Iowa (4-1) defeated Purdue (2-3), 24-10, Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Hawkeyes scored the final 24 points of the game to erase an early 10-0 deficit. The Hawkeyes have scored 24 points in back-to-back road victories. Iowa begins conference play 1-0 for the third consecutive season.
The Hawkeyes have won its last two visits to West Lafayette and seven of the last nine meetings overall against Purdue.
Iowa has won four-straight road games, and six of its last seven on the road. The Hawkeyes have six road wins since the start of 2013. Ohio State (6) and Maryland (6) are the only other Big Ten schools with six road wins since 2013.
Today’s win is Kirk Ferentz‘s 112th overall victory at Iowa, which ranks 10th among coaches in Big Ten history. Also, he has 65 Big Ten wins, which ties Barry Alvaraz for 10th all-time.
Iowa outscored Purdue 14-0 in the second half today. The Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 62-36 in the second half this season.
Today’s win marks the third time this season that Iowa trailed by 10 points in a game and won (Ball State, Pittsburgh, Purdue). The Hawkeyes also trailed Northern Iowa by three points in the second period and ultimately won 31-23.
QB C.J. Beathard became the first Iowa quarterback to win his first career start in a road game since Jason Manson in 2006. Beathard’s start snapped a streak of 17 consecutive starts by QB Jake Rudock. Beathard completed 17-of-37 passes for 245 yards passing and one touchdown. He also rushed eight times for 29 yards.
RB Mark Weisman’s 12-yard rush in the third quarter increased his career rushing total to 2,004 career yards. He finished the game with 76 yards on 24 carries. He now has 2,050 career rushing yards and 22 career rushing touchdowns. He is the seventh player in school history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards and 20 career rushing touchdowns. The other six include Sedrick Shaw, Ladell Betts, Albert Young, Tavian Banks, Owen Gill, and Ronnie Harmon.
RB Mark Weisman scored two rushing touchdowns today to raise his career total to 22. He ranks No. 8 in program history, and tied for second in the Ferentz era (Albert Young, 23; Shonn Greene 22; Weisman 22). The players with more career touchdowns are Shaw, 33; Banks, 33: Betts, 25; Hudson, 24; Young, 23; Gill, 22; Harmon, 22; Weisman, 22).
RB Mark Weisman has six career games of two or more rushing touchdowns. Weisman found the end zone from two and five yards today. He also rushed for two scores last week at Pittsburgh.
SS John Lowdermilk intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter. The senior also amassed a team-best seven tackles.
Iowa’s defense yielded only 72 yards, which is the sixth-fewest allowed by a team under Kirk Ferentz. Iowa allowed only nine first downs, which tie for the seventh-fewest under Ferentz.
The Hawkeyes finished the game with four sacks. LB Josey Jewell (1.0) and DE Nate Meier each recorded their first career sacks. Meier finished with 1.5 sacks. DL Louis Trinca-Pasat had 1.0 sack, and DL Carl Davis was credited with 0.5 sack. Iowa also finished the game with five tackles for loss.
The Hawkeyes have played 48 consecutive games without a missed or blocked PAT, the longest streak of any school in the nation. Iowa has converted on 137 consecutive PATs during the streak.
WR Kevonte Martin-Manley caught a team-best five passes to raise his career total to 148. He is now No. 5 on Iowa’s all-time receptions list, trailing ( Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, 173; Marvin McNutt, Jr., 170; Kevin Kasper, 157, and Kahlil Hill, 152). His 146th career reception was a 23-yard touchdown that gave Iowa a 17-10 lead. It was his first touchdown reception of the season, and 11th of his career.
RB Jonathan Parker had a career long 47-yard kickoff return, and recorded his first career reception, including a career-long of 34 yards. He finished with two catches for 43 yards receiving.
WR Andrew Stone made his first career appearance.
WR Riley McCarron returned the opening kickoff 36 yards. It was his first career kickoff return.
Purdue won the toss and deferred. Iowa received the opening kickoff. In 16 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeye received the opening kickoff in 155 of 192 games (92-63). Iowa has started the game on defense in 37 of 192 games under Ferentz (20-17).
Instant replay was used two times today.
1) Number of Iowa players on the field, call was confirmed (official review).
2) Incomplete pass to Kevonte Martin-Manley, call was overruled. Result of play was touchdown (official review).
Iowa ran a season-best 88 plays on offense today generating 420 yards of total offense. The Hawkeyes held the Boilermakers to 62 plays for 156 total yards. Iowa’s defense held Purdue to 56 yards of total offense in the second half.
Iowa dominated time of possession today, maintaining possession for 34:30 to only 25:30 for Purdue.
Iowa has its first bye week of the season Oct. 4. The Hawkeyes return to the field Oct. 11, hosting Indiana at 11 a.m. (CT) in their annual Homecoming game.