No. 12 Iowa Football Notebook

Oct. 20, 2015

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NUMBER OF THE WEEK: 3 (and 3)
Three different Hawkeyes have rushed for over 100 yards in a game this season: Jordan Canzeri (4x), and LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley once each. The last time the Hawkeyes had three different players rush for over 100 yards in a game in the same season was 2005: Albert Young (8x), and Shonn Greene and Damian Sims once each.

The Hawkeyes also have three receivers with 100-yard receiving games: Matt VandeBerg (1), Tevaun Smith (1), and Jerminic Smith (1). It is the first time since 1995 three different Hawkeyes recorded 100-yard receiving games: Tim Dwight (2x), Demo Odems (1), Scott Slutzker (1).

7-0 AT THE BREAK
The Hawkeyes are 7-0 for the first time since 2009, the second time under Kirk Ferentz, and the fifth time in school history. The Hawkeyes were 7-0 in 1985, 1922, and 1921. Iowa started 9-0 in 2009, its best start in school history. Iowa enters its bye week undefeated for the second time under Kirk Ferentz. The 2001 Hawkeyes were 2-0 before a two-week hiatus (9/11 postponed Week 3 against Iowa State, and Week 4 was a schedule bye week).

FIRST-AND-10
• The Hawkeyes are 7-0 for the first time since 2009, the second time under Kirk Ferentz, and the fifth time in school history.
• Iowa is 3-0 in the Big Ten for the third time under Kirk Ferentz. Iowa opened 3-0 in the Big Ten in 2009 (5-0) and 2002 (8-0).
• The Hawkeyes are one of four schools in the country with seven wins (Ohio State, TCU, and Michigan State). Among those teams, Iowa has the toughest strength of schedule according to Jeff Sagarin’s college football ratings. Of the 14 undefeated FBS teams, Iowa’s strength of schedule is third behind Utah and LSU.
• Iowa leads the Big Ten with 12 scrimmage plays of 40-plus yards. The Hawkeyes had 12 scrimmage plays of 40-plus yards all of last season, and 13 such plays in 2012 and 2013 combined.
• Junior QB C.J. Beathard is the first quarterback in school history to win his first eight career starts. He is 4-0 on the road, 4-0 at home, and 4-0 in the Big Ten.
• For the first time in program history, Iowa is ranked in the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Poll (established prior to 2014). Iowa is ranked No. 13 after Week 7.
• Iowa has two roads wins over ranked opponents (Wisconsin, Northwestern) for the first time since 2002 (at No. 12 Penn State, 42-35; at No. 8 Michigan, 34-9). Alabama is the only other school with two road wins over ranked opponents this season.
• Junior DB Desmond King leads the Big Ten and ranks second nationally with six interceptions. The last Hawkeye to lead the conference in interceptions was Tyler Sash in 2009 (6).
• Iowa is ranked 12th in the AP Poll. It is the Hawkeyes’ highest appearance in the AP Poll since being ranked ninth on Sept. 12, 2010.
• Iowa has scored 56 points off turnovers, after scoring 35 points off turnovers all of last season. Iowa has a Big Ten-best nine interceptions.

MAKING HISTORY
For the first time in school history, Iowa had a different running back rush for 200 yards in consecutive games (Akrum Wadley at Northwestern and Jordan Canzeri vs. Illinois). Wadley recorded career highs in carries (26), rushing yards (204), and touchdowns (4) against the Wildcats on Oct. 17. Canzeri amassed 256 yards rushing on a school-record 43 attempts against the Fighting Illini. The feat is the first time an FBS school had two different running backs eclipse 200 yards rushing in a game since 1996.

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WADLEY NAMED B1G OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
RB Akrum Wadley was named Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Iowa’s 40-10 win at No. 20 Northwestern. Wadley led Iowa’s offense with 204 rushing yards on 26 attempts. He tied a single-game Iowa record with four rushing touchdowns, becoming the seventh Hawkeye to accomplish the feat. The 204 rushing yards ties as the 14th best single-game total in school history and established career bests in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns.

The Big Ten honor is the second weekly honor for Wadley. He was recognized as Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Nov. 3, 2014, after rushing 15 times for 106 yards and a touchdown in a 48-7 win over Northwestern in Kinnick Stadium. Wadley is the fifth Hawkeye to earn weekly honors from the Big Ten in 2015. QB C.J. Beathard earned the offensive award following Iowa’s win at Iowa State, PK Marshall Koehn was the special teams winner following Iowa’s last-second victory over Pittsburgh, DB Desmond King earned co-defensive honors for his play in Iowa’s win at Wisconsin, and RB Jordan Canzeri earned the offensive honor for his play in a win over Illinois.

