.
Senior QB Ricky Stanzi completed 16-22 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown. He became the first quarterback to ever beat Penn State three times. Stanzi improved his career totals to 403-683 for 5,599 yards and 41 touchdowns. Iowa is 22-5 with Stanzi as its starting quarterback. He has at least one touchdown pass in the last 14 games he has played. He is now tied for fourth in career touchdown passes with 41 (Matt Rodgers). Stanzi had his second career rushing touchdown in the second period.
DE Adrian Clayborn registered a game-high 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack. The 10 tackles is two shy of a personal best. LB Jeremiha Hunter amassed eight tackles tonight.
In scoring the first 17 points of the game, Iowa had scored 38 straight points against Penn State over the past two games after Penn State had scored the first 10 points (all in the first period) in Iowa’s 21-10 win at Penn State a year ago. The Penn State field goal on the final play of the second period ended Iowa’s streak of scoreless quarters at five.
Sophomore RB Adam Robinson led Iowa’s ground game with 28 attempts for 95 yards. Robinson had five rushing touchdowns in 11 games as a freshman in 2009. He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of five games in 2010 and has five career games over the century mark. He has scored two or more touchdowns in three of five games this season. Robinson increased his career totals to 279 carries for 1,314 yards. He ranks 25th in career rushing yards.
Iowa was 3-3 in the red zone, collecting a rushing touchdown, a passing play and a field goal. Iowa has scored on 81 of the last 90 red zone possessions (55 TDs and 26 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 62-71 combined inside the red zone its last 21 games.
Iowa held its first two opponents to seven points and Ball State did not score. Arizona is the only Iowa opponent to score in the first period, and Iowa has held two opponents to no points in the first half.
Penn State was 1-3 in the red zone, with a field goal and a failed fourth down conversion. Iowa opponents are 6-12 in the red zone, with four passing touchdowns and two field goals this year. Penn State failed to score on fourth down from the one on its first possession of the third quarter, leaving Iowa opponents just 1-5 on fourth down this season. The Nittany Lions marched to the Iowa 12 yard-line before the clock expired to end the game.
Senior LB Troy Johnson started for the second time in his career, but he did not play in the second half. His previous career start was vs. Minnesota in 2009. Johnson collected 11 tackles in that contest and was Big Ten defensive Player of the Week.
True freshman LB James Morris saw his most extensive action of the season on defense. Morris was credited with seven tackles and one pass break-up.
True freshman PK Michael Meyer connected on a 20-yard field goal on Iowa’s first possession. Meyer is now 2-3 in field goals and he is 9-9 on PAT. He did not attempt either PATs or field goals in Iowa’s first three games.
Instant Replay was used in the second period and third period. The second period call on the field was Iowa RB Adam Robinson down at the one-yard line. The call was upheld. In the third period, PSU’s Rob Bolden was ruled down short of the goal on fourth down. The call was upheld.
Iowa is idle next weekend. The Hawkeyes return to action Oct. 16 at Michigan (2:35 p.m. CT, ABC).