Hawkeye offense sticks the landing in second half, runs away from Badgers

The first half of the Iowa-Wisconsin game was a punting battle dominated by defensive play. That changed in the second half, at least for the Hawkeyes.

Dec.+12%2C+2020%3B+Iowa+City%2C+Iowa%2C+USA%3B+Iowa+wide+receiver+Ihmir+Smith-Marsette+%286%29+does+a+backflip+into+the+end+zone+to+score+a+touchdown+during+the+third+quarter+of+the+Iowa+v.+Wisconsin+football+game+at+Kinnick+Stadium.+Iowa+defeated+Wisconsin+with+a+score+of+28-7.

Katie_Goodale

Dec. 12, 2020; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (6) does a backflip into the end zone to score a touchdown during the third quarter of the Iowa v. Wisconsin football game at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa defeated Wisconsin with a score of 28-7.

Robert Read, Pregame Editor


The first half of Iowa’s battle for the Heartland Trophy with Wisconsin on Saturday featured 13 combined punts, six combined points, and two offenses that were no match for the opposing team’s defense.

In other words, it was a typical Hawkeye-Badger matchup.

But unlike recent years, Iowa came out on top. The Iowa defense thrived all game, the offense connected on big plays in the second half, and the Hawkeyes defeated the Badgers, 28-7, at Kinnick Stadium for their first win in the series since 2015.

“Going into the game we knew it was going to be a tough defensive battle,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “I think everybody understood that. You get in games like this, everything that you do is contested, every yard is a fight.”

The tough defensive battle in the first half turned into a one-sided offensive display in the final 30 minutes of game time.

Two Keith Duncan field goals were the only points for either team at halftime as Iowa led 6-0.

On Iowa’s first offensive play of the third quarter, quarterback Spencer Petras connected with Brandon Smith for 14 yards. On the next play, Petras underthrew wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette along the right sideline, and a play that could have gone to the house went for 38 yards.

Despite the miscue, Smith-Marsette finished the drive with a 19-yard touchdown reception. The senior, lined up in the slot to the right side of the field, made a quick move inside and then darted toward the corner of the end zone, and his Californian quarterback lofted a pass to him through the snowy surroundings for the first touchdown in a game which to that point had been dominated by the game’s two defenses.

“If you want to play man coverage against Ihmir,” Petras said, “you can get burned.”

“His biggest strength is his speed. And when he uses his speed, I don’t know if there’s anyone in the country who can really guard him. I thought he did a great job of that today. He gave me a chance to get him a ball and he did the rest.”

Wisconsin was burned again seven minutes later in the third quarter. And once again, it was Smith-Marsette on the receiving end.

On first down at Iowa’s 47-yard line, Petras made a play action fake and saw an open Smith-Marsette streaking deep across the middle of the field. The Newark, New Jersey, native caught the pass in stride and, with no defenders within five yards of him, flipped into the end zone for the score to cap the big play and push Iowa’s lead to 21-7.

“It’s something we’ve been hitting all year in practice,” Petras said. “We knew it was a matter of time before it showed up during the game… Really good to see that finally pay off.”

Smith-Marsette tweaked his ankle on the celebration, and went to the locker room for evaluation. When he came back out on the field, he was wearing a walking boot on his left foot.

But he had made his contributions.

Another playmaker on Iowa’s offense secured Iowa’s victory.

On the first play after linebacker Jack Campbell intercepted Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz on fourth down in the end zone, Tyler Goodson broke through contact at the line of scrimmage, made a move, and scampered all the way to the end one for an 80-yard touchdown run.

“I was yelling at him as we were both running and still close together, ‘We got you, we’ve got blockers for you,’” right tackle Mark Kallenberger said. “Then one guy fell in front of me and I had to jump over him. I’m not as athletic as Tyler Goodson so I almost fell. Then I was celebrating with everyone else.”

Smith-Marsette was included in that celebration. As Iowa played “Jump Around” over the loudspeakers, a reference to Wisconsin’s song of choice on gameday, Smith-Marsette was jumping around on the sideline — walking boot and all.

The boot, Smith-Marsette said postgame, is precautionary and he feels fine.

Smith-Marsette finished the game with seven receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns. The Hawkeye offense converted in the second half on plays that didn’t seem realistic in the first half against a Badger defense that had allowed fewer than 13 points per game this season.

Iowa’s offense turned it up in the second half, and the team’s defense was stout all day. And as a result, the Hawkeyes are 6-2 after winning six games in a row.

Smith-Marsette — depending on where and who Iowa plays for Champions Week — may have played his final game at Kinnick Stadium on Senior Day.

And he scored on a memorable, and maybe a little painful, final play.

“Do I regret the flip? No,” Smith-Marsette said. “Would I do it again? Yeah. I’m just happy we got the win. Everyone was having fun. My senior year, never going to play in Kinnick again… got to go out with a bang.”