MINNEAPOLIS — The Iowa football team leads Minnesota 14-0 at halftime after dominating on the ground in the first 30 minutes of play.

The Hawkeyes have 122 yards of rushing offense compared to the Gophers’ 110 yards of total offense.

Another sound half of football for the Hawkeyes would mean that the Floyd of Rosedale stays in Iowa City for a sixth year in a row.

Penalties prove costly for Minnesota

The Gophers are struggling in several areas, and they aren’t doing themselves any favors, either. Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan is 6-of-17 passing for 57 yards and an interception. The team’s stars on offense — running back Mohamed Ibrahim and wide receiver Rashod Bateman — have combined for 81 yards. But as a team, Minnesota only has 110 yards. Iowa has 15 first downs compared to Minnesota’s six first downs.

If that wasn’t enough, the Gophers have no answer for Iowa’s running game, as Tyler Goodson has accumulated 86 rushing yards through two quarters.

Minnesota’s offense is struggling against a stout Iowa defense, and the Gophers can’t seem to stop the Hawkeyes when they run the ball. That’s bad for Minnesota if it wants to reclaim Floyd. The team’s penalty situation makes things even worse.

The Gophers committed seven penalties for 75 yards in the first half, compared to Iowa’s two penalties for 25 yards. Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras threw an interception on the team’s third drive of the game. Minnesota was set up to have good field position, but an illegal blindside block penalty, combined with unsportsmanlike conduct from Gopher head coach P.J. Fleck, pushed the team back 30 yards.

The Iowa defense held, and Minnesota didn’t score. That’s not going to get it done, Minnesota. Especially when Iowa’s offense is running all over the place.

– Robert Read

Hawkeyes running all over Gophers

The Hawkeyes played football the way they like to in the first half – the old fashioned way. Iowa established the run, played stout defense, and won the battle for field position.

Iowa dominated with its rushing attack in the first half, netting 138 yards on the ground.

The Hawkeyes were physical in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball in the run game, and on the defensive side. While Iowa only recorded one sack and one tackle for loss, the Hawkeye pass rush got consistent pressure on Morgan, forcing him to leave the pocket on multiple occasions. In total, Iowa’s defense held the Golden Gophers scoreless and to 110 offensive yards.

With the exception of Keith Duncan’s missed field goal late in the 2nd quarter, the Hawkeyes also influenced the game on special teams. Both times freshman Tory Taylor stepped on the field to punt, he flipped the field in Iowa’s favor. Taylor pinned the Golden Gophers inside the 20 on both of his first half punts.

Iowa and Minnesota are playing in a classic Big Ten battle – a low-scoring power struggle. Expect both squads to continue trying to establish the run in the second half.

As they were in the first half, special teams will be prominent in the second half too, specifically in the punting game. In a low-scoring game in which the two teams are separated by less than two possessions, field position could be the difference between winning and losing.

– Austin Hanson

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