Game Notes: Iowa vs. Nebraska

1: Iowa and Nebraska are playing “The Hy-Vee Heroes Game” Friday, with the winner claiming the Heroes Trophy. Iowa has won three straight in the series, and is 12-3 in its last 15 trophy games.
 
2: The Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten in scoring defense (16.5), rushing defense (99.5), passing defense (180.1), and total defense (279.5). Iowa’s total defense ranks sixth. Its rushing defense ranks eighth in the country.   Iowa is ninth in the country in scoring defense.
 
3: QB Nate Stanley has 21 touchdown passes, third most in the Big Ten. The 21 touchdown passes are the eighth highest single-season total in school history. In 2017, Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for most in a single season in school history. Stanley’s 47 touchdown passes over the last two seasons are the second most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
 
4: The Hawkeyes have 17 interceptions in 2018, most in the Big Ten and tied for second in the country. Iowa had two interceptions in the first four games of the season, but has 15 thefts since SS Geno Stone entered the starting lineup and Amani Hooker moved from safety to outside linebacker. Iowa led the nation in interceptions (21) in 2017.
 
5: The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank third in the country averaging 28.5 yards per kickoff return. WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette ranks No. 2 in the country, averaging 31.9 yards on 15 returns.
 
6: The Hawkeyes are tied for second in the Big Ten with 31 sacks. DE A.J. Epensesa leads the team and ties for second in the Big Ten with 8.5 sacks. DE Anthony Nelson is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks. The 16 combined sacks are the most of any pair of teammates in the Big Ten.
 
7: Noah Fant has 19 career touchdown receptions, more than any other tight end in program history and enough for fourth all-time in program history. The 19 touchdown receptions rank third all-time in Big Ten history by a tight end (Dave Young, Purdue, 27; Josiah Price, MSU, 21).
 
8: TE T.J. Hockenson has a team-high 663 receiving yards on a team-high 41 receptions, both career highs. Hockenson also has a career-high six receiving touchdowns, tied for ninth in the Big Ten. Hockenson’s 663 receiving yards are the fourth-highest single-season total in school history by a tight end, and the most by a Hawkeye tight end in a single season since Dallas Clark caught 43 passes for 742 yards in 2002 (Clark won the John Mackey Award in 2002). 
 
9: Senior center Keegan Render leads an offensive line that has allowed 13 quarterback sacks, fewest in the Big Ten.
 
10: Kirk Ferentz’s 150 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. He is one of five coaches to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (150).
  
     BATTLE FOR HEROES TROPHY
     Iowa and Nebraska are playing “The Hy-Vee Heroes Game” Friday, with the winner claiming the Heroes Trophy. The trophy game between the Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers was established in 2011. Since its inception, Iowa leads the series, 4-3.  Iowa gained possession of the trophy for the first time with a 38-17 win at Nebraska in 2013. The Hawkeyes reclaimed it in 2015 with a 28-20 win in Lincoln. That was Iowa’s first of three straight victories in the series.
 
    TROPHY GAMES
    Iowa is 2-1 in trophy games this season. The Hawkeyes defeated Iowa State, 13-3, to retain the Cy-Hawk trophy in Week 2, lost to No. 18 Wisconsin, 28-17, in a battle for the Heartland Trophy in Week 4, and defeated Minnesota, 48-31, to retain Floyd of Rosedale in Week 5.
    Iowa is 12-3 in its last 15 trophy games, with all three losses coming to Wisconsin. 
 
     14 SENIORS PLAY FINAL HOME GAME
    Senior members of the Iowa football program include DL Sam Brincks, WR Nick Easley, OL Dalton Ferguson, FS Jake Gervase, WR Kyle Groeneweg, DE Parker Hesse, LB Jack Hockaday, FB Austin Kelly, LB Aaron Mends, DL Matt Nelson, OL Jake Newborg, K Miguel Recinos, OL Keegan Render, and OL Ross Reynolds.
    Since the start of the 2015 season the Hawkeyes have won 35 games and qualified for a bowl game every year. The senior class has an overall record of 35-16, including a 20-7 mark at home and a 22-12 record in Big Ten games. The 22 conference wins are the fourth most by any senior class under Ferentz. The 2005 senior class won 25 Big Ten games, the 2004 senior class won 24, and the 2016 class won 23.
    All senior members of the Iowa football program will be recognized during pregame ceremonies.
 
