No. 16 Iowa leads Wisconsin 6-0 at halftime in a game full of three and outs and punting through two quarters.

The two teams have combined for 178 yards of total offense in the first half. Both punters have been busy. There have already been 13 punts in the game. Two Keith Duncan field goals have Iowa on the board.

Here’s how DI Pregame Editor Robert Read and Sports Editor Austin Hanson reacted to the first half.

Iowa takes advantage of Wisconsin gaff at end of half, but not much else in first 30 minutes

With under 90 seconds remaining in the first half and Iowa up 3-0, Wisconsin decided to go for it on fourth and one from the Iowa 37-yard line. The Badgers lined up in a wildcat formation, but Jack Campbell swarmed into the backfield to stuff the play.

Iowa had 1:22 left in the half to tack on points before the break. On the first play of the series, quarterback Spencer Petras threw an interception, which was called back because of pass interference on Wisconsin. Petras’ next pass was also dangerously close to a defender, but fell incomplete intended for Sam LaPorta.

LaPorta caught a pass on the next play to move Iowa down to Wisconsin’s 32, but Tyrone Tracy followed that up by committing an offensive pass interference penalty. A deep shot was out of reach for Brandon Smith on first and 25, but Tyler Goodson caught a screen pass and ran for 20 yards to set up a Duncan field goal that hit off the upright and went in from 45 yards out with only a second left in the half.

Mekhi Sargent and Tyler Goodson have combined for 38 rushing yards in the first half, Iowa’s defense has looked sharp, and the punters have been busy. But at least for Iowa’s sake it came through with a score at the end of the half.

That goes a long way in this game.

– Robert Read

Punters dominating first half

Fans of great offensive football, look away, the Big Ten is on.

Big Ten football in December with Kinnick Stadium’s bleachers blanketed in snow has been what fans and pundits alike might’ve billed it to be – a defensive struggle.

Iowa and Wisconsin are gridlocked in a classic Big Ten battle, and the Hawkeyes have taken a 6-0 lead with them to the locker room. So far in the first half, both teams have punted a combined 13 times. Iowa has punted seven times, and Wisconsin has done so six times.

Freshman punter Tory Taylor has netted 295 total yards, and the Badgers’ Andy Vujnovich has punted for 264 yards.

Iowa has produced just 112 yards of total offense and held the Badgers to 61 yards.

Keith Duncan is responsible for both of Iowa’s first half scores. The senior kicker poured in two field goals – the first from 30 yards out following a Badger fumble and an Iowa recovery, and the second from 45 yards after Iowa forced a turnover on downs.

In total, Iowa and Wisconsin have combined for 10 3-and-outs and nine first downs. The game comparatively looks a bit like Iowa’s now-infamous 6-4 win over Penn State in 2004 – where the two field goals Iowa hit in the first half proved to be good enough for a win.

Expect both Iowa and Wisconsin to continue to lean on the hallmarks their programs are built on – running the ball and playing stout defense.

– Austin Hanson

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