No. 17 Lowa’s Rally Keeps Hopes Of Big Ten Title Game Alive

Iowa has once again completed what Nebraska could not do all season, and that is why the Hawkeyes own at least part of a Large Ten West title, and the Cornhuskers are heading into winter since their worst year since 1957.

Spencer Petras ran 2:58 to the left for a 2-yard touchdown to give the Hawkeyes their first 17th lead and returned from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter to defeat Nebraska on Friday 28-21.

The Hawkeyes 10-2, 7-2 won their seventh game by 10 points or less. Now they need Minnesota to defeat Wisconsin on Saturday and go to the convention championship game in Indianapolis next week.

“I think that was the story of the season. We’ve been in those finished matches and we’re just finding ways to win and discover ways to finish on top,” said Tyler Linderbaum, star center of Iowa.

Iowa won the border battle for the seventh straight year, along with the Heroes Trophy, but not before Jermari Harris intercepted Logan Smothers’ move at the Iowa 2 with 43 seconds to play.

“It’s a great feeling to walk right into a full home and go away with a trophy,” Linderbaum mentioned.

The loss was another blow to Nebraska 3-9, 1-8. The Cornhuskers, who won’t go to the bowl for the fifth consecutive 12 months, completed in six straight video games and eight out of 9 straight video games. His 9 defeats scored 56 factors.

“All the pieces we have been by means of as a crew this 12 months, 99 % of the groups would have come down and stopped,” stated Scott Frost, Nebraska coach. “These guys haven’t any finish. Generally, you educate arduous classes in life. I recognize the battle and dedication they’d. Nobody can say that the group closed it.”
Tyler Goodson ran 156 yards with 23 carries and has become the primary 1,000-yard runner in Iowa since Akrum Wadley in 2017.
Others, who made his first begin as a substitute of injured Adrian Martinez, threw 199 yards and ran 24 instances 64 yards, and two touchdowns.
Iowa used a blocked level that was returned for a landing, two area objectives, and safety to finish a 21-6 deficit and draw 21-21 with 7:21 to go.
“It might be a victory within the grip of defeat, however, we stored preventing and by no means misplaced religion in the truth that we’d win a victory,” Zach VanValkenburg stated defensively.
Nebraska appeared prepared to assert its revolutionary victory as Goodson missed the Huskers 6 and Others led them a double-digit lead in six video games by 94 yards in six video games.
However, Iowa, with the Large Ten’s least productive assault, was in a position to attract on its elite protection and particular groups to hold it out.
“It was the type of a death from paper cuts this 12 months,” Frost stated. “The identical factor occurred immediately.”
Iowa reached 21-16 early within the fourth 12 months when Henry Marchese blocked William Przystup and Kyler Fisher broke it and ran 14 yards for a landing.
The Huskers forced a three-and-out, however, Tory Taylors Punt has made a determined pitch out of the finish zone of their seventh others and was referred to as to intentionally floor of their seventh others, leading to security.
Petras, who changed Alex Padilla initially of the second half, led the Hawkeyes to Nebraska 26 of their later sequence and Caleb Shudak kicked his fourth area aim of the sport from 44 yards to tie it.
The Hawkeyes pressured a punt and Goodson broke a 55-yard run earlier than Petras obtained the beginning sign.
“Very particular, the way in which it occurred,” Petras stated. “We knew we wanted a spark, and Henry Marchese offers us an enormous block of factors, they modify it a number of instances and that offers us an opportunity.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa: The Hawkeyes have been in a position to overcome a two-score deficit for the second time this season and attain 10 wins for the seventh time underneath 23rd-year coach Kirk Ferentz.

Nebraska: The Huskers ended with 9 losses for less than the second time in the program’s historical past. Frost is 0-13 towards ranked opponents, and the Huskers have dropped 17 in a row towards the Prime 25 since 2016.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The Hawkeyes gained drop and possibly will transfer up if groups forward of them slip up on Saturday.

BUSY OFFSEASON FOR FROST

Frost now turns his consideration to recruiting and hiring 4 offensive assistants to switch those he fired on Nov. 8. Plus, he’ll be ready to listen to which veterans will return for an additional 12 months of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic, and which gamers will head to the switch portal.

His battle to show across the program by means of 4 years led to his contract being restructured and chopping his pay from $5 million to $Four million in 2022.

UP NEXT

Iowa: Large Ten championship sport on Dec. Four if Minnesota beats Wisconsin on Saturday. In any other case, it’s time to organize for a bowl.

Nebraska performs Northwestern in Dublin, Eire, on Aug. 27.

No. 17 Iowa 28, Nebraska 21

Iowa Zero 6 3 19 — 28

Nebraska 7 7 7 0 — 21

First Quarter

NEB–Smothers 2 run (Contreraz kick), 9:18.

Second Quarter

IOWA–FG Shudak 51, 10:39.

NEB–Yant 1 run (Contreraz kick), 4:20.

IOWA–FG Shudak 48, 39.

Third Quarter

NEB–Smothers 1 run (Contreraz kick), 5:54.

IOWA–FG Shudak 36, 27.

Fourth Quarter

IOWA–Fisher 27 punt return (Shudak kick), 14:16.

IOWA–safety, 9:56.

IOWA–FG Shudak 44, 7:21.

IOWA–Petras 2 run (Shudak kick), 2:58.

A–86,541.

TEAM STATISTICS

IOWA NEB

First downs 19 18

Total Web Yards 364 327

Rushes-yards 37-186 43-129

Passing 178 198

Comp-Att-Int 13-27-0 16-22-1

Punts 2-44.0 4-30.5

Fumbles-Lost 3-1 2-1

Penalties-Yards 4-25 5-50

Time of Possession 31:53 28:07

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Iowa, Goodson 23-156, Pottebaum 2-29, G.Williams 6-10, Petras 2-6, (Team) 1-(minus 1), Okay.Johnson 1-(minus 4), Padilla 2-(minus 10). Nebraska, Smothers 24-64, Yant 13-44, Belt 2-14, Scott 2-7, Manning 1-1, Toure 1-(minus 1).

PASSING–Iowa, Petras 7-13-0-102, Padilla 6-14-0-76. Nebraska, Smothers 16-22-1-198.

RECEIVING–Iowa, LaPorta 3-61, C.Jones 3-31, G.Williams 2-16, Lachey 1-27, Ragaini 1-24, Okay.Johnson 1-11, A.Bruce 1-6, Goodson 1-2. Nebraska, Toure 6-67, Allen 2-55, Belt 2-10, Falck 2-8, Manning 1-40, Betts 1-7, Vokolek 1-6, Yant 1-5.