Game Notes: Iowa at Wisconsin

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1st and 10

1: DE A.J. Epenesa leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense (10.1 ppg), sixth in total defense (265.9 ypg), and eighth in rushing defense (87.8 ypg).
 
2: Iowa is allowing 10.1 points per game, the lowest total of the Ferentz era (next best is 13.0 in 2008), and the lowest by any Hawkeye team since 1956 (8.4). Iowa’s 265.9 ypg in total defense is the lowest by any Hawkeye team since 1984 (272.2).
 
3. Iowa has allowed nine touchdowns in seven games. Among Big Ten schools, only Ohio State (6) has allowed fewer. Iowa is the only team in the country not to allow a rush over 20 yards this season.
 
4: The Hawkeyes are playing in their second trophy game of the season. Iowa defended the Cy-Hawk Trophy with an 18-17 win at Iowa State on Sept. 14. The Hawkeyes are 14-3 in their last 17 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin), with all three losses coming to Wisconsin.
 
5: QB Nate Stanley has started the last 34 games at quarterback (23-11), and the Hawkeyes have averaged 28.4 points per game in those starts. That average ranks sixth in school history and 10th nationally among active quarterbacks. His streak of 34 consecutive starts at quarterback ranks second in school history to Long (47).
 
6. K Keith Duncan is tied for first in  the country with 19 field goals made. He is 19-of-22 on field goal attempts and 18-of-18 on PAT attempts. Duncan is two made field goals from tying the single-season school record. Rob Houghtlin (1987), Nate Kaeding (2002), and Kyle Schlicher (2004) share the record with 21 made field goals.
 
7. Iowa has four shutouts in its last 11 Big Ten Conference games (Rutgers and Northwestern in 2019, Maryland and Illinois in 2018). No other Big Ten team has more than one shutout since the start of 2018.
 
8: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette averages 28.1 yards on 37 career kickoff returns, the best in school history among players with at least 30 returns. The Big Ten record of average kickoff return yardage (minimum 40 returns) is 28.8, set by Stan Brown of Purdue (1968-70). Smith-Marsette has 1,040 kickoff return yards, eighth all-time in program history.
 
9: Iowa’s two losses are to Penn State (8-0) and Michigan (7-2), who have a combined record of 15-2. Both losses were one possession games.
 
10: Kirk Ferentz has 94 Big Ten Conference wins, one shy of tying Joe Paterno for No. 5 all-time in conference history. Iowa is bowl eligible for the 18th time in the last 19 seasons.
 
    THE SERIES
    Saturday will be the 93rd meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin. The visiting team has won seven of the last eight meetings.  The teams had met 16 consecutive years from 1995-2010 before the series was disrupted by conference realignment in 2011. Through 92 games, Wisconsin leads 47-43-2. Iowa is 19-27-1 all-time in games played in Madison. Iowa’s last win in the series was a 10-6 victory in 2015. 
 
     IN THE RANKINGS
     Iowa is ranked No. 18 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the coaches poll. Iowa’s schedule includes four opponents ranked in the AP top 25 (#5 Penn State, #13 Minnesota, #14 Michigan, #16 Wisconsin). Those four opponents have a combined 19-4 record.
     Iowa is 0-2 when playing ranked teams this season, falling 10-3 at #19 Michigan on Oct. 5, and 17-12 at home to #10 Penn State. The Hawkeyes last win over a ranked opponent was against No. 18 Mississippi State, 27-22, on Jan. 1 at the 2019 Outback Bowl.
     Iowa defeated Iowa State, 18-17, on Sept. 14. The Cyclones were the first team outside the AP Top 25 when the teams met.
 
      HAWKEYE HISTORY
      Iowa has played 1,254 games since beginning football in 1889. Iowa’s overall record is 656-559-39 (.539). That includes a 409-222-16 (.645) record in home games, a 247-337-23 (.426) record in games away from Iowa City, a 332-380-25 (.467) mark in Big Ten games and a 293-187-15 (.607) record in Kinnick Stadium. Oct. 5, 2019 marked the 90th anniversary of the first game in Kinnick Stadium, a 46-0 win over Monmouth.
      When Iowa hosts Minnesota on Nov. 16, it will mark the 130th anniversary of Iowa football. The Hawkeyes played their first football game on Nov. 16, 1889, against Grinnell.
 
