While Iowa backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan didn’t have to do much on his first red zone trip, handing the ball off once to Kaleb Johnson, the Northwestern transfer displayed his potential on his next chance.

With the Hawkeyes trailing, 14-10, in the third quarter, Sullivan was subbed in when the Hawkeyes got to the seven-yard line. After two straight handoffs, Sullivan took a shotgun snap, faked a give to Johnson, and scrambled to his left. Tight end Addison Ostrenga had motioned at the beginning of the play and wound up right in front of his quarterback, making for a simple pitch-and-catch routine for the two Hawkeyes as Iowa retook the lead in front of a raucous Kinnick Stadium.

The touchdown was Sullivan’s first since Nov. 4 against Iowa at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. He would finish the day with the toss being his only completion, but in only four snaps, gave Iowa a new red zone weapon to work with.

“This week when we were talking about those situations, we just thought maybe it would be good to have that in our pocket,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said of Sullivan’s plays postgame.  “How much we utilize it or not utilize it, we’ll figure that out as we go.”