Iowa wasted a golden opportunity Saturday night, blowing a late lead and losing to Wisconsin 28-17. It was a tough loss to swallow, because the Hawkeyes played well enough to win in a game that likely decided the Big Ten West, even this early.

Iowa moved the ball well, but wasted a few scoring opportunities that came back to bite them. It was its first loss of the season, and it will sting for a while

Here’s what I liked — and didn’t like — from Saturday night’s game:

Things I liked

  • Offense stepped up against a solid opponent: Iowa was able to move the ball well against Wisconsin’s stout defense, rolling up 404 yards. Quarterback Nate Stanley played great, completing 14 of 23 passes for 256 yards. If they could have just finished a few more drives, they would have won this big game.
  • Ivory Kelly-Martin makes a difference: The Iowa running back came back from injury and had a big night, rushing for 72 yards on 14 carries, a great 5.1-yard average against a very good defense. He’s an important part of this offense, so it’s important that he stays healthy this season.
  • Despite the loss, Hawkeyes know they’re a good team: There are no such things as moral victories in the Big Ten, and Iowa won’t look at this game that way either. They proved they could hang with the big boys, so they need to learn from this game and stay hot. “Really the keys now are how we respond, and how we move forward,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “That’s where our focus will start (Sunday).”

Things I didn’t like

  • Defense failed on final drive: Iowa’s defense has been so good all year, but it didn’t get it done when it mattered, allowing Wisconsin to drive 88 yards in 10 plays late in the fourth quarter to take the lead. They didn’t get any pressure on Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook, and he completed all five of his passes for 65 yards on the drive. When you’re supposed to be the best defense in the Big Ten, you can’t let that happen.
  • The three turnovers were critical: When these two teams get together, it’s always a battle because they are so similar. Running the ball and playing good defense matters to both, so it’s the mistakes that make a difference. Iowa had three turnovers and Wisconsin didn’t have any, keeping a clean sheet. That 3-0 discrepancy was too much to overcome