Iowa football defeats Minnesota for sixth season in a row
The Floyd of Rosedale trophy stays in Iowa City for at least another year.
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Tyler Goodson (15) rushes for a touchdown in the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. (Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY)
November 13, 2020
MINNEAPOLIS — After an 0-2 start to the 2020 season, the Iowa football team is back to .500 after a dominating 35-7 victory over Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium.
The Hawkeyes have defeated the Gophers six seasons in a row and will retain the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for another year.
Iowa wide receiver Nico Ragaini opened the game’s scoring with a one-yard jet sweep for a score with 5:42 remaining in the first quarter. That touchdown concluded a seven-play, 64-yard scoring drive.
The Hawkeyes scored again midway through the second quarter. Running back Tyler Goodson — lined up as the Wildcat quarterback — ran into the end zone for a seven-yard scoring scamper to put Iowa up 14-0. The team carried that lead into halftime and extended it at the start of the fourth quarter.
With 13:12 remaining in the game, Iowa was at Minnesota’s eight-yard line. Ihmir Smith-Marsette went in motion and after the snap was wide open in the flat. Quarterback Spencer Petras found him for the score.
Goodson added another touchdown with 8:56 remaining in the game, and scored the two-point conversion to extend Iowa’s lead to 28-0. Running back Mekhi Sargent pushed it to 35-0 with a 14-yard run into the end zone.
Goodson finished the game with 142 rushing yards and two scores, and also caught a pass for 12 yards. Mekhi Sargent added 86 yards on only nine carries, including his touchdown.
Petras went 9-of-18 for 111 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Hawkeye defense dominated, holding the Gophers to 312 total yards, most of them coming after the game had already been decided. Standout performances happened all over the field for Iowa on defense. Defensive end Zach VanValkenburg tallied three sacks, Jack Koerner picked off a pass for the third game in a row and tipped a field goal attempt, and Riley Moss also came up with an interception, which he returned 57 yards to set up a score.
Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan finished the game 16-of-31 for 167 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Mohamed Ibrahim ran 33 times for 144 yards, and star receiver Rashod Bateman caught eight passes for 107 yards and a score.
Iowa travels to Penn State for next weekend’s game.
