IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa football team will look to bounce back against Michigan State this week as the Hawkeyes host the Spartans for a 6:37 p.m. kickoff at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night.
The Hawkeyes, coming off of a 31-0 loss against Penn State on Sept. 23, will look to get back on track on both ends of the field as their Big Ten play continues with the Spartans marching into town.
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara threw for just 42 yards on 5-of-14 passing in the shutout loss, due in part to the Hawkeye O-line’s inability to contain the Nittany Lion pass rush.
The Iowa offense also rushed for only 20 net yards in the game. And with running backs Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson again sidelined with injuries this week, Iowa junior Leshon Williams and true freshman Kamari Moulton will see the majority of the handoffs tonight.
With the firing of former head coach Mel Tucker due to sexual harassment allegations, Harlan Bennett has taken over as acting head coach of the Spartans with hopes of turning the Michigan State season around tonight.
But the Spartans are on a losing skid, also coming off of a Sept. 23 loss upon falling to the Maryland Terrapins, 31-9. The Spartans are now 2-2 overall heading into tonight’s matchup.
The Michigan State offense is led by junior quarterback Noah Kim and redshirt sophomore running back Nathan Carter — a Connecticut transfer who has more touchdowns this season than he did in his two years with the Huskies.
COIN TOSS: The Hawkeyes won the coin toss and elected to receive. Here comes the Iowa offense’s chance to prove itself.
11:38 1Q: Iowa 0, MSU 0 — And just like that, the first three Hawkeye plays are passes: one to Diante Vines for a big pickup after the catch, another to Nico Ragaini on a screen, and a third to Steven Stilianos. Iowa is in Michigan State territory. Timeout, Iowa.
11:30 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 0 — McNamara targeted wide receiver Seth Anderson on third down after tight end Erick All dropped a pass on second down, but his throw was well short and in the ground. Iowa sophomore kicker Drew Stevens came out and nailed a field goal. The Hawkeyes take the lead by three.
8:52 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 0 — The Iowa defense stifles any major offensive effort from Michigan State, forcing a punt. But Iowa junior cornerback Cooper DeJean, serving as the return man, let the punt go over his head with hopes of a touchback — the ball bounced once and settled on the Hawkeyes’ own three yard line. Iowa ball with a lot of work left to get to the other side.
8:02 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 0 — Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara is down. Upon scrambling under pocket pressure, he rushed past the line of scrimmage and stumbled to a fall. It looks like a leg injury. Stay tuned.
UPDATE: McNamara is helped off of the field by medical staff. He is not putting any pressure on his left leg. On the rush, he attempted a cut — pushing off of his left leg when he fell. It looks like a knee injury.
7:10 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 0 — Iowa — with Wisconsin transfer Deacon Hill under center — rushes up the middle on third and 11 to make room for punter Tory Taylor. Michigan State takes over.
UPDATE: McNamara was just carted off of the sideline and into the tunnel. Stay tuned.
3:48 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 3 — An illegal hands to the face call pushes Michigan State further into Iowa territory, but the Hawkeye defense remained strong and gave the Spartans only a field goal. We are tied at three.
2:13 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 3 — Hill’s first drive for the Hawkeyes tonight goes nowhere. Three and out, and the Spartans will take over on their own 25.
End 1Q: Iowa 3, MSU 3 — A slow and steady drive of rushes and short passes pushes the Spartans into Hawkeye territory. Michigan State will have the ball on first and 10 on Iowa’s 43 yard line.
11:04 2Q: Iowa 3, MSU 6 — Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim rushed on third down but was tackled short of the first down. On fourth and two, the Iowa defensive line was offsides, giving Michigan State a fresh set of downs. But the Iowa defense yet again maintains the pressure, forcing a field goal on fourth down. The Spartans take the lead by three.
9:57 2Q: Iowa 3, MSU 6 — Iowa’s Hill continues to look for Erick All — to no avail. The Hawkeyes will punt, and the Spartans will look to extend their lead.
6:04 2Q: Iowa 3, MSU 6 — Michigan State quarterback Noah Kim took it himself on third down for a first down, digging the Spartans deeper into Hawkeye territory. But not long after, the Kinnick crowd let out a big “Coop” cheer — for Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean’s first interception of the season on an overthrown pass from Kim. Iowa ball.
3:48 2Q: Iowa 10, MSU 6 — A play action pass from Hill to All connects for a massive breakout from the tight end into Michigan State territory — and a roughing the passer call pushes the Hawkeyes even further toward the end zone. And he finds All again on a rollout for a beautiful grab to put the Hawkeyes into the red zone.
Make that one more — All takes a screen pass to the house for six, breaking four Spartan tackles to get into the end zone. The Michigan transfer has been a priority target for the Hawkeye offense tonight, and this marks Hill’s first collegiate touchdown pass.
2:22 2Q: Iowa 10, MSU 6 — Hawkeye sophomore safety Xavier Nwankpa made a big tackle for loss before a DeJean pass breakup, bringing the Spartans to third and 19 after an offensive holding penalty. The Spartans had no answer and will punt. Iowa now has a chance to extend its lead going into halftime.
