The No. 4 Iowa football team is leading Nebraska 14-10 at halftime.
By Danny Payne
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LINCOLN, Nebraska — Man, this is a dogfight and a sloppy game from both sides. Nebraska has five penalties for 55 yards, and Iowa has five for 39. The fourth-ranked Hawkeyes are plus-one in turnovers, as well. Here are some first-half thoughts.
- Penalties played a huge key in both team’s initial touchdown drives. The Hawkeyes scored first, aided by 30 yards of Nebraska penalties. The penalties threw the Huskers off balance, and Iowa took advantage. Henry Krieger Coble was wide open on a screen to set up a 10-yard George Kittle play-action touchdown. Undisciplined defense on two-consecutive plays from Nebraska.
- Composure wasn’t on Iowa’s side on Nebraska’s touchdown drive, either. Desmond King — who sat the first quarter because he was late to a team meeting this week — muffed a punt. After the Huskers took over at Iowa’s 31, a 25-yard pass to Cethan Carter was helped because Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz blew his top at the referee. Fifteen yards, Nebraska punched it in right up the gut on the next play. Tie game.
- Holy smokes, is Iowa making Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong Jr.’s life hell. The Nebraska quarterback is nine-of-17 for 102 yards and 2 interceptions. Linebacker Cole Fisher had the first, and defensive end Parker Hesse tipped a pass to himself, caught it, and took the ball 4 yards to the end zone. The ensuing Marshall Koehn PAT made it 14-7.
- Save for Nebraska’s last drive of the half, if Armstrong is hurried, which he has been only one (official) time, he runs around with no real plan, and it’s just simply not working. Everything goes out the window. Credit Iowa’s pass rush, too — it’s been money after being nonexistent the last few games.
- The Hawkeyes are 0-of-5 on third downs today. They came into this game converting those situations at a 46.75-percent clip, good for second in the Big Ten.
- Linebacker Ben Niemann is likely not returning to this game after a helmet-to-helmet hit with teammate Josey Jewell in the first quarter. Jewell went in to clean up a tackle, and popped Niemann right on the side of his head.
- Speaking of more helmet-to-helmet contact, Nebraska’s Nate Gerry was ejected after a targeting call on Tevaun Smith late in the second quarter. Smith didn’t want to stay down on the field, but Nebraska’s trainers forced him to. He jogged to the Iowa sideline and returned to the game on the same drive.
- I said this week I didn’t understand this rivalry. I now understand this rivalry, and it is, in fact, a rivalry. High, high emotional value in this contest. Memorial Stadium is bumpin’.
- The winner of this game is going to be the one that’s coached best, and it’s simple as that.
- Statistics right here:
