The Iowa football team beat Purdue, 40-20, to stay undefeated this season.

By Danny Payne
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The Hawkeyes are the Big Ten West Champions. With a 40-20 win over Purdue, the No. 5 Hawks moved to 11-0 on the season; Purdue is now 2-9. The third quarter wasn’t pretty by any standard, but Iowa ultimately did enough to clinch the West. Here are some thoughts from the second half. Everything before the break is here.

• So, that third quarter. Purdue had more possession time than Iowa, 7:38-3:22. It out-rushed the Hawkeyes 75-8. The only thing Iowa did better that quarter was convert 2-of-4 third downs and out-pass Purdue 72-45.
• Then, the Hawkeyes realized they’re the No. 5 team in the country and Purdue is Purdue, and it was over from there. Give it to the Boilermakers, however, they gave Iowa their best shot.
• Iowa’s pass rush is completely nonexistent. If there’s something to worry about the rest of the year, it’s that.
• Marshall Koehn missed another PAT after Henry Krieger Coble scored his touchdown. Not good Marshall, not good.
• The Iowa tight ends had a second-half party in Purdue’s end zone. First, George Kittle scored on a 35-yard pop pass, and then Krieger Coble took a catch 22 yards to the house.
• We’ll write about it more later, but Iowa tight ends had 6 catches for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns. That’s awesome production.
• C.J. Beathard is so, so clutch. You know that, I know that, everyone knows that. His situational running was excellent, and he made plays when he needed to. Also, he slid instead of taking a hit. He did so very well, actually.
• The Iowa offense has scored 30 or more points in five-consecutive games. This offense is good, guys. Granted, it doesn’t play a group of all-stars out there, but 30 or more points in five-straight weeks is 30 or more points in five-straight weeks.
• Jordan Canzeri’s 42-yard touchdown run to seal it is really cool. Senior Day, a guy who has been banged up his whole career, doing the most in his last game at Kinnick. Kirk Ferentz smiled. That’s good stuff.
• I’m going to write some things now. Just a note, we’ll have our usual game coverage, sans the print edition. Everything will be online for all of you new-school readers this week. We’ll resume printing a paper when Iowa resumes classes after the best holiday ever.
• Just want to say this, too. It’s Senior Day for me, too. Kind of. I won’t cover another game in Kinnick Stadium for this awesome news organization. Just want to thank you guys for putting up with me over the past two years. I genuinely appreciate every one of you reading anything I’ve ever written — good, bad, or indifferent. It means a lot. Thanks to everyone who has helped me along the way, too. Let’s have a fun rest of the season, huh?
• Stats: