The Iowa football team will look for a bounce-back performance today as the Northwestern Wildcats host the Hawkeyes on Wrigley Field, kickoff set for 2:30 p.m.
The 6-2 Hawkeyes — after falling to Minnesota, 12-10, on Oct. 21 — are coming off of their bye week, a week for adjustments that have been overridden in the public eye by the Oct. 30 announcement of the dismissal of Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz at the end of the season.
The Hawkeye offense currently has the worst offense in college football as it is averaging just 232.4 yards per game. Today will be an opportunity to mend that.
While the Hawkeye offense looks the same, quarterback Deacon Hill under center again for today’s contest despite completing just 38 percent of his passes this year, the Wildcat defense is one of the worst in the Big Ten. The Wildcats have allowed 26 touchdowns this season and are averaging 26 points allowed per game.
But the 4-4 Wildcats are coming off of a statement 33-27 win over the Maryland Terrapins last weekend.
Starting under center for the Northwestern offense will be third-year Brendan Sullivan, who has thrown five touchdowns on two interceptions this season with a completion percentage of 64 percent thus far in replacement of injured QB1 Ben Bryant.
COIN TOSS: Iowa has won the toss and elected to receive. The Hawkeyes will defend the west end zone.
1Q 8:33 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: To no surprise, the Iowa offense has opted for the run game early on. Two plays early in the drive were passes, both incomplete and both resulting in defensive pass interference calls. But the Hawkeyes pushed just barely into Northwestern territory, and then Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill fumbled the ball upon taking a hit before he could pass the ball. That’s been a costly struggle of his lately (see Minnesota two weeks ago).
Out comes the Iowa punting unit. Get used to reading that today.
1Q 6:21 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Iowa’s Nick Jackson notched a sack on Northwestern quarterback Brendan Sullivan, ending the Wildcats’ drive quickly and forcing a punt. And Iowa defensive back and punt returner Cooper DeJean did what he does so well: He took the return back well into Northwestern territory, but that progress was brought back to midfield with a block in the back penalty on Iowa.
1Q 3:01 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Hill threw his second completion of the game — first for progress — to Hawkeye fullback Hayden Large, who took it for a handful of yards after the catch. He then threw a solid deep ball to receiver Diante Vines, and in came another pass interference penalty on the Wildcats. But the Wildcat defense stuffed any further progress, the Hawkeyes only able to depend on penalties so much, and Hawkeye kicker Drew Stevens’ 53-yard attempt hit the uprights and bounced out.
A painful sight for Chicago football fans.
End Q1 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: A miscue on the snap sent the ball flying behind Sullivan and dropped the Wildcats back to third and 22. After a hard hit made by Hawkeye linebacker Jay Higgins on Sullivan, a Northwestern punt puts the ball back in Iowa’s possession.
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2Q 11:44 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: A sideline interference penalty on the Wildcats propelled the Hawkeyes deep into Northwestern territory. Penalties have been very costly for the Wildcats and quite the opposite for the Hawkeyes. But this Iowa offense cannot depend on Northwestern mistakes to score points; it needs to get active.
And Hill was intercepted by Northwestern’s Theran Johnson in the end zone, the pass intended for Iowa receiver Nico Ragaini but slightly underthrown. Northwestern ball. That marks Hill’s fourth interception of the year on two touchdowns.
2Q 9:17 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: A third-and-seven deep ball intended for Northwestern’s Cam Johnson hit his hands and popped out — good coverage from Iowa’s DeJean, but that play had potential for a great catch. Instead, it’s Iowa ball after the Northwestern punt.
UPDATE: Are Hawkeye fans’ wishes being granted? Cooper DeJean was just the ball carrier for the Hawkeye offense on a short gain running right, and he played the second snap of the drive too.
2Q 6:22 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Hill and the Iowa offense failed to get anything going, and an incomplete pass and holding penalty brought Iowa punter Tory Taylor back onto the field. Northwestern ball.
2Q 5:07 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Likewise, just over a minute later, Sullivan and the Northwestern offense could not make any progress. That’s another punt and Iowa ball at midfield.
