Gophers stun Iowa: Iowans Couch, Puk hurt Hawks, 23-17

(Published 11/18/1984)

MINNEAPOLIS -

Bye-bye Floyd. And, possibly, bye-bye bowls.

Iowan Gary Couch raced 14 yards for a touchdown with 4:17 remaining, sparking Minnesota to a 23-17 upset of Iowa in Big Ten football before 63,479 bipartisan fans in the Humphrey Metrodome Saturday night.

While giving Coach Lou Holtz the biggest victory in his first year with the Gophers, Minnesota greatly reduced Iowa's bowl aspirations. Iowa is 6-4-1 with a Dec. 1 game at Hawaii remaining, while Minnesota finished 4-7.

"This is probably the hardest three weeks of my coaching career," said Iowa Coach Hayden Fry, whose team was tied by Wisconsin and beaten by Michigan State the previous two weeks.

"I really don't have much too say. I want to congratulate the University of Minnesota on a super job. They took advantage of every opportunity and break and put points on the board. Obviously, this doesn't help our bowl chances."

Fry said last week that he thought Iowa would need to defeat Minnesota to be assured of a bowl bid.

The Gophers, recapturing Floyd of Rosedale, took the lead after Bill Happel fumbled a Minnesota punt inside the Iowa 20. Couch, former Davenport Central star, raced around right end for the clinching score. It was only the second carry of the game for Couch, who was nursing a sore left knee.

"Coach just told me to run the way I used to," Couch said. "Yeah, it's sorta good beating Iowa."

Chip Lohmiller added a 34-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining after Iowa failed on fourth-and-six on its 24 with 2:30 remaining.

A desperation effort by Iowa to win the game in the final minute only reached Minnesota's 44-yard line on a pass from Chuck Long to Happel - the last play of the game.

"It was good to see a hog again," said Holtz, referring to Floyd, the bronze statue of a pig which goes to the winner of this game each year. "We had a lot of reasons to quit, but we didn't. We played awfully well and beat an awfully good football team."

Ironically, it was Happel who had given Iowa a spark at the start of the second half.

Fielding the second punt of his career, Happel raced 95 yards to a touchdown to give Iowa a 14-7 lead. It was a school record, topping Bob Longley's 94-yard return against Oregon in 1949.

"I just had great blocking all the way around," said Happel, who started practicing punt returns only last Monday. "I was going to let the ball roll into the end zone, but it took a high bounce and I thought I'd better grab it.

"I got a couple real nice blocks along the sideline and Doug Burrell (Happel's former teammate at Cedar Rapids Washington) sprung me loose."

Happel clearly wasn't thinking about his record run afterward, though. In a tunnel under the Metrodome stands, Happel wiped his eyes with a handkerchief while being consoled by his father, Bill, former Iowa player and Minnesota assistant coach.

"The kick was short and it took a funny hop," said Happel, describing the muffed punt which preceded Couch's touchdown. "I didn't want to let it roll toward the goal line, but I just couldn't get a hold on it. It just slipped through my fingers."

Another Iowan played a large role in the Gophers' victory. Fullback David Puk, another of Happel's ex-teammates at Washington, led Minnesota rushers with 79 yards on 15 carries.

Iowa outgained the Gophers in total yards, 386-275, but Minnesota had a 197-162 edge rushing.

Iowa appeared to be headed for a score after the opening kickoff. The Hawkeyes moved 45 yards in 11 plays before the drive stalled at the Minnesota 35-yard line.

Tom Nichol lined up to attempt a 52-yard field goal with 10:40 left in the first quarter, but Iowa was whistled for illegal procedure. Nichol, instead, punted 36 yards to the Gopher four.

After an exchange of possessions, Minnesota's elusive quarterback Rickey Foggie engineered a scoring threat. A 20-yard run by Puk put Minnesota in Iowa territory for the first time at the 43.

