Brendan Sullivan — A-
The quarterback’s start to his first Iowa start was slow but not ugly, remaining patient in the pocket as he broke through with a big connection to fellow Northwestern transfer Jacob Gill into the red zone. Moreover, that pass protected his receiver and set up his one-yard touchdown push.
Sullivan made the smart play frequently, aside from a lazy intentional grounding penalty, otherwise knowing when to keep it for himself. Calm and collected. But not after a late hit on the Badgers, giving him cause for some celebration and taunting.
A highlight reel play on Iowa’s first drive of the second half really showed his athleticism with a nice mix of jukes and pace changes. But it was a flawlessly executed pass to Gill once more that extended Iowa’s lead and even proved Sullivan’s ability to pass on moving feet.
Sullivan really worked himself into a groove in the second half, evidenced by a flawlessly placed ball to tight end Zach Ortwerth for 50 yards and a run of his own up against the end zone. While he didn’t look like a gun-slinging Super Bowl winner tonight, he played his role perfectly.
Altogether, it really just looked like Sullivan was having fun out under center, and that’s the energy this program has really needed from its quarterback over the last two years.
Run game — A+
It’s clear now how important depth is to a football team. For example, last year’s Washington offense could throw to Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja’Lynn Polk. This year, Iowa’s offense can depend on what Kaleb Johnson, Jaz Patterson, and Kamari Moulton each uniquely bring to the backfield.
Each moved the offense forward in the first half, but it was — of course — Johnson who once again waltzed into the end zone for six. And let’s not forget Sullivan once more here, using his feet to spread the offense and score six of his own and juking his way up the field in the third quarter to make Johnson’s second score of the evening. His third came on a nice hole opened by his line at the one yard line, his 20th touchdown of the season that tied legendary Hawkeye running back Shonn Greene for the single-season school record.
By the end of the night, Johnson totaled 135 yards, and this win was certainly owed to the run game, as it often is for the Iowa football team.
Defense — A
This is a Wisconsin offense that loves to start strong, as it did against No. 14 Alabama and No. 3 Penn State. But Iowa’s constricting offense in the first half closed the door early on any Badger hopes at a win — just three Wisconsin points in two quarters.
A lot of that was owed to defensive back Deshaun Lee. While he’s often overshadowed by the NFL potential play from opposite defensive back Jermari Harris, tonight was Lee’s night. He was fired up after a pass break-up in the end zone early in the first quarter, and such energy produced an athletic interception that resulted in a touchdown. Likewise, in a funky sequence, linebacker Nick Jackson got in on the action and was just as alert as he caught a deflected pass from defensive lineman Brian Allen and returned it deep into Wisconsin land.
At a glance, just 10 Wisconsin points is the Iowa football Hawkeye fans know and love — and the college football world has become so aware of. Tonight was just like old times.
Special teams — B
It started roughly. Kicker Drew Stevens had a look at a 56-yard field goal that had the leg but not the accuracy, and punter Rhys Dakin put one in the end zone from mid-field that should have pinned Wisconsin deep instead.
But while Stevens was fine on extra points, Dakin woke up quickly and boasted his boot, back-to-back punts flying high in the air and pushing Wisconsin’s punt returner into backpedals. Even when Iowa’s kicks and punts were returnable, the Badgers not once managed any massive gains.
Altogether, the special teams unit wasn’t so flashy, but that’s often a positive in a big win like this. The Hawkeyes kept it to the script, and it paid off.