Grading Iowa’s performance against Wisconsin
Keith Duncan proved to be a star once again, but a slow first half on offense and Jonathan Taylor’s performance against the defense kept Iowa on the losing side.
Iowa linebacker Yahweh Jeudy recovers a fumble during a football game between Iowa and Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on Saturday, November 9, 2019. This led to a Keith Duncan field goal.
November 10, 2019
Offense — C
Another game, another performance that wasn’t complete from the Iowa offense.
The unit gained only 93 yards in the first half, including 27 yards passing before turning it on in the second half.
The Hawkeyes managed to score 16 points in the second half in a valiant comeback effort, but it wasn’t enough to topple the Badgers on the road.
Related: Ruden: Iowa’s inability to win big games essentially ends season
Defense — C+
Jonathan Taylor accomplished something not even Saquon Barkley did against Iowa during his career: run for 250 yards against a stout Hawkeye defense.
Taylor got anything he wanted on the ground throughout the game, as he rushed for an average of 8.1 yards per carry.
The Badgers gained 473 yards on the day, which is the most Iowa has given up all season.
While Matt Hankins came up with a key pick in the fourth quarter, the defense couldn’t keep Taylor and Company in check toward the end of the game.
RELATED: Duncan continues to be vital part of Iowa football
Special teams — A
Keith Duncan set a new school record with his 22nd field goal on Saturday, and he made three on the day. Duncan has consistently been Iowa’s best scoring option this season, and now he’s a part of Hawkeye history for it.
Punter Michael Sleep-Dalton also posted a key performance for Iowa, putting all four of his punts inside Wisconsin’s 20-yard line and averaging 41.2 yards per boot.