Iowa at Minnesota Postgame Notes November 27, 2010

Nov. 27, 2010

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 media-icon-photogallery.gif | Photo Gallery 2 media-icon-photogallery.gif

Iowa finished the regular season at 7-5. The Hawkeyes are bowl eligible for the 10th straight season.

Minnesota now leads the all-time series 60-42-2. Iowa had won three straight.
When playing for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy, Minnesota leads 40-34-2.

Today marked Iowa’s first visit to Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium. The last time Iowa played outdoors at Minnesota was in 1980. Minnesota scored a 24-6 win. The temperature at game time in 1980 was listed as overcast and 36 degrees, with wind gusts up to 26 mph. That game was played Oct. 25. Iowa has not played outdoors, at Minnesota, since Nov. 2, 1968, when the temperature was 46 degrees for Iowa’s 35-28 win.

Minnesota’s field goal in the first period stopped a string of eight scoreless quarters by the Iowa defense against the Gophers. Iowa won 55-0 in 2008 and 12-0 last season.

Iowa was 3-3 in the red zone vs. Minnesota, collecting two passing touchdowns and a field goal. For the season, Iowa is 40-45 in the red zone, scoring 13 rushing touchdowns, 17 passing touchdowns and 10 field goals. Iowa lost a fumble in the red zone and ended the game in the red zone against Eastern Illinois, had a missed field goal vs. Ball State and Indiana and a fumbled snap on a potential field goal attempt vs. Wisconsin. Iowa has scored on 103 of the last 114 red zone possessions (69 TDs and 34 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 84-94 (.894) combined inside the red zone its last 28 games.

Minnesota was 5-5 in the red zone, collecting three rushing touchdowns and two field goals. Iowa opponents are 29-38 in the red zone, with 10 passing touchdowns, 11 rushing touchdowns and eight field goals.

Freshman RB Marcus Coker started for the third time this season. He rushed 21 times for 90 yards. For the season Coker has 81 carries for 403 yards. His rushing total ranks sixth best for an Iowa freshman.

Minnesota won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 123 of its last 142 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 126-of-148 games under Ferentz. Iowa games vs. Minnesota (11/27/10), Wisconsin (10/23/10), 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 19 games.

Iowa scored on its first possession for the seventh time in 12 games. Iowa collected field goals on its first drive vs. Penn State and Indiana and began games vs. Eastern Illinois, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Minnesota with touchdown drives.

Minnesota scored a field goal on its first possession, becoming Iowa’s sixth opponent to score on its first drive. Iowa has allowed just eight opponents (Indiana, game nine, and Penn State, game four, both in 2009, and Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Northwestern and Minnesota, 2010) to score on their opening drive in its last 38 games.

Senior WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos had a seven-yard scoring reception in the second quarter and for the day had three catches for 34 yards. The scoring reception was his 10th of the season. Only two players previously have had as many as 10 receiving touchdowns in a season. They are Maurice Brown with 11 in 2002 and Quinn Early with 10 in 1987.

He is Iowa’s career leader in receptions and yards (173-2,616). He is third with 17 scoring catches. He ended the game with three receptions for 34 yards and a score.

Johnson-Koulianos added an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second period. The return ties as the 13th-longest in school history and is the second of his career. He had a 99-yard return (fourth longest at Iowa) at Ohio State in 2009.

The touchdown return on the kickoff by Johnson-Koulianos marked Iowa’s fifth non-offensive touchdown of the season. Iowa has three interception returns for touchdowns and a blocked punt return for a score.

Junior WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. had an 18-yard reception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, the 16th of his career. McNutt, Jr. is tied for fourth in career TD receptions. He ended the day with three catches for 46 yards and a score.

Freshman PK Mike Meyer made a 35-yard field goal in the first half. He has made 12-15 field goals this season.

Senior QB Ricky Stanzi completed 10-22 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Stanzi improved his career totals to 531-886 for 7,177 yards and 56 touchdowns. Iowa is 25-9 with Stanzi as its starting quarterback. He has at least one touchdown pass in the last 21 games he has played. He has at least three scoring passes in five of 12 games in 2010. His 25 TD passes in 2010 rank third best for a single season. He is fourth in career completions and attempts and third in passing yards and touchdowns.

Iowa scored a passing touchdown following a Minnesota fumble late in the third period. Iowa has scored 88 points following 22 opponent turnovers, plus 14 points following a blocked punt and a blocked field goal. Iowa collected at least one turnover in 11 of 12 games this season and in 11-of-13 games last season. The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 55 of its last 61 games, dating back to 2006. Iowa entered today’s game ranked second nationally in turnover margin.

Iowa opponents have scored 21 points following nine Iowa turnovers. Iowa lost two fumbles today against Minnesota, scoring seven points after the first fumble.

Senior P Ryan Donahue averaged 47.5 yards on four punts, all in the second half. He had a 61-yard effort from his own end zone late in the third period and also had a 52-yard punt. Donahue is one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter.

Senior WR Colin Sandeman started for the second time this season and the first time since the opening game. He returned to action last week after missing the Northwestern game. OL Adam Gettis missed his fourth straight game. OL Nolan MacMillan did not play for the fourth time in Iowa’s last five games. Gettis and MacMillan both play the right guard position. Senior OL Josh Koeppel started at right guard for the fourth straight week. Senior LB Jeff Tarpinian missed his second straight after starting the previous week at Northwestern.
RB Adam Robinson missed his second game of the season. He also did not play at Indiana.

Redshirt freshman Casey Kreiter handled deep snaps for Iowa in the fourth quarter, seeing the first action of his career.

LB Jeremiha Hunter, LB Troy Johnson and DE Broderick Binns led Iowa’s defense with nine tackles.

Print Friendly Version