Final: Iowa 31, Iowa State 17

Telling stat: Iowa wins rushing battle 260-63

LeShun Daniels sprained his ankle and the Hawkeyes still dominated the line of scrimmage. Jordan Canzeri took over for the Hawkeyes. He ripped off 124 yards and a score as the feature back. He scored the touchdown that put the game on ice, too. Not too shabby for a guy that figured to have more of an impact in the passing game this season.

Key play: C.J. Beathard finds Riley McCarron for game-winning score

C.J. Beathard stepped up big time for the Hawkeyes in the second half. After a slow start, Beathard capped off his three-touchdown day with a nice throw-and-catch to McCarron to take the lead for good. While it was McCarron that made the highlight reel, Matt VandeBerg was impressive in the passing game. He finished with his first career 100-yard day and put the Hawkeyes in position to take the Cy-Hawk trophy back.

Worth noting:

-Drew Ott came out of game with cast on left wrist

Of the things Iowa fans didn’t want to see, Ott in a sling was one of them. He appeared to hurt his left wrist in the first half and was sidelined for the duration of the game. The Hawkeyes didn’t release anything official on his future status, but without their defensive leader, Iowa still managed to get several key fourth-quarter stops. Still, the Hawkeyes cannot afford to have their defensive leader out any significant amount of time.

-Close, but not close

It took a pair of late Iowa scores to make this one look more lopsided than it was. It’s still worth noting that this was the first time in five years that the Cy-Hawk game wasn’t decided by single digits. After the Hawkeyes pulled off the late-win in Iowa City last year, that had to feel good to hoist that trophy. They had heavy hearts coming into this one after the death of former player Tyler Sash, and the Hawkeyes pitched a second-half shutout. Sash would certainly appreciate that type of effort.

What it means: C.J. Beathard can ball

It might have taken a little longer than Hawkeye fans would’ve liked, but Beathard showed why he’s Kirk Ferentz’s guy. He made it happen with his arms and legs, especially down the stretch. It’s never bad to have a quarterback that can rip off a 57-yard run, either. He could be exactly what last year’s team was missing in winnable games like Saturday.

What’s next: vs. Pitt

Iowa lucked out by avoiding a showdown with injured tailback James Conner, but the Hawkeyes will still have several athletes to deal with. They’re also going to face former Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, who could have a trick or two up his sleeve when he returns to Iowa City.