Iowa vs. Illinois State Postgame Notes

Sept. 5, 2015

Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 media-icon-photogallery.gif | Photo Gallery 2 media-icon-photogallery.gif

Iowa (1-0) Illinois State (0-1), 31-14, Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

The Hawkeyes have won 14-of-17 season openers under Kirk Ferentz, averaging 35.3 ppg in the 14 wins.

Iowa is 95-29-2 (.762) in home openers.

Iowa’s 99-yard scoring drive on its second possession was its first 99-yard scoring drive since 2002 at Miami (OH).

Freshmen WR Jerminic Smith, WR Adrian Falconer, and OL James Daniels played today. Daniels is the first true freshman to play offensive line since Bryan Bulaga in 2007.

Iowa finished the game with five sacks, all in the opening half. DE Drew Ott had two sacks. DE Parker Hesse, DE Nate Meier, and LB Ben Niemann each had one. It was the first career sack for Hesse and Niemann.

INDIVIDUAL SUPERLATIVES

QB C.J. Beathard improved to 2-0 as a starter. Beathard made his first career start at Kinnick Stadium. He was 15-of-24 for 211 yards passing and one touchdown. He rushed eight times for 26 yards and two touchdowns. The eight rushing attempts was a career high.

RB LeShun Daniels set career highs in carries 26, rushing yards 123, and longest rush. His 27-yard rush on the game’s opening drive was a career long. Daniels made his first career start.

WR Matt VandeBerg‘s nine-yard touchdown in the third quarter was his second career touchdown. He scored his first touchdown at the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl. His six catches were a career high.

RB Jordan Canzeri had 118 all-purpose yards (28 rushing, 90 receiving). His 90 receiving yards are a career best. Canzeri ranked second on the team with 752 all-purpose yards in 2014, including 494 yards rushing, 123 yards receiving, and 135 yards in kickoff returns. His 51-yard reception on the final drive of the first half was a career long.

LB Cole Fisher had a career-high eight tackles in his first career start.

MISCELLANEOUS

Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. In 17 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes received the opening kickoff in 163-201 games (96-67). Iowa has started the game on defense in 38-of-201 games under Ferentz (20-18).

The Hawkeyes have played 57 consecutive games without a missed or blocked PAT, the longest streak of any school in the nation. Iowa has converted on 172 consecutive PATs during the streak.

Instant replay was not used today.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes play at Iowa State on Saturday, Sept. 11, at 3:45 p.m. (CT) at Jack Trice Stadium. FOX will televise the contest.

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