Puk carried for two more, Foggie optioned for three and the freshman signal-caller hit Courtney Holmes for a gain of four. That left Minnesota with a fourth-and-one situation at the Iowa 34, and Holtz didn't hesitate to try for the first down.

Iowa nose guard Jeff Drost had other thoughts, though, as he roared in and nearly got the handoff between Foggie and Derek Collier. The one-yard loss stopped Minnesota's threat with 2:10 left in the first quarter.

Minnesota became more effective at stopping Iowa's sweeps, so Long instead went to the air. He hit running back Owen Gill on a screen pass for a 25-yard gain to the Gopher 42, then found Robert Smith streaking down the sidelines for a 32-yard gain to the Minnesota 10.

Long was sacked for a one-yard loss by defensive end Bruce Holmes on the last play of the first quarter.

But on second-and-11, Gill darted off left tackle, broke linebacker Peter Najarian's tackle at the 10 and roared into the end zone. Nichol's kick gave Iowa a 7-0 lead with 14:55 left in the half.

A 28-yard punt return by Tom Serie to the Iowa 30-yard line with 10:42 left in the half set up Minnesota's first-quarter score.

Foggie picked up needed yardage on two third down plays during the 10-play series, hitting Serie for a 12-yard gain to the Iowa 14 and running seven yards to the Iowa two.

Iowa extended Minnesota to fourth-and-goal at the one. But Foggie faked a dive to the fullback and hit tight end Kevin Starks, who got behind the Hawkeye defense in the end zone. Lohmiller's kick tied the game with five minutes left in the half.

Long moved Iowa quickly in the last few minutes, hitting consecutive 22-yard passes to Happel and Jonathan Hayes. Gill ran for six-yard gains twice, putting Iowa at the Minnesota 21, but cornerback Andre Harris stopped the threat when he intercepted Long's pass intended for Happel in the end zone with 1:55 left in the half.

Minnesota moved to the Iowa 32 in nine plays, but Foggie's pass to Mel Anderson was underthrown with 10 seconds left in the half.

Iowa outgained Minnesota 206-161 in the first half, including a 153-53 margin passing. Gill, who finished with 133 yards rushing on 27 carries, had 52 first-half yards for Iowa while Puk topped Minnesota with 41.

After Happel's punt return had electrified the crowd and given the Hawkeyes a 14-7 lead, Iowa threatened to lengthen the lead.

Long hit Hayes with a 27-yard pass to the Minnesota 28, but the Hawkeyes were socked with back-to-back holding penalties. Long fumbled the next play after a one-yard gain and the Gophers' Steve Thompson recovered.

After an exchange of possessions, Minnesota embarked on an 11-play, 46-yard march which led to Lohmiller's 40-yard field goal. The kick came with 57 seconds remaining in the third period. Foggie's 13-yard pass to Anderson on third-and-11 at the Iowa 35 was the key play in the series.

On Iowa's first play after the kickoff, Gill fumbled following an 11-yard gain on Donovan Small recovered at the Iowa 34. Eight plays later, Lohmiller booted a 36-yard field goal that cut Iowa's lead to 14-13 with 12:59 left.

Iowa, behind the running of Gill and Rick Bayless, marched 72 yards in 13 plays but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Nichol. His kick gave Iowa a 17-13 edge with 6:25 remaining.

Two minutes later, disaster struck for the Hawkeyes when Adam Kelly's punt eluded Happel. Willie Roller recovered for Minnesota at the Iowa 14.

Couch's scoring run and Lohmiller's kick gave Minnesota a 20-17 edge with 4:17 remaining.

Long tried to hit Scott Helverson deep down field on first down, but Harris batted the ball away. Long was pinned for a one-yard loss by Bruce Holmes on second down and hit Gill for a five-yard gain on third.

After calling timeout, Iowa faced a fourth-and-six at its 24. Long's pass to Robert Smith at the Minnesota 40 was tipped away by two

Gopher defenders.

Lohmiller tacked on a 34-yard field goal with 56 seconds left.