The Iowa football team capped an undefeated regular season on Nov. 28.
By Danny Payne
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LINCOLN, Nebraska — A head coach in his 17th year at the helm of a Big Ten college-football program doesn’t often find himself in a position in which he doesn’t know what to say. Following No. 4 Iowa’s 28-20 win over Nebraska on Nov. 27, Kirk Ferentz found himself in one of those situations.
It’s the first time in his career he’s led a 12-0 football team, and the first time not just a Ferentz-led squad but any Iowa football team has finished a perfect regular season in the modern era.
“I told them, I said, ‘I don’t really know what to say.’ I’ve never been around a team that is 12-0,” Ferentz said. “I’m a bit speechless on that; it is just an unbelievable accomplishment.”
Regardless of how the Hawkeyes (12-0, 8-0) finish this season, regardless of how they fare against Ohio State, or Michigan State, or Michigan Dec. 5 in the Big Ten title game, this team is cemented in history. The big picture will be what’s remembered as time passes, but that doesn’t mean the game that clinched the honor for the Hawkeyes was short of memorable moments.
As has been the case lately for the Hawkeyes, the defense wasn’t perfect but did enough to keep them in a hard-fought game against the Huskers (5-7, 3-5). Although it’s cliché, the Hawkeyes fully embodied the “bend, don’t break” mantra, giving up 433 yards of offense but making plays when needed, as is evidenced by the 4 interceptions of Husker quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr.
After trading blows in the first half, Iowa went into halftime up 14-10. Tight end George Kittle and defensive end Parker Hesse were responsible for the Hawkeye touchdowns.
In the second half, on back-to-back drives, Jordan Canzeri stole the spotlight. He busted runs of 29 and 68 yards to put what turned out to be enough pressure on an up-and-down Nebraska offense.
The senior finished with 140 yards and surpassed the 2,000-yard mark for his career in his final regular-season game as a member of the Hawkeyes.
“The fullbacks leading the way, just made it so easy, just opened the hole for me,” Canzeri said. “The receivers blocked downfield, it’s just all 11 guys working.”
Canzeri was Iowa’s top performer on offense, accounting for the majority of his team’s lackluster 250 yards of total offense. Quarterback C.J. Beathard finished 9-of-16 for 97 yards and the touchdown pass to Kittle. Armstrong finished 24-of-45 for 296 yards, but 4 costly interceptions — Hesse’s, and one each Greg Mabin, Cole Fisher, and Josey Jewell.
“We’re just one of those teams that doesn’t panic,” said Fisher, an Omaha native. “We just stay the course when something doesn’t go our way, and in turn, that forces things like another big turnover to happen.”
The Hawks will will now sit back and relax with their fourth trophy of the regular season, and they will have a chance to scout their three potential opponents. The Buckeyes and Wolverines are set to kick off at 11 a.m. Nov. 28, and Michigan State at 2:30 p.m. If Michigan State beats Penn State, the Hawkeyes and Spartans will be opponents.
But for now, for the rest of the evening, Ferentz and Company will relish this undefeated regular season to the fullest extent.
“It was exciting, because everybody’s thinking the same thing,” wide receiver Tevaun Smith said. “It’s special. It’s a surreal moment for us.”
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