TROPHY COLLECTION
The Hawkeyes are playing in their second trophy game of the season. Iowa defended the Cy-Hawk Trophy with an 18-17 win at Iowa State on Sept. 14. The Hawkeyes are 14-3 in their last 17 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin), with all three losses coming to Wisconsin. Iowa has also won its last two bowl games, claiming trophies at the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl and 2019 Outback Bowl. 
 
Trophy                           Opponent           Date      Result
Cy-Hawk                        at Iowa State      9/14       W, 18-17
Heartland                      at Wisconsin       11/9
Floyd of Rosedale      Minnesota          11/16
Heroes                           at Nebraska        11/29
 
      STANLEY CLIMBS SCHOOL AND CONFERENCE CHARTS
      QB Nate Stanley leads the Big Ten in passing yards (1,950) and passing yards per game (243.8). He has 10 touchdown passes this season and 62 in his career, second all-time in program history. He trails Chuck Long (74) on the all-time list.
      Stanley is one of 10 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which is presented annually to the top senior or fourth-year quarterback in the nation. He is the only Big Ten quarterback o the list. He has started the last 34 games at quarterback (23-11), and the Hawkeyes have averaged 28.4 points per game in those starts. That average ranks sixth in school history, and 10th nationally among active quarterbacks. His streak of 34 consecutive starts at quarterback ranks second in history to Long (47).
      Stanley has 17 career multi-touchdown games, including three this season. He completed three touchdown passes in the season opener against Miami, Ohio, three more in Week 2 against Rutgers, and two against Middle Tennessee in Week 4. He has 10 career games with at least three passing touchdowns. Only Long has more in program history (11).
      Stanley threw 26 touchdown passes in 2018, second most in the Big Ten, one shy of tying Chuck Long (1985) for the most in single season school history, and tied for second most all-time in single season history. Stanley also threw 26 touchdown passes in 2017. Stanley’s 52 touchdown passes from 2017-18 are the most ever in school history over a two-year span. Long tossed 49 touchdown passes from 1984 (22) to 1985 (27).
      Stanley threw for a career-high 2,852 yards in 2018, the seventh-highest single-season total in school history. He ranks fourth in career passing yards (7,122) and fourth in career total offense (6,989).
      Stanley was named to six preseason watch lists and listed on the preseason Big Ten third team by Phil Steele.
 
Nate Stanley Awards Watch

• Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
• Manning Award Preseason Watch List
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist
• Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List
• O’Brien Award Preseason Watch List
• CFPA Player of the Year Award Preseason Watch List
• Preseason third-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele
• Preseason fourth-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports

                 
     POCKET PRESSURE
     DE A.J. Epenesa leads a defense that ranks third in the country in scoring defense (10.1 ppg), sixth in total defense (265.9 ypg), and eighth in rushing defense (87.8 ypg). Those marks rank third across the board in the Big Ten.
     Iowa’s scoring defense is the lowest total of the Ferentz era (next best is 13.0 in 2008), and the lowest by any Hawkeye team since 1956 (8.4). Iowa’s total defense is the lowest by any Hawkeye team since 1984 (272.2).
     The Hawkeyes have allowed just 111 first downs (13.9 per game), tied for second fewest in the country and second in the Big Ten. Iowa is the only team in the country not to allow a rush over 20 yards this season.
     Iowa has allowed nine touchdowns in eight games. Among Big Ten schools, only Ohio State (6) has allowed fewer. Iowa is one of three schools in the country to allow just two rushing touchdowns or fewer (Georgia 0, Ohio State 2).  
     Iowa’s defense allowed just five first downs against Rutgers in Week 2. That ties for the fewest allowed in the Kirk Ferentz era (Syracuse, 2007). Rutgers’ 125 yards of total offense ranks as the fifth lowest total in the Ferentz era.
     In its Week 7 win against Purdue, Iowa allowed 33 yards rushing, its lowest total against a Big Ten opponent since 2013.
     Epenesa leads Iowa with 3.5 sacks and eight quarterback hurries. He led the Big Ten and ranked ninth in the country with 10.5 sacks in 2018. His running mate, DE Chauncey Golston, has a team-high 7.5 tackles-for-loss (21 yards).
     Epenesa is a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. He was named to four preseason All-America first teams, listed on six preseason watch lists, and is preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com.
     Epenesa recorded at least one sack in nine of 13 games last season and was named first-team All-Big Ten by league media, and second-team All-Big Ten by league coaches. He ranked second in the conference and 16th nationally in forced fumbles (4), and ranked fourth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss. He totaled 37 tackles, four pass breakups, eight QB pressures, and a blocked punt in 2018. He recovered his own forced fumble and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown at Illinois.
     The Hawkeyes ranked third in the Big Ten last season with 35 sacks, the second highest single-season total in the Ferentz era (2002, 40).
 
A.J. Epenesa Awards Watch

• Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List
• Big Ten Conference Preseason Watch List
• Bednarik Award Preseason Watch List
• Lott IMPACT Trophy Quarterfinalist
• Polynesian Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
• Hendricks Award Preseason Watch List
• Preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com
• Preseason first team All-America by Associated Press
• Preseason first-team All-America by Sports Illustrated
• Preseason first-team All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com
• Preseason first-team All-America by Athlon Sports
• Preseason second-team All-America by Phil Steele
• Preseason first-team All-Big Ten by CollegeFootballNews.com
• Preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele
• Preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports

 
     RETURN TO SENDER
     WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette is named on the Paul Hornung Award watch list, an honor bestowed to the most versatile player in college football.
     Smith-Marsette averages 28.1 yards on 37 career kickoff returns, the best in school history among players with at least 30 returns. The Big Ten record of average kickoff return yardage (minimum 40 returns) is 28.8, set by Stan Brown of Purdue (1968-70). Smith-Marsette has 1,040 kickoff return yards, eighth all-time in program history.
     Smith-Marsette leads the team in receiving yards (463) and all-purpose yards (705). He ranks third on the team with 30 receptions. He rushed for a touchdown (14 yards) in Week 4, and is tied for the team lead with four touchdowns. He set a career high with 113 receiving yards in Week 2.
     Smith-Marsette has 1,011 career receiving yards, 42nd all-time in program history. He has 2,225 all-purpose yards. Only 19 players in school history have 2,500 or more.
     In 2018, Smith-Marsette led the Big Ten and ranked No. 2 in the country, averaging 29.5 yards on 24 kickoff returns. He was named Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year in the Big Ten Conference.  He had 23 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns. His 15.7 yards per catch led the Hawkeyes (minimum 20 receptions).  
 
     SARGENT LEADS RUNNING BACK BY COMMITTEE
     RB Mekhi Sargent leads the team in carries (98) and rushing yards (443). He has started the last 12 games and is named on the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List.
     RB Tyler Goodson (64) and RB Toren Young (62) rank second and third, respective, in rush attempts. Young has 357 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry, best on the team and 10th in the Big Ten. He rushed for a career-high 131 yards in Week 4. It was his first career 100-yard rushing game.
     Goodson has 316 yards rushing, and 19 receptions for 137 yards. His 83 combined touches ranks second on the team to Sargent (111).  
Sargent and Young are separated by one yard in career rushing. Sargent has 1,188 yards on 257 attempts, 34th on Iowa’s all-time list. Young has 1,187 career yards on 243 attempts, 35th all-time.
     Seven different Hawkeyes have combined to rush for 10 touchdowns. Seven of those touchdowns have come from inside the 2-yard line, eight from inside the 4-yard line. Sargent leads the team with four rushing touchdowns (2, 4, 14, 2). Six more Hawkeyes have one rushing touchdown: Young (2), QB Nate Stanley (1), FB Brady Ross (1), WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette (14), QB Spencer Petras (1), Goodson (1).
     Young (131) and Goodson (97) rushed for career highs against Middle Tennessee. The Hawkeyes rushed for 351 yards in the game, the fourth highest total in the Ferentz era.
     Juniors Ivory Kelly-Martin, Sargent, and Young shared the workload in 2018. The trio combined for 392 carries, 1,723 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns (nine by Sargent, five by Young, and two by Kelly-Martin). Sargent had 40.6 percent of the carries (159-745), Young had 34.7 percent of the attempts (136-637), and Kelly-Martin has 24.7 percent of the carries (97-341).
 
     GRAND THEFT SECONDARY
     Iowa ranks 12th in the country and fifth in the Big Ten in passing defense (178.1 yards per game).
     DB Michael Ojemudia is tied for sixth in the Big Ten with two interceptions. He intercepted a pass in each of the first two weeks. LB Djimon Colbert recorded the first interception of his career in Week 2. SS Geno Stone had one interception in Week 5. CB Riley Moss had an interception in Week 7. DE Chauncey Golston intercepted a pass in Week 8.
     The Hawkeyes have six interceptions this season. Iowa led the Big Ten and tied for second in the country in 2018 with 20 interceptions. Over the last three seasons, no school has more interceptions than Iowa. The Hawkeyes have 47 interceptions since 2017, two more than Boston College, who has the second most over the same period.  
     Entering this season, Iowa has at least one interception return for a touchdown in each of the last 11 seasons, and 16 of the last 18 seasons.
 
     DUNCAN GETTING HIS KICKS
     K Keith Duncan is tied for first in the country with 19 field goals made. He is 19-of-22 on field goal attempts and 18-of-18 on PAT attempts. He leads the team and ranks second in the Big Ten, 14th in the country, in scoring with 75 points. Duncan has connected on 10-of-12 kicks of at least 40 yards. He kicked a career-long 49 yard field goal against Middle Tennessee in Week 4. He kicked four field goals at Iowa State and four field goals against Purdue.
     Duncan is two made field goals from tying the single-season school record. Rob Houghtlin (1987), Nate Kaeding (2002), and Kyle Schlicher (2004) share the record with 21 made field goals.
     Duncan is seeing his first action since 2016, when he made 9-11 field goal attempts and 38-39 PAT attempts (one was blocked). That year he kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift Iowa over #2 Michigan, 14-13. 
     Duncan was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and Lou Groza Award Star of the Week on Sept. 16 following his performance at Iowa State. Duncan connected on a career-best four field goals at Iowa State. His final kick from 39 yards provided the margin of victory with 4:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. He also connected from 25 yards on Iowa’s first drive of the game and from 40 yards on the final play of the first half. He nailed a 42-yarder late in the third quarter. 
     The Big Ten weekly honor was the second of his career. He was previously recognized in 2016, earning the weekly honor following Iowa’s 14-13 win over Michigan. Duncan contributed two field goals in that win, including the game-winner from 33 yards on the final play of the game.  
 
     WIN, GRADUATE, DO IT RIGHT
     Ten Hawkeyes wear a decal on their helmets indicating they have received their undergraduate degrees from the University of Iowa. The graduates include Drew Cook, John Milani, Landan Paulsen, Levi Paulsen, Colton Rastetter, Brady Reiff, Brady Ross, Ryan Schmidt, Jackson Subbert, and Nate Wieting.
 
     FERENTZ MOVES UP BIG TEN CHARTS
     Head coach Kirk Ferentz has 94 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach. The 94 conference wins rank sixth among the conference’s all-time winningest coaches in Big Ten games. He is one win tying Joe Paterno for fifth place in all-time Big Ten Conference wins.
     Ferentz’s 158 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 (158).
      Ferentz (158-103) became Iowa’s all-time winningest coach on Sept. 1, 2018. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Illinois, 33-7. It was Ferentz’s 144th 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 21st season in 2019.
     Both Ferentz (158, 93) 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.
 
      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 VUE Rooftop at the Hilton Garden Inn in Iowa City.