Halftime reaction: Iowa dominates Indiana in first half, leads 31-3 at the break

Two pick sixes from Riley Moss contributed to the Hawkeyes’ 31-point first half.

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Jerod Ringwald

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras celebrates a touchdown from running back Tyler Goodson during a football game between No. 18 Iowa and No. 17 Indiana at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021. (Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan)

Robert Read and Austin Hanson
September 4, 2021

The No. 18 Iowa football team leads No. 17 Indiana 31-3 at halftime of the opening game of the season for both team.

Iowa running back Tyler Goodson ran off the right edge for 56 yards and a touchdown on the team’s fourth offensive play of the game to give the Hawkeyes the early lead. Two interception returns for touchdowns by cornerback Riley Moss and a quarterback draw score by Spencer Petras extended Iowa’s lead from there. Kicker Caleb Shudak’s 41-yard field goal was good to end the first half to give Iowa the 31-3 lead.

Here are the halftime reactions from The Daily Iowan’s writers covering the game, along with some of the best Twitter reactions from the first half.

Penix Jr. shaky, Iowa secondary sharp to start season

Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr., a preseason member of the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien watch lists, threw four interceptions in six games last season. He threw three in the first half Saturday against Iowa.

Penix is making his first appearance since tearing his ACL against Maryland in November last year. His return has been shaky at best. The 6-foot-3 signal caller is 8-of-18 for 95 yards passing through two quarters. Moss picked Penix off twice for scores, and Dane Belton recorded his first career interception as well.

Indiana’s only big passing play so far was a 32-yard reception by Ty Fryfogle, which set up a Hoosier field goal.

Penix may be considered the best quarterback in the Big Ten, but he hasn’t even been the best quarterback on the field so far in this contest.

– Robert Read, Pregame Editor

Hawkeyes need to keep their feet on the gas

Everything seemed to go Iowa football’s way in the first half of Saturday’s game at Kinnick Stadium. From two Riley Moss pick sixes, to a 66-yard Tyler Goodson touchdown run, the Hawkeyes dominated the half from start to finish, scoring 31 points, in total, and allowing just three.

Iowa can’t take its foot off the gas or get comfortable in the second half, however. A 28-point deficit isn’t as insurmountable as it seems against the Hoosiers. 

Last season, with now-junior Penix Jr. on the field, Indiana’s offense averaged 34 points per game. So, the Hoosiers’ offense has the ability to score in bunches and narrow the 28-point margin Iowa leads by in a hurry. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, scored about 32 points per game last season. If last season’s averages hold true in this game, the Hoosiers are in for a big second half on offense, while the Hawkeyes’ attack may be destined to stall.

To wrap up a victory in the second half, Iowa will have to continue to be aggressive on both offense and defense. The Hawkeyes likely won’t be given the chance to milk the clock with a steady diet of runs on offense and soft coverage on defense.

– Austin Hanson, Sports Editor

Twitter reactions from the first half