0:36 2Q: Iowa 10, MSU 6 — No luck. Hill gave Vines two chances to make big receptions for big gains, and Vines could not bring either in. Iowa will punt, and Michigan State will give it one last go.
Halftime: Iowa 10, MSU 9 — The Spartans made slight progress toward Hawkeye territory but were stopped well short of chip-shot field goal range. Still, Michigan State senior kicker Johnathan Kim knocked in a 58-yard field goal — a Kinnick Stadium record — to put the Spartans one point shy of the Hawkeyes going into the half.
UPDATE: McNamara is out for the game.
13:08 3Q: Iowa 10, MSU 16 — Iowa senior defensive back Sebastian Castro made a good read on Kim’s pass for an interception — his second of the season. But Iowa’s first play on the turnover is a rush and a fumble, and Michigan State takes it all the way to the house. The Spartans now lead by six, and Iowa will take over again.
11:06 3Q: Iowa 10, MSU 16 — Not long after Hill’s first collegiate touchdown pass comes his first interception. Although the Iowa coaching staff is trusting him to throw the deep ball, this one was right into two Spartan defenders. Michigan State ball.
9:37 3Q: Iowa 10, MSU 16 — Despite a Spartan delay of game penalty, an explosive rush from Michigan State running back Nathan Carter makes up for lost ground for a fourth and one attempt — and the Hawkeye defensive line puts a stop to a push up the middle. Turnover on downs — Iowa ball on the Michigan State 30.
7:38 3Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — Hill is pounded by Michigan State’s Chester Kimbrough for a sack on third down, but Iowa’s Drew Stevens nails a 53-yard field goal to put the Hawkeyes within a field goal of the Spartans.
5:23 3Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — Iowa senior safety Quinn Schulte blew up a Spartan attempt at a reverse play, pushing the Spartans further toward their own end zone and ultimately forcing them to punt. That punt went 52 yards, and the Hawkeyes will take over on their own 10.
4:22 3Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — On third and six, the Iowa offense opted to run the ball up the middle — to no avail and, rather, a flurry of boos from the Kinnick Stadium crowd. That makes a three and out for the Hawkeyes, and the Spartans will again take over at their own 49. “Fire Brian [Ferentz]” chants have begun.
0:38 3Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — Despite a push into Iowa territory, a false start penalty set the Spartans back five yards, making third and nine that the Hawkeye defense covered nicely. Michigan State kicker Johnathan Kim returned for a field goal, which hit the right goalpost and fell short. The Hawkeyes will take over.
End 3Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — Hill’s first down pass went straight through Ragaini’s hands, second down pass was a screen in the dirt, and third down pass overthrew Vines. That marks another three and out, giving the ball back to the Spartans.
14:05 4Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — It’s now the battle of the punters, and Michigan State’s Ryan Eckley has the edge: This punt went 67 yards and puts the again-struggling Iowa offense at its own five yard line.
10:33 4Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — Hill seemed to have no open receiver option, scrambling out of the pocket but ultimately targeting sophomore Seth Anderson — who was tripped up before he could make a play on the ball, leading to a pass interference call. But Hill found Anderson again on third and five for a big first down, inching the Hawkeyes closer to Spartan territory.
Hill targeted sophomore receiver Kaleb Brown on an out route on third down, and Brown did not bring it in. Yet again, the Hawkeyes will punt.
7:47 4Q: Iowa 13, MSU 16 — The Iowa defense holds strong in Michigan State territory, forcing yet another Spartan punt. This one went just 15 yards, Eckley simply biffing the punt. Iowa is in Michigan State’s territory — and a solid position to get back on the board.
5:19 4Q: Iowa 16, MSU 16 — Another Hill pass hits Vines hands — and the ground. That’s six dropped passes for the Iowa receiver room. And Hill’s next pass was tipped and nearly intercepted, bringing about third down. A Williams rush brought fourth and one, and the Hawkeyes opted for a field goal, which Stevens drilled, to tie the game at 16 apiece.
3:45 4Q: Iowa 23, MSU 16 — A pair of Spartan false starts on third down bumped Michigan State back a total of 10 yards, and this Kinnick crowd is on its feet and loud. Michigan State’s Eckley punted the ball away — and DeJean took it back 70 yards to the house. That’s a touchdown for the Hawkeyes, and the Spartans will have just under four minutes to tie this game up.
3:29 4Q: Iowa 23, MSU 16 — Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins just pounded Michigan State receiver Tre Mosley, and senior linebacker Nick Jackson forced a fumble that Iowa’s Ethan Hurkett recovered. The Hawkeyes are back with the ball on the Spartans’ 30 yard line.
1:04 4Q: Iowa 23, MSU 16 — A pair of Leshon Williams rushes put the Hawkeyes in the red zone, and the Hawkeyes and Spartans have split timeouts. Iowa is just 11 yards away from closing this game out.
0:59 4Q: Iowa 26, MSU 16 — On fourth and two, Iowa’s Stevens nailed a field goal to seal the win for the Hawkeyes, putting them up 26-16 with under a minute left. The Hawkeyes scored 16 unanswered in the second half. A Jermari Harris interception seals the deal for Iowa.
FINAL: Iowa 26, MSU 16.
This is a developing story. Follow along for updates here or @dipregame on Twitter.