SHINING AT AWARDS SEASON
Iowa has been honored with five Big Ten weekly awards this season. QB C.J. Beathard earned the offensive award following Iowa’s win at Iowa State, PK Marshall Koehn was the special teams winner following Iowa’s last-second victory over Pittsburgh, DB Desmond King earned co-defensive honors for his play in Iowa’s win at Wisconsin, RB Jordan Canzeri earned the offensive honor for his play in a win over Illinois, and RB Akrum Wadley earned the offensive honor following Iowa’s road win at Northwestern. Iowa’s three offensive award winners are the most for the program since 2002, when QB Brad Banks was recognized three times and TE Dallas Clark was honored once.

EERILY FAMILIAR
The Hawkeyes are 7-0 for the first time since 2009, when they started 9-0 for the only time in school history. The 2009 and 2015 schedule dates are near mirror images. Iowa opened the 2009 season on Sept. 5 and played 12 consecutive Saturdays until its final game on Nov. 21. The Hawkeyes won nine straight to open the season before suffering their first loss on Nov. 11 at home to Northwestern. Iowa opened the 2015 season on Sept. 5 and played seven consecutive Saturday’s before being idle on Oct. 24. The Hawkeyes are undefeated through seven weeks.

FERENTZ MOVES UP IN VICTORIES
Head coach Kirk Ferentz has 122 wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference, tying Lloyd Carr for eighth in conference history. Ferentz has 71 Big Ten wins, the ninth most in conference history. Only eight coaches rank in the top 10 in both categories: overall wins as a member of the Big Ten, and conference wins. The others include Woody Hayes (OSU), Amos Alonzo Stagg (CHI), Bo Schembechler (MICH), Hayden Fry (IOWA), Robert Zuppke (ILL), Lloyd Carr (MICH), and Barry Alvarez (WIS). Ferentz also has six bowl wins as a member of the Big Ten, tying Fry and Carr for No. 2 all-time. Only Alvarez has more (9).

WE’LL GO FIRST
Iowa received the opening kickoff in six of seven games this season, and has outscored its opponents 36-13 in the first quarter. In 17 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes received the opening kickoff in 168-of-207 games (101-67). Iowa has started the game on defense in 39-of-207 games under Ferentz (21-18).

THE FOURTH QUARTER
QB C.J. Beathard and the Hawkeyes’ rush defense have dominated the fourth quarter in 2015. Iowa’s rush defense, the No. 2 defense in the conference, has yielded 88 total rushing yards in the fourth quarter this season. That includes a 55-yard effort from North Texas against Iowa reserves.

Beathard is 18-of-25 passing for 236 yards and one touchdown. He has also rushed nine times for 28 yards and one touchdown in the fourth quarter this season. He has engineered game-winning drives in the fourth quarter two times this season (Iowa State and Pitt). He was 4-of-4 for 46 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State, and he rushed for 27 yards on three carries to set up K Marshall Koehn‘s 57-yard game winning field goal against Pitt. In Iowa’s last eight games, including the 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl, Beathard’s fourth quarter numbers include 25-of-32 passing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and 11 carries for 66 yards and one touchdown. Beathard did not play in the fourth quarter against North Texas.

IOWA, FLORIDA STATE, AND EVERYONE ELSE
Iowa allowed a rushing touchdown for the first time this season in Week 6 against Illinois. It is the only rushing touchdown allowed by the Iowa defense this season. Florida State is the only other team in the country to allow only a single rushing touchdown. The Hawkeyes yield an average of 74.1 rushing yards per game, second best in the Big Ten and fourth nationally. Iowa limits its opponents to 2.5 yards per carry (519 yards on 211 attempts), fifth best in the country. Iowa has held six of seven opponents to under 100 yards rushing (North Texas, 183).

ELITE COMPANY IN THE ‘W’ COLUMN
The Hawkeyes are one of four schools in the country with seven wins (7-0). The others include Ohio State, TCU, and Michigan State. Only Iowa and TCU have five wins this season against Power 5 schools. The Hawkeyes opened the conference season with wins at No. 18 Wisconsin, vs. Illinois, and at No. 20 Northwestern, and earned two wins against Power 5 schools during the nonconference schedule: Iowa State, 31-17, and Pitt, 27-24.

6 THE OTHER WAY
Iowa leads the Big Ten with nine interceptions. The Hawkeyes returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Week 4 against North Texas. LB Josey Jewell recorded the first interception of his career, returning it 34 yards for a touchdown. LB Bo Bower returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It is the seventh longest interception return in school history. Iowa has at least one interception returned for a touchdown in each of the last eight seasons, and 13 of the last 15 seasons.

PURCHASE TICKETS
Tickets remain for all three Iowa home games. Tickets can be ordered online at hawkeyesports.com, by calling 1-800-IAHAWKS, or in person at the UI athletics ticket office located in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

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