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Rapid Reaction: Iowa dominates Middle Tennessee, posts highest yardage total under Kirk Ferentz
Published:
Final Score: #14 Iowa 48 Middle Tennessee 3
Brief Recap: Iowa dominated from the get-go and never stopped. The Hawkeyes led 24-0 at halftime and everybody seemed to get in on the action by the time the final whistle blew. Even kicker Keith Duncan had to celebrate early in this game, as in the first quarter, he hit a career long 49-yard field goal.
Key Moment: With 0:15 remaining in the first quarter, quarterback Nate Stanley threw an 18-yard TD pass to wide receiver Brandon Smith. The play itself may not make headlines, but it gave the Hawkeyes a 17-0 lead going into the second quarter. It was clear then as to which team would win the football game.
Key Stat: There are a few stats to note. Iowa finished the game by going 10-of-16 on third down. Middle Tennessee’s defense could force the Hawkeyes into third down situations throughout, but could never really force Iowa to punt. Also, Iowa had the ball for 35:57. That goes to show how the Blue Raiders’ defense couldn’t get off the field. Lastly, the Hawkeyes gained a total of 644 yards. That’s the most in Kirk Ferentz’s 21-year history at Iowa.
Key Player: Quarterback Nate Stanley. Stanley finished at 17-of-25 for 276 yards, 2 TD and zero INT. He has yet to throw an INT this season and now has 8 TD to zero INT this season. The senior signal caller was just steady throughout this game. As long as he continues to be efficient and doesn’t turn the ball over, the Hawkeyes will always be tough to beat.
What it means for Iowa: Iowa is now 4-0 and is 4-0 to start the season for the first time since 2015. Back in 2015, the Hawkeyes went a perfect 12-0 before losing in the Big Ten Championship to Michigan State and then Stanford in the Rose Bowl. Hopefully, for Hawkeye fans, this means that a 12-0 record is incoming. This win as a whole means that Iowa remains solid. You can’t take that away from the Hawkeyes. They will be a difficult out for every team they face. We’ll see exactly what Iowa is made of next week when the Hawkeyes travel to take on Michigan.
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.