2Q 3:39 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Northwestern defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard is having a solid game so far, recording a sack this drive on Hill. After an incomplete pass intended for Iowa receiver Seth Anderson, Taylor punted the ball away and into the end zone, and it is Wildcats ball again.
2Q 2:25 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: The “Coop” chants are back — not because DeJean made a big play but because he is back and set to return yet another Northwestern punt. Iowa ball in its own territory.
2Q 0:49 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: On third and 10, Hill could not connect with Ragaini on a deep ball, this time overthrowing him, and Taylor is back on to punt after the Hawkeye three-and-out. It’s like Groundhog Day.
HALFTIME Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black pounded Sullivan before he could make his pass attempt, setting the Wildcats back to second and 14, which they would not recover from. The Wildcats punted the ball away, and the Hawkeyes let the clock expire into halftime.
It’s a stalemate so far, folks, a stalemate of punts.
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3Q 13:03 Iowa 0, Northwestern 0: What better way to start the half than with a punt? But this one was blocked by the Hawkeyes’ Anterio Thompson, and Iowa will take over at the Northwestern 25 with its best chance to score yet.
3Q 9:04 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: A tush push makes first down for the Hawkeyes in both teams’ first trip to the red zone so far this game, and it’s looking like the Hawkeyes are going to try again and again to rush this one in — but no. Finally, the Hawkeyes have broken the stalemate with Hill’s short touchdown pass to tight end Addison Ostrenga. The Hawkeyes take the lead.
3Q 5:00 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: The Wildcats put together a solid drive, initiated by both a complete pass and handful of rushes from Sullivan, but it ended abruptly upon an incomplete pass DeJean’s way. After a punt into a touchback, the Hawkeye offense will take over with some momentum to extend the lead.
3Q 1:00 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: The Hawkeyes essentially gave up on this drive, falling to first and 20 after a penalty and opting for three runs up the middle before a punt. The Hawkeye fans at Wrigley are booing. Even with the offensive coordinator out at the end of the season, they want points.
End Q3 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: The Wildcats, amid steady offensive progress, will have first and 10 on the 46 yard line after the break, hoping to cut into the Hawkeyes’ lead as we head into the fourth quarter.
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4Q 6:36 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: This Hawkeye defense is strong.
The Wildcats’ run game pushed Northwestern well into Iowa territory, making its first trip to the red zone this game that was brought back on an offensive holding penalty. And on fourth and one, a first down from Wildcat running back Anthony Tyus III kept the drive alive. After defensive pass interference on DeJean, the Wildcats failed four times to put the ball in the end zone from and within the Iowa two yard line — and the Wildcats remain scoreless. Iowa ball.
UPDATE: A massive hole in Wrigley Field dug up by cleats and 300-pound linemen in that goal-line standoff is slowing play right now. Maintenance crew is trying to fix it.
4Q 5:15 Iowa 7, Northwestern 0: In three efforts to just get the ball away from goal line and avoid a safety, the Iowa offense opted to push Hill up and away — providing room for Taylor to come in and punt. And Northwestern will try again, aided by returner A.J. Henning’s return deep into Iowa territory.
4Q 1:50 Iowa 7, Northwestern 7: The Hawkeye defense could hang onto the shutout no longer. On third and four in Iowa’s red zone, Sullivan found receiver Cam Johnson for six, and the extra point ties us up at seven apiece with under two minutes to play.
UPDATE: A great Hill throw connected with Iowa receiver Kaleb Brown for 23 yards — his best catch of the year — that put the Hawkeyes up against Northwestern’s 40 yard line. Timeout NU.
After a third down that saw the Hawkeye rush stuffed at the line of scrimmage, Iowa kicker Drew Stevens is out for a field goal in a shot to put the Hawkeyes up.
4Q 0:14 Iowa 10, Northwestern 7: And it’s good.
The Hawkeyes are up three, Stevens’ 52-yard field goal giving Iowa the lead. Northwestern will get just a handful of more plays to even this thing up.
No luck. Hawks win.
FINAL: Iowa 10, Northwestern 7.
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This is a developing story. Follow along for updates here or @dipregame on Twitter.