Nov. 5, 2011
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
Iowa recorded a 24-16 victory over 13th-ranked Michigan today at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes are bowl eligible for the 11th straight season. Iowa has played in nine bowls since 2001.
Iowa improves to 6-0 at home this season. Today was Iowa’s first game of the season against a ranked opponent and was Iowa’s first win over a ranked opponent, at home, since a 37-6 triumph over fifth-ranked Michigan State a year ago on Oct. 30, 2010.
Iowa improves to 3-0 when wearing an altered helmet. The Hawkeyes had an American flag Tigerhawk on one side of the helmet today to honor Veterans. Iowa also wore altered helmets in the 1996 Alamo Bowl and at Ohio State in 1991.
Michigan had first-and-goal at the 3-yard line in the final 16 seconds, but Iowa’s defense kept the Wolverines out of the end zone on four plays to preserve the victory, including a pass break-up by B.J. Lowery in the end zone as time expired.
Iowa has defeated Michigan three-straight times for the first time in the series. Iowa won 30-28 in Iowa City in 2009, 38-28 in Ann Arbor in 2010 and 24-16 today. After today’s eight-point margin, Iowa and Michigan have played seven games the last 11 years decided by eight points or less.
Iowa’s defense held Michigan to 16 points today, its second-fewest scoring total this season (14 at Michigan State). The Wolverines entered today averaging 34.8 points per game. Michigan entered today averaging 441.2 yards of total offense per game. Iowa held the Wolverines to 323 yards of total offense.
COKER LEADS GROUND GAME
Sophomore RB Marcus Coker led the Iowa rushing attack with 29 carries for 132 yards. Coker scored on a 4-yard run in the first quarter and added a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth period. He has scored two touchdowns in six games in his career, including the last four games. He has 12 rushing touchdowns this season, which ties as the fourth most in a single season at Iowa.
Coker surpassed 100 rushing yards for the sixth time this season and for the eighth time in his career.
Coker surpassed 1,000 yards for the season with a 27-yard run in the second quarter, his fourth run over 25 yards in the last three games. He is the first Iowa running back since Shonn Greene in 2008 (307-1,850) to rush for 1,000 yards. He is the 13th Iowa player to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.
For the season, Coker has rushed the ball 211 times for 1,013 yards (5.3 avg.). The 1,013 yards ranks 15th in a single-season at Iowa. The last two games, Coker has run for 384 yards and four TDs on 61 attempts (6.3 avg.).
MCNUTT LEADS RECEIVERS
McNutt, Jr. had a career-high nine receptions for 101 receiving yards today. It marked the second straight week McNutt collected 101 receiving yards (at Minnesota). McNutt, Jr. has posted over 100 yards receiving in six of nine games this year. He now has 145 career receptions for 2,505 yards. McNutt, Jr. now ranks sixth in career receptions and second in career yards. For the season, McNutt, Jr. has 57 receptions for 959 yards (16.8 avg.) and nine scores. The 959 yards rank fifth-best in a single-season at Iowa and his 57 receptions rank 11th best.
McNutt, Jr. has nine touchdown catches this year and 25 in his career. 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.
IN THE RED ZONE
Iowa was a perfect 3-3 in the red zone today, scoring all touchdowns. Iowa had two rushing scores (four and 13 yards) and a passing score of one-yard. Iowa entered today’s game tied for 27th in the country in red zone offense. The Hawkeyes have scored on 138 of the last 152 red zone possessions (90 TDs and 44 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa has scored on 119-133 combined inside the red zone in its last 38 games.
Michigan was 3-5 in the red zone today. The Wolverines had two passing scores (five and seven yards) and converted a 32-yard field goal. Iowa’s Christen Kirksey registered his first career interception at the goal line in the second period to thwart a Michigan scoring threat. Also, Iowa’s defense kept Michigan out of the end zone on four-straight plays from the 3-yard line at the end of the contest to secure the win.
POINTS OFF TURNOVERS
Iowa collected two takeaways today; Tyler Nielsen collected a fumble and Christen Kirksey collected a theft. Iowa scored three points after the fumble recovery in the second quarter.
Iowa has scored 40 points in nine games following 14 opponent turnovers (seven fumbles, seven interceptions).
The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 63 of its last 71 games, dating back to 2006.
Michigan did not collect a Hawkeye turnover today. Iowa opponents have scored 17 points following nine Iowa turnovers in 2011.
STARTING ON OFFENSE
Michigan won the toss and elected to receive. Iowa has started on offense in 131 of its last 152 contests. The Hawkeyes have started the game on offense in 135-of-158 games under Coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa games vs. Michigan (11/5/11), 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 14 of the 21 games.
OPENING DRIVE
Iowa scored on its opening possession (rushing touchdown) for the fifth time in nine games. Iowa scored a touchdown on its opening drive vs. Iowa State, ULM and Indiana and a field goal vs. Northwestern.
Michigan 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 29 first-quarter points in nine games. Iowa has allowed 12 opponents to score on their opening drive in its last 48 games.
QUICK HITS
· Michigan entered today’s game outscoring its opponents 94-19 in the second quarter, while Iowa was outscoring its foes 82-34. Iowa scored 10 second-period points and held the Wolverines scoreless in the second quarter. Furthermore, Iowa held the Wolverines to six first-half points, its fewest point total in the first half of the season.
· Time of possession today was nearly equal. Michigan had the ball for 30:06, while the Hawkeyes maintained possession for 29:54.
· Jordan Bernstine collected a game and personal-best 15 tackles today, topping his previous best of eight tackles accomplished four times.
· Tyler Nielsen had a career-high 13 stops, including two for loss and a sack, a QB Hurry to go along with a fumble recovery. His previous career high was 12 tackles vs. Northwestern this season.
· Senior LB Tyler Nielsen recorded the first forced fumble of his career in the second quarter, leading to an Iowa touchdown. Nielsen sacked Michigan QB Denard Robinson, forcing and recovering the fumble.
· Broderick Binns had three tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and a career-high three pass break-ups.
· Sophomore TE C.J. Fiedorowicz started for the first time in his career.
· DL Tom Nardo returned to the starting line-up after missing three games due to injury and WR Keenan Davis also started after missing the Minnesota game. DE Lebron Daniel also returned to action after missing two games. LB Anthony Hitchens has now missed five straight games.
· Senior TE Brad Herman had the second touchdown reception of his career, a one-yard catch in the second quarter. He also had a one-yard scoring catch in Iowa’s win over Indiana.
· PK Mike Meyer converted a 42-yard field goal in the second period. Meyer is 13-17 this season.
VANDENBERG ON TARGET
Junior QB James Vandenberg completed 14-21 passes for 171 yards and one score.
Vandenberg has 18 touchdown passes this season, with 11 of the 18 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 twice in today’s game, both late in the fourth quarter.
Michigan’s Vincent Smith ran for a touchdown, but after review, it showed the running back’s right elbow touched the ground and was down.
A Michigan pass ruled incomplete, at the back of the end zone with seven seconds left, was upheld after review.
NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE
Iowa hosts Michigan State next Saturday (time & TV, TBA) before playing at Purdue Nov. 19 and at Nebraska Friday, Nov. 25.