WATCH: Nate Stanley finds WR Nick Easley wide open for 75-yard TD
The Outback Bowl is featuring Iowa and Mississippi State this season in yet another Big Ten-SEC clash.
The two conferences aren’t exactly fans of each other, so the intensity in these types of games — even though they are technically exhibition games — is high. The first quarter saw a few field goals, which led to a 6-3 Bulldogs lead over the Hawkeyes.
In the second quarter, however, Iowa found an opening in the defense.
A very wide opening that led to a 75-yard TD:
https://twitter.com/schuttecfb/status/1080163269128712193?s=21
Quarterback Nate Stanley found senior WR Nick Easley on this one which looked to be very easy. Typically, a miscommunication happens on these types of plays. Easley is fast, sure.
But is he that much faster than Mississippi State’s defense? I suppose we have a couple more quarters to potentially find out.
The 75-yard strike also set a career-long for Stanley, a junior. On the ensuing possession, Mississippi State gave the ball up thanks to a strip sack by A.J. Epenesa.
Two plays later, Stanley connected with WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette for a 15-yard TD to get the score to 17-6.
How's that for a turnaround?
Nate Stanley finds Ihmir Smith-Marsette for his second TD pass in less than 2 minutes
Iowa 17, MSU 6 | 6:18 2nd | https://t.co/xz2vcULNCa pic.twitter.com/FnoupUR7J0
— On Iowa Sports (@GazetteOnIowa) January 1, 2019
The game can be found on ESPN2.