EAST LANSING, Mich. — It was déjà vu on Sept. 30 in Spartan Stadium, at least in the first two quarters.
Iowa’s 77-yard drive for a touchdown in the first half en route to a 17-10 loss to Michigan State brought back harsh reminders of one week ago against Penn State.
Unlike the game against the Nittany Lions, though, the second half didn’t get any better. Instead, the Hawkeyes gave up two turnovers in Michigan State territory and could not get a running game going for the second week in a row.
The Hawkeyes ended the game with just 19 rushing yards, the lowest since the 2005 game against Ohio State, when they posted minus-9 rushing yards against the Buckeyes.
“It’s a different circumstance in every game with every team. This outfit has been good against the run. They’re built for stopping the run,” football head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Today was one more of those cases … They caused some problems for us, and we’re going to have to find some answers.”
For the first time this season, Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley did not throw a single touchdown, but he did have a costly fumble deep in the red zone.
That fumble summed up how the entire game seemed to go for the Hawkeyes.
In position to score at the Michigan State 7, Stanley scrambled, loaded up to pass, then dropped the ball behind him as his arm was coming forward. Michigan State’s Joe Bachie picked it up, killing any momentum Iowa had to close the score.
The Hawkeyes held Michigan State right after the turnover and quickly moved back into Spartan territory.
Then they fumbled again.
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This time, Brandon Smith, the freshman wide receiver who had just 1 reception prior to the game, fumbled. He picked up his second reception of his career along with 8 yards but could not hold on to the ball on his way down.
Ferentz compared the play to Ihmir Smith-Marsette in the first game of the season.
“Trying to do a little bit too much, probably, on that play instead of just taking what was there,” Ferentz said. “He’s going to have to grow through that.”
Those two turnovers came on two of the only four drives in which the Hawkeyes reached Michigan State territory, The two other times Iowa made it past the 50-yard line, Iowa scored.
Similar to last week, Iowa’s defense did as well as it could without much support from the offense. The complementary football that the Hawkeyes so often preach was just not there again on Sept. 30.
Senior linebacker Josey Jewell had 16 tackles, tying the career high that he posted against Penn State. He and Nathan Bazata combined for a sack as well. Bazata and Michael Ojemudia each had 8 tackles, and Anthony Nelson added 6 and a sack.
Even though the offense could not get much going throughout the game, Jewell said he and the defense take the blame for the loss.
“I think it starts off with us in the first half. We didn’t play like we wanted to,” Jewell said. “We had some mental mistakes, missed tackles, things that are going to bite you later. We need to play the full four quarters if we want to win games like that.”
Perhaps the only highlight of the day came right before Stanley’s fumble, when Iowa set up to kick a field goal. Instead, the Hawkeyes earned a first down deep in the red zone on a 15-yard pass from holder Colten Rastetter, also the punter of the moment, to defensive end A.J. Epenesa showing off his offensive skills.
Unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, nothing resembling points came from the trick play.
Iowa has a week to regroup before Illinois heads into town for Homecoming, and a good week of practice will be vital in making sure the Hawkeyes do not extend their losing streak to three games.
“We need to practice better,” Hockenson said. “Coaches harp on us all year about practicing and how important it is, and we didn’t have great practices this week. It showed up on the field.”