Iowa vs Minnesota Postgame Notes

Oct. 29, 2011

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

Minnesota scored 12 unanswered fourth-quarter points to rally and beat Iowa 22-21 today at TCF Bank Stadium. The win snapped Iowa’s two-game winning streak.

FLOYD OF ROSEDALE

As a result of a bet between the governors of the two states in 1935, possession of Floyd of Rosedale is at stake Saturday. Minnesota won for the second straight year to keep possession of the trophy. Minnesota holds a 41-34-2 advantage in the series with Floyd of Rosedale on the line.

COKER LEADS GROUND GAME

Sophomore RB Marcus Coker led the Iowa rushing attack with 32 carries for a career-high 252 yards. The 252 yards rank third best by an Iowa running back in a single game. The 32 rush attempts tie as the 10th most in a single game by a Hawkeye (Coker had 33 carries vs. Missouri at the 2010 Insight Bowl). Coker scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter. He has scored two touchdowns in five games in his career, including the last three games.
Coker surpassed 100 rushing yards for the fifth time this season and for the seventh time in his career. He had a season-best 50-yard run and had a 40-yarder as well while rushing 19 times for 187 yards in the first half. He surpassed 200 yards for the second time in his career, as he had a career-best 33 carries for 219 yards against Missouri at the 2010 Insight Bowl.
Coker’s yardage marks the 14th time an Iowa running back has gained over 200 yards. He joins Sedrick Shaw (250 and 214), Shonn Greene (217 and 211) and Tavian Banks (314 and 204) as the only Hawkeyes to do it more than once.
Coker is only 29 rushing yards from reaching the 1,000-yard plateau for the season. He has 981 yards on 182 attempts (5.3 avg.).

MCNUTT LEADS RECEIVERS

Senior WR Marvin McNutt, Jr. had ninth touchdown reception of the season on a 12-yard catch in the second quarter. The score was his 25th career receiving touchdown. The nine scoring receptions in a season ranks fourth at Iowa. Maurice Brown had 11 scoring receptions in 2002 and Quinn Early (1987) and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (2010) each had 10 in a season. McNutt, Jr. had eight scoring receptions in both 2009 and 2010.
McNutt, Jr. had seven receptions for 101 yards against Minnesota and now has 136 career receptions for 2,404 yards. McNutt, Jr. now ranks seventh in career receptions and second in career yards. He has at least 100 yards receiving in five of eight games in 2011. For the season, McNutt, Jr. has 48 receptions for 858 yards (17.9 avg.) and nine scores.

IN THE RED ZONE

Iowa 3-6 inside the red zone today. The Hawkeyes had two touchdowns (two rushing and one passing). Iowa missed two field goals and had a fumble. Iowa entered today’s game ranked seventh in the country in red zone offense. The Hawkeyes have scored on 135 of the last 149 red zone possessions (87 TDs and 44 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa has scored on 116-130 combined inside the red zone in its last 37 games.
Minnesota was 4-5 inside the red zone today. The Gophers had three touchdowns (two rushing and one passing) and a field goal. The Gophers failed to score on their final red zone possession when they drained the clock to close out the game.

POINTS OFF TURNOVERS

Iowa scored a touchdown following a Minnesota fumble in the second quarter.

Iowa has scored 37 points in eight games following 12 opponent turnovers (six fumbles, six interceptions).

The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 62 of its last 70 games, dating back to 2006.

Minnesota scored a field goal after recovering an Iowa fumble in the third period. Iowa opponents have scored 17 points following nine Iowa turnovers in 2011.

STARTING ON OFFENSE

Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 131 of its last 151 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 134-of-157 games under Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa games vs. Iowa State (9/10/11), 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 20 games.

OPENING DRIVE

Iowa did not score on its opening possession for the fourth time in eight games. Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive vs. Iowa State, ULM and Indiana and a field goal vs. Northwestern.
Minnesota did not score on its first possession. Iowa has allowed four opponents to score on their opening drive, including three field goals and a touchdown. Iowa has allowed 20 first-quarter points in eight games. Iowa has allowed 12 opponents to score on their opening drive in its last 47 games.

QUICK HITS

· Iowa’s two missed field goals in the first half marked just the second and third times this season Iowa did not score after reaching the red zone. Iowa scored points on 26-27 trips inside the red zone in its first seven games. Iowa took a knee in the red zone at the end of the opening game win over Tennessee Tech.

· Senior DB Shaun Prater had his third forced fumble of the season in the second quarter, leading to an Iowa touchdown. Senior DB Jordan Bernstine recovered the fumble, the first of his career.

· As a team, Iowa rushed 42 times for 269 yards.

· Sophomore WR Jordan Cotton saw the first action of his career, and had a reception on Iowa’s opening drive.

· Redshirt freshman WR Kevonte Martin-Manley started for the second time this season. Junior WR Keenan Davis, who had started Iowa’s first seven games, did not play. Martin-Manley had five catches for 35 yards today.

· Senior Tyler Nielsen returned to the starting line-up after missing last week. DL Steve Bigach started for the third straight week.

· LB James Morris equaled a personal best with 13 tackles, accomplishing the feat for the fourth time.

· Redshirt freshman OL Brandon Scherff started for the first time at left guard. He has seen action in seven of eight games this season.

· DL Tom Nardo missed his third straight game and LB Anthony Hitchens has now missed four straight games.

· Senior OL Woody Orne has been used as an eligible receiver/third tackle in recent games. He had the first reception of his career in the fourth quarter, a 12-yard reception to the one-yard line that led to Iowa’s third touchdown.

· Today marked only the second time Minnesota upended Iowa by a one-point margin. The Gophers beat the Hawkeyes 14-13 in 1964.

VANDENBERG ON TARGET

Junior QB James Vandenberg completed 16-24 passes for 177 yards and one score.
Vandenberg has 17 touchdown passes this season, with 11 of the 17 covering 20 yards or more.
He had four touchdown passes against Indiana and three in wins over Pittsburgh and Louisiana-Monroe.

INSTANT REPLAY

Instant replay was used in the second period. A Minnesota fumble was recovered by Iowa. The call on the field was upheld.
In the third period, a Minnesota completion was challenged by Iowa, but the call on the field was upheld.

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE

Iowa hosts Michigan Nov. 5 (11 a.m., ESPN) and Michigan State Nov. 12 (TBA).

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