When Tyrone Tracy slipped past five Northwestern defenders to score Iowa’s first points against the Wildcats on Saturday, it was over.

The Hawkeyes went up 7-0 with the score and never looked back, downing Northwestern 20-0 in the Wildcats’ homecoming game.

Northwestern lost life after Tracy’s 50-yard score on third down with 8:38 remaining in the third quarter.  Then, Iowa added to its lead with a 40-yard field goal in the second to extend the Hawkeyes’ lead to 10 by halftime.

After the break, Iowa stopped the Wildcat offense before unleashing Tyler Goodson. On the Hawkeyes’ first drive of the third quarter, Goodson rushed for 48 yards on eight carries, setting up a 1-yard touchdown run by Mekhi Sargent.

The Hawkeye defense was ready to stifle a weak Northwestern offense from the jump.

On Northwestern’s first drive, Chauncey Golston picked off an Aidan Smith pass that was tipped at the line, taking it to the Wildcats’ 21-yard line. While the turnover didn’t yield any points, it set the tone for the rest of the game.

Iowa held Northwestern to 202 total yards — 138 passing and 64 rushing — for its second shutout of the season. The unit forced the Wildcats to go just 6-of-16 on third downs and 0-for-4 on fourth.

On the offensive side of the ball, Tyrone Tracy stepped up in Brandon Smith’s absence. Tracy hauled in two passes for 88 yards and a touchdown.

Tight end Sam LaPorta also got in on the action, making the first two receptions of his career for 43 yards.