    THE SERIES
    Nebraska holds a 29-16-3 advantage in the series that began with a 22-0 Iowa victory in 1891. Iowa has won three straight and four of the last five meetings. The Hawkeyes have outscored the Huskers 96-24 in the last two meetings. The 56 points scored by the Hawkeyes in 2017 were the most in the series’ 48-game history.
    The Hawkeyes won the last meeting in Iowa City, 40-10, in 2016. Nebraska’s last win at Kinnick Stadium was a 37-34 overtime victory in 2014. The Huskers are 10-7 against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
    The 1999 Iowa-Nebraska game in Kinnick Stadium marked Coach Kirk Ferentz’s first game as Iowa’s head coach. 
    The first 10 games in the series were played in either Omaha (eight games) or Council Bluffs (two games). The series was even at 4-4-2 in those 10 meetings.  
 
     HAWKEYE HISTORY
     Iowa has played 1,244 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 648-557-39 (.537). That includes a 404-221-16 (.643) record in home games, a 244-336-23 (.424) record in games away from Iowa City, a 328-378-25 (.465) mark in Big Ten games and a 288-186-15 (.607) record in Kinnick Stadium.
 
     6 THROUGH THE AIR
     QB Nate Stanley has 21 touchdown passes, third most in the Big Ten. The 21 touchdown passes are the eighth highest single-season total in school history. In 2017, Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for most in a single season in school history. Stanley’s 47 touchdown passes over the last two seasons are the second most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
     Stanley has 47 career touchdowns passes, fourth all-time in program history. He trails Long (74), Drew Tate (61), and Ricky Stanzi (56) on the all-time list.
     Stanley ranks ninth in career passing yards (4,985) and 10th in career total offense (4,882). He needs 331 yards of total offense to tie Jake Rudock for ninth all-time.  
     Stanley set a career high with six touchdown passes Week 6 at Indiana. He threw the six touchdowns to five different players, marking just the second time in program history five different Hawkeyes had a receiving touchdown in the same game. He also had 320 yards passing, the fourth 300-yard passing game of his career. His performance earned him Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors.
     Stanley had 14 touchdowns combined from Weeks 3-6. That touchdown total tied for the most ever over a four-game stretch in school history (Chuck Long threw 14 touchdowns over a four-game stretch in 1985). He has five multi-touchdown games this season, and 12 in his career.
     Seven of Stanley’s 21 touchdown passes this season have gone to TE Noah Fant. He and Fant have connected for touchdowns 18 times over the last 23 games.
 
     DOWN, DOWN, DOWN IN FRONT
     The Hawkeyes are tied for second in the Big Ten with 31 sacks. DE A.J. Epensesa leads the team and ties for second in the Big Ten with 8.5 sacks. DE Anthony Nelson is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks. The 16 combined sacks are the most of any pair of teammates in the Big Ten. Epenesa’s 8.5 sacks are the highest single-season total by a Hawkeye since DL Mike Daniels had nine sacks in 2011.
     Nelson recorded a career-best three sacks Week 5 at Minnesota. Epenesa has recorded at least one sack in seven of 11 games.
     Eleven Hawkeyes have contributed to the sack total. DE Parker Hesse has four, DE Chauncey Golston has 3.5, LB Kristian Welch has 1.5, and LB Amani Hooker, LB Amani Jones, DT Cedrick Lattimore, DT Brady Reiff, DT Matt Nelson, and LB Nick Niemann each have one.
 
     A.J. EPENESA EARNS CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS
    DE A.J. Epenesa was named Big Ten Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week following Iowa’s 63-0 win at Illinois on Nov. 17. Epenesa recorded 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass break-up, forced and recovered one fumble, and added a QB pressure to go with a blocked punt he recovered and returned for a touchdown.
In a two minute span in the second quarter at Illinois, Epenesa forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, scored a touchdown (19 yards, first of his career), recorded a sack, and blocked a punt. Iowa scored on its first play following the blocked punt. The touchdowns were 1 minute, 59 seconds apart.
     Epensesa leads the team and ties for second in the Big Ten with 8.5 sacks. His 8.5 sacks is the highest single-season total by a Hawkeye since DL Mike Daniels had nine sacks in 2011. He also leads the team and ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 13.5 tackles-for-loss (61) yards. He has two pass breakups and a team-high seven quarterback hurries.
The honor is the second weekly honor for Epenesa, who was also recognized by the Big Ten for his play in Iowa’s win over Iowa State. The native of Glen Carbon, Illinois (Edwardsville HS), recorded a career-best eight tackles at Illinois, including five solo stops and three assists.
 
 
    HOLD IT RIGHT THERE
    The Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten in scoring defense (16.5), rushing defense (99.5), passing defense (180.1), and total defense (279.5). Iowa’s total defense ranks sixth. Its rushing defense ranks eighth in the country.  
    Iowa is ninth in the country in scoring defense. The Hawkeyes have held five opponents to a season-low in points (Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois), and have pitched two shutouts this year (Maryland, Illinois). Iowa has 11 shutouts in the Ferentz era.  
    In Week 7 against Maryland, the Hawkeyes held the Terps to 115 yards of total offense, the fewest ever allowed to a Big Ten opponent under Ferentz.
    Iowa allows 3.1 yards per carry, seventh in the country, and has allowed only seven rushing touchdowns, tied for fifth in the country.
    The Hawkeyes limited Iowa State to just 19 yards rushing in Week 2, and held Northern Iowa to six rushing yards in Week 3 – a total that ranks second all-time in the Ferentz era (20 years).
    Iowa has allowed 175 first downs, second fewest in the Big Ten and 11th in the country.
 
     RETURN TO SENDER
     The Hawkeyes lead the Big Ten and rank third in the country averaging 28.5 yards per kickoff return. WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette ranks No. 2 in the country, averaging 31.9 yards on 15 returns. Iowa has returned 20 kickoffs this season. Kyle Groeneweg averages 27.0 yards on two returns. Devonte Young has two returns for 42 yards.
     Groeneweg ranks second in the Big Ten and 25^th nationally, averaging 10.4 yards per punt return. Groeneweg returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown against Illinois. It was the 22^nd longest punt return in school history, and Iowa’s first punt return for a touchdown since 2016 (Riley McCarron, at Illinois). As a team, Iowa averages 11 yards per punt return, second in the Big Ten.  
 
     POCKET PROTECTION
     Senior center Keegan Render leads an offensive line that has allowed 13 quarterback sacks, fewest in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes start sophomores Alaric Jackson and Tristan Wirfs at tackle. Senior Ross Reynolds has started every game at left guard, and sophomore Cole Banwart and senior Dalton Ferguson have shared starts at right guard.
 
    TE NOAH FANT
    TE Noah Fant has 19 career touchdown receptions, more than any other tight end in program history and enough for fourth all-time in program history. The 19 touchdown receptions rank third all-time in Big Ten history by a tight end (Dave Young, Purdue, 27; Josiah Price, Michigan State, 21).
    Fant has a team-high seven touchdowns receptions in 2018, tied for sixth in the Big Ten. His 38 receptions are a single-season career high, and his 65-yard reception at Purdue is Iowa’s longest play this season. He is one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s top tight end.
    Fant had two touchdown receptions against No. 18 Wisconsin in Week 4. It was the fourth multi-touchdown game of his career. Since 2000, the only Big Ten tight ends with four multi-touchdown games are Fant (4) and former Penn State TE Mike Gesicki (4).
    Eighteen of Fant’s touchdown receptions have come from QB Nate Stanley. His first career touchdown reception came from QB C.J. Beathard (5 yards, at Purdue on Oct. 15, 2016).
    His 19 career touchdowns have come from near and far, listed in chronological order: 5, 2, 27, 23, 7, 45, 25, 3, 6, 4, 69, 8, 1, 5, 20, 1, 5, 28, 9.
    Fant had 102 yards receiving at Indiana in Week 6. It was his second career 100-yard receiving game (Nebraska, 2017).
    Fant was one of 10 conference players named to the Big Ten Preseason Honors List. He had 30 receptions last season, including a team-high 11 touchdowns, tied for most in the country among FBS tight ends and the most by a Hawkeye since Marvin McNutt caught 12 touchdown passes in 2012. Fant led Iowa and all FBS tight ends with 16.5 yards per catch in 2017.
 
    TE T.J. HOCKENSON
    TE T.J. Hockenson has a team-high 663 receiving yards on a team-high 41 receptions, both career highs. Hockenson also has a career-high six receiving touchdowns, tied for ninth in the Big Ten. He is one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, presented to the nation’s top tight end.
    Hockenson’s 663 receiving yards are the fourth-highest single-season total in school history by a tight end, and the most by a Hawkeye tight end in a single season since Dallas Clark caught 43 passes for 742 yards in 2002 (Clark won the John Mackey Award in 2002).  The last Hawkeye tight end to lead the team in receptions in a single season was Scott Chandler in 2005 (47). The last Hawkeye tight end to lead the team in single-season receiving yards was Alan Cross in 1992 (600). The single-season school record for receiving yards by a tight end is 803, set by Marv Cook in 1987.
    Hockenson added a rushing touchdown to his career stats at Minnesota, taking a direct snap on a fake field goal and rushing four yards for the score. Hockenson has led or shared the team lead in receptions in Weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 9. His 16.2 yards per reception rank second on the team (Smith-Marsette 18).  
    Hockenson and TE Noah Fant have combined for 1,170 receiving yards on 79 catches, including 13 receiving touchdowns.
 

     RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE
     Iowa’s three primary running backs – Ivory Kelly-Martin, Mekhi Sargent, Toren Young – have combined for 333 carries, 1,463 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns (eight by Sargent, four by Young, and two by Kelly-Martin).
     The sophomore trio has shared the workload. Sargent has 37.8 percent of the carries (126-575), Young has 34.5 percent of the carries (115-547), and Kelly-Martin has 27.6 percent of the carries (92-341).
     In Iowa’s 63-0 win at Illinois in Week 6, Sargent rushed for a career-high 121 yards, becoming Iowa’s first 100-yard back since RB Akrum Wadley in Week 12 of 2017. Sargent had a pair of touchdowns against the Illini and leads the team with eight touchdowns. Young also rushed for two scores against the Illini. Kelly-Martin did not play at Illinois.
     Iowa had a different running back rush for a career high in yards in Weeks 6-8. Sargent set a then-career best in carries (16) and yards (91) Week 8 at Penn State. Kelly-Martin rushed for a career-high 98 yards Week 7 against Maryland, and Young rushed for a career-best 96 yards Week 6 at Indiana.
     The Hawkeye do not have a junior or senior among the position group. Running backs coach Derrick Foster is in his first season on Iowa’s staff in charge of a position group that graduated 75 percent of its rushing yards in 2017, and entered 2018 with one combined career start (Young).
     Iowa graduated running backs Akrum Wadley (1,109 yards) and James Butler (396 yards) in 2017. The duo combined for 1,505 rushing yards in 2017.
 
     A STONE’S THROW AWAY
     The Hawkeyes have 17 interceptions in 2018, most in the Big Ten and tied for second in the country. Iowa had two interceptions in the first four games of the season, but has 15 thefts since SS Geno Stone entered the starting lineup and Amani Hooker moved from safety to outside linebacker. Iowa led the nation with 21 interceptions in 2017.
     In their last seven games, the Hawkeyes had four interceptions in Week 5 at Minnesota, a pair of picks at Indiana in Week 6, one theft in Week 7 against Maryland, a pick-six at Penn State in Week 8, two interceptions Week 9 at Purdue, two interceptions Week 10 against Northwestern, and three interceptions Week 11 at Illinois.
     Stone and Hooker share the team lead with four interceptions (tied for second in the Big Ten). Three of Stone’s four thefts have been in the fourth quarter. He intercepted Trace McSorley on the Penn State 24-yard line and returned it for a touchdown in Week 8. He intercepted Minnesota inside the five-yard line on Minnesota’s final play of the game, and had a fourth quarter interception against Indiana in the end zone. He has started at strong safety Weeks 5-11, his first career starts.
     Hooker had one interception in the season opener, starting at strong safety. He moved to outside linebacker Week 5, and has added three more interceptions. First against Maryland in Week 7, and nearly grabbing a pick-six Week 9 at Purdue (touchdown called back due to a holding penalty on the return). He returned an interception 39 yards Week 11 at Illinois.
     True freshman DB Riley Moss and true freshman DB Julius Brents both recorded interceptions in their first career starts at Minnesota. Moss had two interceptions for 36 yards. Brents intercepted one pass (0 yards).
     The Hawkeyes led the nation with 21 interceptions in 2017. The Hawkeyes return nine of the 21 thefts, led by safeties Jake Gervase (3) and Amani Hooker (2). DE Parker Hesse, Stone, LB Kristian Welch, and DL Brady Reiff also recorded interceptions last season.  Iowa lost the nation’s leader in interceptions, Josh Jackson (8), and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Josey Jewell (2), to the NFL. Both players were consensus All-Americans.
     Iowa has at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of the last 11 seasons, and 16 of the last 18 seasons.
     DE Anthony Nelson recovered a fumble for a touchdown Week 7 against Maryland, marking the 11th straight season Iowa has scored a defensive touchdown. Iowa scored its third defensive touchdown Week 11 at Illinois when DE A.J. Epenesa recovered his  own forced fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
 
     NEW FACES IN THE CROWD
     The 2018 season is the first in Kirk Ferentz’s 20 years that the Hawkeyes opened the season without a linebacker with a single career start. Iowa has used five different starting linebacker combinations this season.
SS Amani Hooker made his first career start at outside linebacker Week 5 at Minnesota, the first of his seven consecutive starts at the position. Hooker is the sixth Hawkeye to start at the linebacker position this season. The others include first-time starters LB Djimon Colbert, LB Jack Hockaday, LB Amani Jones, LB Nick Niemann, and LB Kristian Welch.
     The five linebackers (not including Hooker) entered the season with a combined 40 career tackles, 832 fewer career tackles than Iowa’s three starting linebackers in 2017 (Josey Jewell 437; Bo Bower, 234; Ben Niemann, 201).
     The last time Ferentz had this little starting experience at the linebacker position was in 2014. That year, Quinton Alston, Bo Bower, and Reggie Spearman were Iowa’s starting linebackers in the season opener. Only Alston had a previous career start (2012 at Michigan).
     In Ferentz’s first season in 1999, the opening day starting linebackers — LeVar Woods, Aaron Kampman, and Derrick Davison had two career starts combined. Both starts belonged to Kampman, who started the final two games in 1998.
 
     FERENTZ BECOMES IOWA’S ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACH, MOVES UP BIG TEN CHARTS
     Head coach Kirk Ferentz (150-101) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144^th win as Iowa’s head coach, one more than his predecessor, Hayden Fry (143-89-6). Fry coached Iowa for 20 years (1979-98). Ferentz is in his 20^th season.
     Ferentz’s 150 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fifth in league history. He is one of five coaches in Big Ten Conference history to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The top five includes Woody Hayes (202), Amos Alonza Stagg (199), Bo Schembechler (194), Joe Paterno (162), and Ferentz (150).
     Ferentz has 90 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach. The 90 conference wins rank sixth among the conference’s all-time winningest coaches in Big Ten games.
     Both Ferentz (150, 90) and Fry (143, 96) rank in the top six in overall wins and Big Ten wins. Only Iowa and Michigan have two coaches ranked in the top 10 of both win categories (Bo Schembechler 194, 143; and Lloyd Carr 122, 81).
     Iowa is the only school in the country to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
 
     FERENTZ TOPS IN LONGEVITY
     Kirk Ferentz is in his 20th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football. Ferentz was named Iowa head coach on Dec. 2, 1998. Gary Patterson of TCU is No. 2 in coaching tenure. Patterson’s first year with the Horned Frogs was 2001. Among Big Ten coaches, only Pat Fitzgerald (2006) and Mark Dantonio (2007) have been at their current schools for 10 seasons or more. Iowa is the only school to have just two head football coaches since 1979.
     Defensive coordinator Phil Parker and strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle are also in their 20^th seasons on Iowa’s staff. Defensive line coach Reese Morgan joined the staff in 1999 and is in his 19^th season. Quarterbacks coach Ken O’Keefe was on Ferentz’s original coaching staff before he left for the NFL following the 2011 season. He returned to Iowa in 2017 to coach Iowa’s quarterbacks.
     Ferentz is the only Division I coach to coach three sons. Brian Ferentz, a former Hawkeye letterman and captain (2003-05), is in his seventh season on Iowa’s coaching staff. James Ferentz was a three-year starter on the Hawkeye offensive line and a team captain before graduating in 2013. Steven was an offensive lineman and letterwinner in 2015 and 2016.
 
    TIGERHAWK ADDED TO WATER TOWER
    For the second time in as many years, a Tigerhawk has found a home at Kinnick Stadium. In June 2018, a Tigerhawk logo and block IOWA lettering were added to the water tower that sits outside the northeast corner of Kinnick Stadium.
The Tigerhawk faces southwest, overlooking Kinnick Stadium, and stretches 24 feet wide and measures 15 feet, 5.75 inches in height. The block IOWA lettering is on the northwest side of the water tower and measures 24 feet by 9 1/8 feet. The height of the water tower tank is 70 feet.
The images were added one year after a Tigerhawk logo was placed at midfield at Kinnick Stadium.
 
      HAWK TALK WITH KIRK FERENTZ
Head Coach Kirk Ferentz is featured on “Hawk Talk with Kirk Ferentz” each week during the regular season. The radio call-in show is hosted by Gary Dolphin, the play-by-play voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes.  The show airs live each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. from Carlos O’Kelly’s in Iowa City. The Nov. 21 show has been rescheduled for Nov. 19 to avoid a conflict with an Iowa men’s basketball game.  

    BOWL INFORMATION
    Bowl information will be released Dec. 2. Information will be available at hawkeyesports.com/bowlcentral